The Springfield City Commission received an update on the city’s vacant property registry and a package of proposed ordinance changes that would expand the program to commercial and industrial properties, raise several fees, change the civil fine for nonregistration, and authorize a contract with an outside vendor to manage registration.

Logan Cobbs, director of community development, told commissioners that “the vacant property registry was established in January of 20 20” and said the registry’s purpose is to “reduce and prevent neighborhood blight” and to “maintain property values and assessments.” He said the program documents ownership, helps identify problematic properties and can aid crime prevention efforts.

The proposed ordinance changes described by Cobbs would: add commercial and industrial properties to the city’s existing residential registry; raise the annual residential registration fee from $100 to $125; add a construction/commercial registration fee of $300 semiannually (described in the presentation as $600 annually for commercial structures); increase the civil fine for nonregistration from a class A fine (stated in the presentation as $50) to a class B fine (stated as $100); and allow a required owner or registered agent office to be located within 250 miles of City Hall. Cobbs said the proposed ordinance text includes a 30/60/90 framework for when properties are considered vacant by property type: his presentation states a commercial structure is treated as vacant after 30 days, a multifamily residential structure after 60 days and a residential structure after 90 days.

Cobbs also described registration deadlines that followed that vacancy framework and responded to a clarification question from Tom Frans, assistant city manager and director of economic development: after a back-and-forth in the presentation, Cobbs explained that owners of commercial structures would have 60 days to register from when the property becomes vacant, and residential property owners would have 30 days from vacancy to register. The transcript shows the question from Frans and Cobbs’ clarification during the same discussion; the presentation text and the registration-deadline language were presented in close sequence.

Cobbs told commissioners the city’s prior registration software vendor, Pro Pro Champs, filed for bankruptcy in 2022 and left the city without reliable tracking. He identified the city’s preferred replacement as Harrah Property Registry, “based out of Melbourne, Florida,” saying the vendor would operate the database, send notices of obligation to register, maintain the portal and handle billing. Cobbs said city staff would retain inspections, issuance of orders and issuance of fines for nonregistration and that the vendor would provide customer support for registrants.

Commissioners who commented praised the proposal’s expansion to commercial properties and voiced support for stronger enforcement. Dr. Estrop, a commissioner, thanked staff, credited a multi-year housing consortium and the Greater Ohio Policy Center for work that led to creation of the registry, and said, “Personally, I'd like to bump [the fine] even higher,” while supporting the proposed increase. Another commissioner asked whether Harrah works with municipalities similar in size to Springfield; Cobbs said Harrah reported about 80 municipal customers and told the commission the fees the city is proposing are “on the lower side” compared with Harrah’s clients. A commissioner who identified themself as a downtown business owner said they were “really happy to see this progress” and supported the focus on commercial vacancies.

Cobbs said both the proposed ordinance updates and the agreement to enter a contract with Harrah Property Registry would be presented to the commission that evening as a first reading; no formal vote on either the ordinance changes or the vendor contract occurred during the work session. The only formal action recorded in the transcript was a motion to adjourn the work session, which was moved, seconded and approved on roll call.