Building board orders plan for 6713 Lindale Road after city officials deem house substandard

The Kennedale Building Board of Appeals directed the property owner of 6713 Lindale Road to present an approved construction schedule and obtain required permits within 30 days and complete repairs within 90 days after city staff described the single‑family dwelling and premises as substandard and unsafe for habitation.

Nathan (community development staff / building official) told the board the property, occupied by James Hardy and owned by Amber Hardy, has a multi-year code-enforcement history including repeated notices and court appearances. Staff said inspections (with occupant consent for exterior/interior access on some visits) found large accumulations of trash and discarded materials visible from the street and behind an irregular fence, damaged and missing siding, a buckled roof assembly, missing windows and doors, damaged foundation piers, and temporary power arrangements including a running generator and improvised wiring. Nathan said the house lacked reliable utility service at several points and that he had deemed the dwelling unfit for human habitation on that basis and under the city’s substandard-structure provisions.

Amber Hardy, the property owner, said she inherited the house and has worked with staff to clear debris and hire contractors; she said the occupant, her uncle James Hardy, is 61, has health issues and a history of hoarding, and that the family has removed about 16 tons of material from the site. James Hardy and neighbors spoke in support: neighbor Derek Hall described Hardy as a longtime, working resident and urged compassion, saying demolition would render the occupant homeless. James Hardy told the board he is working and that some items visible outside had been taken from the house to allow foundation repairs.

Staff recounted a timeline: multiple notices back to 2020, a cited violation in June 2023, a foundation repair permit issued in December 2023, the project’s failure to complete required inspections, a staff follow-up on Nov. 1, 2024 that found conditions had partially reverted, and an issued substandard notice. Staff recommended an order to vacate, abate nuisances and either repair or demolish the structure within 30 days, with a detailed construction schedule and a 90‑day limit if additional time is needed; the board may order demolition if compliance is not reached.

The owner asked for time and explained financial constraints and difficulty finding contractors; she said contractor work had begun and that a contractor estimate on the materials/plans provided by the property or contractor listed approximately $45,000 for the remaining work. Several board members asked detailed questions about what repairs a homeowner may do without a licensed contractor and the distinction between homesteaded property-owner exemptions and work performed when the owner does not live at the property. Nathan clarified that homesteaded owners may perform some work themselves but this property is not homesteaded by the owner and that licensed contractors are required for certain trades (electrical, plumbing, foundation), while roofing, painting and some cosmetic work may be done by the owner or a registered general contractor with required insurance.

After extended discussion about safety, the board adopted a motion that the owner present an approved plan to address and correct all violations to city staff within 30 days, pull required permits within those 30 days, and complete the required work within 90 days subject to inspections and monthly progress updates to the board. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Staff told the board it would conduct a follow-up inspection and recommended that, if the owner fails to meet the required schedule or provide an acceptable construction timeline, the board consider an order to demolish the structure.

Quotes (selected): • Nathan (community development staff/building official): “I deemed the home unfit for human habitation and advised James that he and the owner... would need to bring the home into compliance.” • Amber Hardy (property owner): “Being a hoarder is not necessarily a decision that somebody makes. It is a medical condition.” • Derek Hall (neighbor): “He lives in his house. He stays to himself. He takes care of his things… The demolition on the house makes them homeless.”

Next steps: owner to provide a construction schedule and pull permits within 30 days; staff to inspect and report monthly to the board; if progress is not shown, staff recommended issuing a demolition order.