Evansville hearing officer affirms vacate and raise orders, issues $1,000 penalty to Masrani Global; dozens of cases continued for inspections

Hearing Officer Ryan Schultz presided over the Evansville City Building Commission hearing on July 24, 2025, where the commission affirmed multiple vacate, raise and repair orders, ordered interior inspections, and imposed a $1,000 civil penalty on Masrani Global LLC for a hazardous property at 802 North Fourth Avenue.

The session addressed more than two dozen property-enforcement matters under the city—s unsafe-structure code (cited at the hearing as Code 36-7-9) and included a mix of affirmed orders, continuances to allow inspections or permit work, and a civil penalty for willful noncompliance. The hearing officer and inspectors emphasized public-safety reasons for orders where structures lacked utilities, showed structural damage or had open access that invited vagrancy.

The most consequential ruling came in CE#25CE126 for 802 North Fourth Avenue, where the commission found the structure a public nuisance, ordered the building vacated and sealed, and assessed a $1,000 civil penalty against the listed owner, Masrani Global LLC. "I'm gonna issue a civil penalty of a thousand dollars, to Masrani Global," Hearing Officer Ryan Schultz told the room, citing repeated inspections showing inactive utilities, open access and trash that had attracted trespassers.

Several other cases resulted in modified or continued orders rather than immediate demolitions. The commission continued CE#25CE131 (1916 South Ferris Avenue, owner Randy Johnson) to Aug. 28 but ordered an interior inspection on Tuesday, July 29 at 10 a.m. to give inspectors a fuller picture of the house's condition before a final decision. Schultz said the continuance was intended to give the owner time to produce a repair plan and to let inspectors verify interior conditions.

In CE#25CE135 (1110 Reed Street, owner Ezekiel Vasquez Saldivar), the hearing officer granted a 30-day continuance to allow the owner time to retain counsel and secure proper permitting; the commission noted a language barrier and advised the owner to seek legal aid. For CE#25CE133 (1612/1614 South Linwood Avenue), the commission modified a previously filed raise order to a repair order to allow the prospective buyer to pursue repairs, ordered an on-site inspection within about two weeks, and set a return date of Sept. 25 for progress.

Other affirmed or amended outcomes included: - CE#25CE136 (1519 West Missouri Street): affirmed vacate and raise order after inspectors documented structural damage and water in the basement. - CE#25CE142 (708 East Maryland Street): continued to Sept. 25 to allow heirs to respond after the owner—s death was reported to the commission. - CE#25CE138 (1429 South Parker Avenue): affirmed a repair order and set a compliance review for Aug. 28; the owner was not present but had acknowledged the property needed work. - CE#25CE143 (2220 West Columbia Street): the hearing officer denied a raise order for now, ordered an interior inspection, and gave the owner time to present repair plans; the matter was continued to Aug. 28 for follow-up.

Multiple routine matters were returned for progress review rather than escalated to demolition: several owners with permits on file were given additional months to complete repairs and to show progress on permits and contractor schedules. The commission also released a handful of matters where utilities had been restored or where fire-damaged structures had been upgraded to emergency demolition by other actions (for example, CE#25CE132 at 820 Monroe Avenue was noted as upgraded to emergency demolition after a second fire and was released from the docket).

Throughout the hearing, inspectors from the Department of Building Safety presented photographic evidence and inspection histories (usually noting multiple inspections) and recommended actions tied to the findings. Schultz repeatedly separated discussion items (requests for continuances, language-barrier assistance) from formal action (affirming orders, imposing penalties, or scheduling inspections).

The commission set two consolidated future dates for follow-up on many of these dockets: Aug. 28, 2025, and Sept. 25, 2025. Hearing Officer Schultz warned that additional continuances would not be granted in some matters and that civil penalties or higher-enforcement measures could follow if owners failed to comply.

Votes at a glance (selected dockets from the July 24 hearing): CE#25CE126 9: 802 North Fourth Avenue (Masrani Global LLC) 9: Vacate and seal order affirmed; $1,000 civil penalty imposed (approved). CE#25CE131 9: 1916 South Ferris Avenue (Randy Johnson) 9: Continued to Aug. 28; interior inspection ordered July 29 at 10 a.m. (postponed/inspection ordered). CE#25CE135 9: 1110 Reed Street (Ezekiel Vasquez Saldivar) 9: 30-day continuance granted to Aug. 28 for counsel/permits (postponed). CE#25CE133 9: 1612/1614 South Linwood Avenue 9: Raise order modified to repair order; on-site inspection to be scheduled; return Sept. 25 (approved modification/inspection ordered). CE#25CE136 9: 1519 West Missouri Street (Lighthouse Estates LLC) 9: Vacate and raise order affirmed (approved). CE#25CE142 9: 708 East Maryland Street (Thomas Kirk estate) 9: Continued to Sept. 25 to allow heirs to respond (postponed). CE#25CE138 9: 1429 South Parker Avenue (David Schroed) 9: Repair order affirmed; return Aug. 28 for compliance (approved). CE#25CE143 9: 2220 West Columbia Street (Martin A. Brunte) 9: Raise order denied for now; interior inspection ordered; continued to Aug. 28 (denied/inspection ordered). CE#25CE132 9: 820 Monroe Avenue 9: Released from docket after case was upgraded to emergency demolition by subsequent action (released).

Hearing Officer Ryan Schultz opened the meeting by reminding attendees that the commission—s authority derives from the city code and Vanderburgh County procedures, and that appeals of his decisions must be filed in Vanderburgh County Superior Court within 10 days. Inspectors repeatedly told the commission they had conducted multiple inspections (three to 16 times, depending on the property) and that many of the properties either had inactive utilities, structural defects or open access that posed safety risks.

The commission—s next scheduled hearing dates for follow-up on continued matters are Aug. 28 and Sept. 25, 2025.