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Council presses for stronger enforcement on chronically unsightly properties
Summary
During a general improvements meeting, councilors urged more aggressive use of existing property-maintenance ordinances to address repeatedly neglected lots and inoperable vehicles; staff said the city has enforceable code but some repeat offenders remain difficult to compel to clean up.
At a Struthers City Council general improvements meeting, councilors and staff discussed a string of long-running property-maintenance problems and asked administration to take stronger enforcement measures against repeat offenders.
Council member (and meeting chair) Vincent Caricelli called attention to several properties that residents and other councilors have repeatedly reported. Council members showed photographs and said some addresses have been the subject of previous compliance efforts that produced temporary cleanups but returned to poor condition.
Councilors said the city’s existing “unsightly” and property-maintenance ordinances provide a legal basis for citations. One councilor said she had spoken with John (the city’s prosecutor) and was told the properties in question were “citable.” Staff said that code-enforcement officer Billy has been visiting properties, but repeat offenders and residents who do not have the means or do not cooperate remain a challenge.
Councilors discussed possible changes to enforcement and timing. Suggestions included shortening notice periods after an officer’s visit (for example, moving from a longer written-notice window to 24 hours for repeat offenders) and more consistently issuing citations and pursuing legal remedies when property owners do not comply. Council members asked staff to review existing procedures and, if necessary, bring legislative changes forward.
Officials noted enforcement tools can include daily fines and misdemeanor charges for ongoing violations; staff said those options exist in ordinance but are sometimes difficult to collect or enforce when owners lack resources. Council members and staff agreed to coordinate with the prosecutor’s office on next steps; John had been contacted and would provide guidance to staff on how to proceed with specific problem properties.
No new ordinance language was adopted at the meeting. Council members asked staff to document repeat violations, proceed with citations where appropriate, and report back with options for stronger enforcement or legislative changes if needed.
