City staff reported progress last year in code enforcement, property cleanups and the rental inspection/registration program, telling council they have increased enforcement activity, used administrative cleanups and liens to address repeat problems, and continue to work through a backlog of problem properties.

Staff said the code enforcement unit opened 1,421 cases in 2024 and that 672 of those were repeat cases (about 47%); staff described repeat violations as the primary continuing challenge. The department has used court orders to perform administrative cleanups — removing vehicles and debris and then filing liens for costs — which staff said led to a reduction in repeat citation rates from a previously higher level.

Public Works and code staff summarized demolition activity and rental program data: since program inception in 2019 the city has processed about 608 permits tied to the rental program, with staff stating they have assessed and categorized roughly 2,167 properties as part of compliance tracking. Staff told council they estimate Streator currently has about 1,400 rental properties (the U.S. Census estimate cited in staff materials was 1,197 with a margin of error of 358). Of the properties contacted during recent rounds of mailings, 349 property owners remain unconfirmed/nonresponsive and are the focus for continued outreach in 2025.

Council and staff discussed demolitions (staff said about 50 demolitions over five years, roughly 10 per year) and noted both the negative fiscal effect of losing structures and the neighborhood‑stabilizing effect when blighted properties are removed or rehabilitated and the lots returned to active use. Staff said the city purchased a permitting and accounting software (VSA) that will let staff track rental registrations and expirations more easily and allow the city to prioritize problem properties as license expirations recur.

Council asked about lien collection and recovery of cleanup costs; staff said unpaid municipal cleanup costs are filed as liens and can be placed on the tax bill, and that collections have improved compared with previous years. Staff said they will concentrate 2025 efforts on the remaining 349 uncertain properties and on administrative approaches that reduce repeat violations.

The report was informational; no formal vote was taken.