Port Arthur board orders repairs, extensions and demolition notices for dozens of deteriorated properties

Port Arthur’s Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals on Wednesday approved a series of raise-and-repair orders and 30-day raze orders for dozens of properties the city has deemed unsafe or substandard.

The board granted time-limited repair orders to several owners seeking to fix structures and also declared a long list of properties ‘‘dangerous’’ and set 30-day orders for demolition. Staff said some property owners had completed work without permits and that formal inspections and plan reviews will be required before any changes are approved.

Why it matters: The board’s actions will determine whether property owners get additional time to bring buildings up to code or whether the city moves forward with demolitions. Several homeowners and estate representatives said they have potential buyers or funding, while staff emphasized inspections, permits and possible penalties for unpermitted work.

The most contested case involved a property at 4201 Ninth Avenue. The owner, identified in the record as Mister Otter, told the board he purchased the lot June 24 and repaired two portable buildings on it with the intent to operate an office/warehouse. Otter said staff initially told him the lot was residential and would not allow permits; staff later told the board that the file had been created as a residential case and that the buildings had been red‑tagged and scheduled for demolition in 2021. Otter said he did the repairs because a letter gave him 15 days to correct the condition. The board…