Nicholas Bradshaw, the public officer designated by the mayor to enforce the City of Knoxville’s code on unfit buildings, found multiple properties out of compliance and ordered repairs or affirmed corrective actions after a June 27 public officer hearing.

Bradshaw issued a 120-day repair order for 600 Renford Road after city inspectors documented the structure occupied without functioning utilities and damaged electrical and HVAC equipment. Scott Elder, neighborhood codes enforcement manager for the City of Knoxville, told the hearing the house was inspected in 2019 and again after utility services were removed in 2022 and that extension cords and a damaged exterior electrical panel had been observed. Owner Alan Howell told the hearing he is not living in the house but has been working inside, said the visible extension cords had been removed, and described plans to hire a certified Knoxville electrician and to apply for required permits. Howell said KUB removed the meter and placed a blank in the meter base; he also said he is a retired industrial electrician but lacks local certification. When Bradshaw asked whether Howell believed he could complete repairs within 120 days, Howell replied, "I believe so. Yes." Bradshaw then stated, "I find that the structure at 600 Renford Road, including the accessory structure, is out of compliance with the codes of the City of Knoxville and an attractive nuisance and is dangerous and injurious to the health and safety of the occupants," and ordered repairs within 120 days, warning the structure may be vacated, closed or demolished if corrective work is not completed.

Bradshaw also issued a 90-day repair order for 201 East Young High Pike after Elder reported the house suffered fire, smoke and water damage, has been boarded multiple times, and the city continues to maintain the yard. Elder said the property currently carries six liens for unpaid city services and that the listed owner is likely deceased; the owner’s daughter, Deborah Finley, is reported to be local and aware of the situation but was not present at the hearing. Bradshaw found the structure at 201 East Young High Pike to be out of compliance and ordered repairs within 90 days, with the same warning that failure to act could result in the structure being placarded as unfit for human habitation and vacated and closed.

On 127 Atlantic Avenue, Elder reported a collapsing accessory structure first inspected April 1 and further collapsed by June 9. The City approved an emergency demolition/repair order on June 9, and city services removed the collapsed accessory structure on June 10. Bradshaw affirmed the prior emergency order for the accessory structure at 127 Atlantic Avenue and directed repair or demolition as previously authorized.

The hearing also reviewed prior boarding actions and related charges. Bradshaw affirmed the public service department’s boarding and the associated corrective-action charges for:

- 1432 West Fifth Avenue (boarded Oct. 29, 2024),
- 8600 Kingston Pike (boarded Nov. 6, 2024),
- 1800 Reynolds Street (property purchased Oct. 31, 2024; boarding charges requested), and
- 1700 Jeromen Avenue (boarded Nov. 5, 2024).

For each of those properties Bradshaw said the structures were "an attractive nuisance and dangerous and injurious to the health and safety of the community" and affirmed the charges related to corrective action.

The hearing lasted from 9:31 a.m. to 9:51 a.m. and ended after the listed matters were decided. Bradshaw reminded owners that obtaining permits and beginning rehabilitation does not remove the city’s authority to take corrective action if final inspections and the work required by an order are not completed within the ordered timeframe or any granted extension.