Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Blight And Tax Sale Intervention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Des Moines launches "deficient property" case type to intervene earlier on vacant and blighted parcels
Summary
Neighborhood Services described a new cross‑department deficient property case type intended as a precursor to public nuisance enforcement. Staff said the process gives multiple divisions more options — including property improvement, redevelopment and legal action — and allows earlier intervention in tax‑delinquent, lien‑encumbered properties.
Neighborhood Services officials described a new "deficient property" case type the city is using to intervene earlier in the lifecycle of vacant, blighted or nuisance properties.
Lisa Krebs, federal funds administrator, and Dalton Jacobus, neighborhood inspections division administrator, told the City Council the new case type is designed as a precursor to the city’s public nuisance process and creates an umbrella pathway to evaluate properties for the best available outcome. "This is really, more of a precursor to the public nuisance process," Krebs said, adding the approach brings additional divisions and tools to a single case review.
Staff described three primary response arms for deficient properties: continue the public nuisance pathway, move the matter to property improvement for owner‑engagement and renovation agreements, or pursue redevelopment and title change paths that may involve the federal funds redevelopment arm. Jakobus and other staff said the group meets about monthly to review cases and determine the most suitable path, examining occupancy, tax and assessment status, extent of deferred maintenance, historic value and the ability to rebuild per zoning.
Krebs and Jacobus cited early program statistics: staff have filtered roughly 848 properties through the new case type and completed about 811 inspections; 70 properties have been reviewed by the multi‑division committee, staff said. The presentation noted many problem properties are encumbered by liens, suspended taxes or special assessments and that earlier intervention can reduce later costs.
The officials explained how the tax‑sale process interacts with the program. Krebs said the city participates in the county tax‑sale process and may pursue tax certificates for problem parcels; she said the city has an accelerated path granted by county and state code that can convert a tax certificate to deed in an expedited timeline (staff described notice timelines of about 90 days for city actions). Council members contrasted that with private tax‑sale bidders, who must wait a longer statutory redemption period — typically about three years — before obtaining a deed.
Krebs said county partners sometimes abate or waive tax and assessment amounts to speed transfers, and staff coordinate with legal, utilities and other offices to clear title impediments when possible. Jacobus said the deficient property approach provides more options and earlier cross‑department review so the city can choose the most cost‑effective or preservation‑oriented remedy.
Ending: Staff asked council to continue supporting cross‑divisional work and noted the program remains in implementation with monthly reviews; staff signaled they will continue reporting case counts and outcomes to council.
