Council committee tightens nuisance‑property rules, extends look‑back period to 12 months and adds appeals, notice requirements

The Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee approved an amended emergency ordinance (228‑2025) on April 21 that revises city nuisance‑property rules in sections 6.30.01 and 6.30.02 of the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland. The amendments change the time window for counting repeated criminal nuisance activities, broaden who can be counted as engaging in nuisance activity, clarify allowable evidence, require nuisance abatement plans after repeated incidents and add electronic notice to council members when a property is declared a nuisance.

Assistant Director Schechner and city legal staff summarized the proposed changes for the committee. The ordinance clarifies that a criminal conviction is not necessary to declare a nuisance and explicitly states that citations or arrests also are not required; instead, officers may rely on probable‑cause determinations using witness statements, videos and officers’ observations. The ordinance adds a new category,…