Anderson Board orders removal of unpermitted container home, approves emergency demolitions at multiple properties

The Anderson Board of Public Safety voted July 14 to require the removal of an unpermitted container home at 1523 Arrow Avenue within 30 days and approved emergency demolitions for several other properties the board said posed safety or nuisance risks.

The board’s action came after Building Commissioner (staff) told the board the structure at 1523 Arrow Avenue “was turned in as a home. When it got set, it was a container home. It's not built in The USA. Doesn't meet any of our codes.” The commissioner said the permits for the structure had expired and asked that it be removed; he said he would convert the case to a demolition if the owner did not remove the unit within 30 days.

Leonel Suarez, who identified himself as representing Syracuse Investment Group and as the property owner’s representative, told the board the unit was a modular/container home and that contractors are on hold while the owner seeks the board’s decision. Suarez said delays from winter weather and a local contractor’s withdrawal had stalled finishing the work. He asked whether the building commissioner believed the unit could be brought up to code within a month.

The board approved a motion to require removal of the structure at 1523 Arrow Avenue within 30 days, with the chair noting staff would assist with the foundation once the structure was removed. The owner’s representative said removing the unit would take about a month if that was…