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Hopkinsville board declares house at 1535 E. Seventh St. unsafe, orders city to demolish
Summary
The Hopkinsville Code Ordinance Enforcement Board found a house at 1535 East Seventh Street unsafe for human occupancy, assessed the maximum fine, and authorized the city to abate (demolish) the property; the owner was given seven days to remove personal belongings.
The Hopkinsville Code Ordinance Enforcement Board on a February 2025 hearing found the house at 1535 East Seventh Street to be an unsafe structure and voted to have the city abate (demolish) the building, assessing the maximum civil fine and a $200 administrative fee.
Code enforcement officer Darnell West and fire officials described severe structural decay, sagging floors, missing handrails, broken masonry and interior clutter that, they said, combine to make the house unsafe for human occupancy. West told the board the structure had been without running water since January 2024 and the electric meter was removed on Feb. 13; a basic property maintenance case began in February 2023 and an unsafe-structure placard and citation were posted on Feb. 13, 2025.
The board’s action follows West’s presentation of interior and exterior photographs and a scored checklist that placed the property’s condition well beyond ordinary maintenance. West said fire and code staff who inspected the house concluded it was “unsafe for human occupancy,” and Deputy Chief Chad Silvers noted the fire chief wanted the property taken down if the board did not require abatement.
During the hearing the property owner—identified in the record by the name that appears in the transcript as “Mr. Laura” and who spoke at the hearing—said he and family members live in the house and asked for at least 60 days to clear and repair the property. A family member asked the board for 60 days and volunteers to help clean and make repairs; she later estimated an initial floor repair might cost about $5,000.
Board members and fire officials said the structure’s condition and safety risk made extended repair timelines inappropriate. After deliberation the board voted to find the structure meets the legal definition of an unsafe structure and then voted to assess the maximum fine allowed under local rules ($700) plus a $200 administrative fee and to have the city abate the property. The board allowed the owner seven days, coordinated with the fire department, to remove personal property before abatement. The board recorded the motion as approved.
The board and fire staff said the owner may pursue private demolition with city and fire-department approval; if the city performs the demolition, the cost may be placed as a lien on the owner’s other property. West told the board the owner’s property-specific liens and citations totaled $4,280.50. The board closed the hearing and directed staff to proceed with the abatement steps described in the motion.
(For the record: the case was presented as case number CEBPM25-02-003 and was described by staff as arising from an earlier property-maintenance matter; the unsafe-structure placards and citation were posted Feb. 13, 2025.)
