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Resident seeks help for abandoned house in Houghton Township; commissioners point to township code enforcement and repository process
Summary
A Houghton Township resident asked commissioners how to get an abandoned house cleaned up. Commissioners and planning staff told her local municipalities handle code enforcement, explained the tax‑delinquent repository process, and said the redevelopment authority can help with demolition once a property is on the repository list.
A Houghton Township resident asked Lawrence County commissioners on June 17 what to do about an abandoned house next to her property that she said has been neglected since the owner’s death.
County officials told the resident that code enforcement and condemnation are municipal responsibilities and advised her to raise the issue with Houghton Township supervisors. Planning staff described the repository process: when property taxes become delinquent and the property goes to the county repository, the county or redevelopment authority can pursue demolition or other remedies.
“If they want to demolish it… the township has to condemn it,” one staff member said, and the redevelopment authority can assist with demolition after the township acts. Commissioners noted that tax delinquency and time on the repository list are prerequisites for county action.
Why it matters: Complaints about abandoned properties raise neighbor‑quality‑of‑life and safety concerns. Commissioners emphasized the limits of county authority and described the procedural steps a resident or township must take before the county can intervene.
Details and next steps: Staff suggested the resident bring the matter to the township’s public meeting; the township must issue citations or condemn the property. If taxes are delinquent and the parcel moves to the county repository, the redevelopment authority can consider demolition and potential transfer. The resident said the property contains significant garbage and indicated she may pursue the township in person.
The county did not take formal action at the meeting but advised the resident on municipal and repository processes.
