Anderson City Safety Board extends removal deadline for container home, moves ahead with multiple demolitions

The Anderson City Safety Board voted to extend the removal deadline for a container home at 1523 Arrow Avenue to Aug. 25 and affirmed demolition plans for other vacant properties while staff said contractors’ bids for demolitions will be read to the Board of Works tomorrow and awarded next Tuesday.

Trina, a city staff member, told the board that Ricardo submitted a letter saying the container home at 1523 Arrow Avenue complied with Indiana code and asked what steps remained. Trina said Todd told the property representative they "needed to remove it, period," and the board moved the removal deadline to Aug. 25 from the earlier July 14 date.

The extension motion passed with trustees Dave Haibo and Mike Haibo recorded as voting yes. The meeting record does not identify the motion mover or seconder.

Trina also reported that another property, 2111 McKinley, has been affirmed for demolition. She said the house is occupied by squatters, that there are no utilities on the property, and that the owner — who lives in Florida and was described during the meeting as seriously ill — has given the city permission to proceed. Trina said the city received service on the owner and is moving forward with the demolition process; she added that bids were accepted for properties presented to the board and will be read at the Board of Works hearing tomorrow with awards planned for next Tuesday.

Staff described 1327 Central Avenue (near the Village Pantry/Anderson Martyr location) as repeatedly occupied by squatters and frequently visited by Anderson Police Department officers. Trina said a title-search company has requested records of the city's orders and safety-board actions; staff said they will provide the records to inform the prospective buyer and that the property is in the process of being sold, with demolition to follow as appropriate.

Board members and staff repeatedly distinguished between properties where the city had obtained service on owners and those where no service had been obtained; in at least one case staff said they will not change an issued extension absent a different outcome from the Board of Works. Staff said some owners hold large portfolios (Trina said one owner owns about 42 houses in the area), and that the city is coordinating bids and scheduling to address multiple vacant, blighted, or squatter-occupied properties.

Votes at a glance

- Fire department payment: Motion to pay $92,918.77 to the fire department — recorded yes votes from Dave Haibo and Mike Haibo; motion passed. (Mover/second: not specified.)

- Combined payroll: Motion to approve combined payroll totaling $1,268,170.66 — recorded yes votes from Dave Haibo and Mike Haibo; motion passed. (Mover/second: not specified.)

- 1523 Arrow Avenue: Motion to extend removal deadline to Aug. 25 — recorded yes votes from Dave Haibo and Mike Haibo; motion passed. (Mover/second: not specified.)

No formal vote was required for 2111 McKinley, and staff reported it as affirmed for demolition and scheduled in the city's contracting timeline.

Why it matters: Vacant and blighted properties occupied by squatters can pose public-safety and environmental hazards, impede property sales, and create recurring police calls. The board’s actions set timelines for removal and put demolition work into the city procurement process for contractor selection.

The board closed the item after directing staff to provide requested records to a title company and proceed with the demolition procurement schedule. No dates for the actual demolition work were announced beyond the Board of Works reading and award schedule.