Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Code Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council orders make-safe or demolition for three properties; owner speaks at show-cause hearing for a fourth
Summary
Lansing City Council on March 20 approved make-safe or demolish orders for 204 E. Kavanaugh (21 days), 1612 Martin Street (21 days) and 1616 S. Cedar (60 days). A show-cause hearing for 1033 Shepherd Street included testimony from the owner and was referred to the Public Safety committee.
Lansing City Council on Thursday moved to enforce city code at multiple properties, approving make-safe or demolish orders after prior red tags and hearing officer findings.
Council member Pelle Vanaglu moved a 21-day make-safe-or-demolish order for 204 East Kavanaugh Road, originally red-tagged June 27, 2022; a mechanical permit application dated Feb. 13, 2025 remained on hold pending building permit issuance, and council recorded noncompliance and approved the 21-day order without recorded opposition.
The council approved a 21-day make-safe-or-demolish order for 1612 Martin Street, which was red-tagged Aug. 5, 2023 and had previously been ordered by a hearing officer to be made safe or demolished; code enforcement reported no compliance and the council moved the 21-day order unanimously.
For 1616 South Cedar Street, councilmember Hellebone moved and council approved a 60-day make-safe-or-demolish order. That property was originally red-tagged May 10, 2011; the owner told council he and his wife had been ill and that he was working with the city on a plumbing permit and hardwired smoke detectors. The council recorded the update and extended a 60-day compliance window.
Separately, a show-cause hearing for 1033 Shepherd Street proceeded. City staff reported the property's SEV (state equalized value) as $31,900, an estimated repair cost of $82,009, eight premise violations since the property was red-tagged in 2022, and a September 2024 zoning violation for storage of junk, vehicles and trash. The city recommended 30 days to make safe or demolish.
Property owner William Russell addressed council during the hearing, saying code compliance personnel had entered his home without permission and disputing some of the enforcement chronology; he also said he did not own the property in 2011. Council recorded his remarks and referred the item to the Public Safety committee, which was scheduled to meet the following day. No final make-safe-or-demolish order was adopted at the March 20 meeting for 1033 Shepherd; the committee referral was the recorded action.
