Evansville hearing affirms multiple vacate, repair and raise orders; most cases set for progress checks in August

The Evansville City Building Commission hearing on June 26 affirmed a string of emergency vacate, raise and repair orders for properties the city said are unsafe or unfit for habitation, and set progress review dates—most commonly Aug. 28, 2025. Hearing Officer Ryan Schultz presided and said repeatedly that the city would affirm orders when inspectors’ evidence showed “an impaired structure condition” that made a property unsafe or a public nuisance.

The hearing matters ranged from routine repair orders to emergency vacates tied to inactive utilities. Several property owners told the commission they were pursuing repairs or sales; inspectors and the hearing officer frequently cited missing windows, collapsed or bowing foundations, fire damage, and inactive gas or electric service as reasons to affirm orders. In multiple cases the commission accepted plans to continue a case so repairs can be started or permits filed; in others it affirmed vacate or raise orders and gave owners 10 days to appeal to the Vandenberg County Superior Court as provided by Indiana Code 36-7-9 and local ordinances.

Inspectors and staff repeatedly set Aug. 28, 2025, as the next compliance or progress-check date for many continued matters, and several cases were continued to July 24, 2025, for either on-site inspections or owner updates. The commission also flagged a small number of properties for civil-penalty enforcement: the hearing officer authorized or put $500 fines under advisement in several cases for alleged willful noncompliance.

Most significant outcomes

- The commission affirmed emergency vacate orders where utilities were inactive and inspectors reported safety hazards. Hearing Officer Schultz read the evidence and stated: “the structure is an impaired structure condition that makes it unsafe to persons or property. The structure is a public nuisance.” That language was applied repeatedly in rulings, particularly where CenterPoint and city utility records showed gas or electric service marked inactive.

- Where owners presented evidence of active repair work or permits, the commission frequently modified large “raise” orders to repair orders and returned matters for progress review rather than ordering immediate demolition or raising. For example, Inspector Allen reported active permits and steady repair work at 3926 North Fourth Avenue and the commission returned that matter for an Aug. 28 progress report. Owner Gina Bayt told the commission she had recently obtained permits to begin work on two buildings at 1143 and 1163 Covert Avenue and “we just got these permits two weeks ago,” and the commission nonetheless affirmed the orders but allowed the owner to submit a repair schedule and set a compliance check.

- The commission continued multiple matters to give owners time to obtain contractors, permits, or to arrange on-site walkthroughs. Several owners who appeared said they had new permits, contracts or intended buyers; inspectors and staff asked for contact information and concrete timelines.

- The commission imposed or took under advisement $500 civil penalties for willful noncompliance in a few cases and ordered returns on July 24, 2025, to confirm progress.

Votes at a glance (cases and outcomes)

The list below summarizes each case addressed at the June 26 hearing, using the case identifiers or addresses provided in the hearing record and the action the commission took on each matter. Where a case was continued, the next scheduled review date is listed; where the commission affirmed an order, the type of order is shown. If the transcript did not supply a case number, the address is used and the case number is marked "not specified." (Owners are shown as named in the hearing record.)

- 3926 North Fourth Avenue — affirmed repair progress; matter returned for progress report on Aug. 28, 2025. (owner: not specified)

- 1143 & 1163 Covert Avenue (CE 25CE98; owner: Repprindy Inc / Repro Indie) — affirmed vacate and repair orders for two vacant buildings; owner (Gina Bayt) stated permits were obtained two weeks earlier; commission required a repair schedule and returned the matter for compliance on Aug. 28, 2025.

- 1303 Mary Street (CE 25CE104; owner: Blake A. Sinclair) — affirmed emergency vacate after inspector and utility records showed no electric or gas service; vacate to remain until utilities are restored and verified by the department.

- 915 North Fourth Avenue (CE 24CE120; owner: Eugenia Dormeyer) — vacate/raise matter continued to July 24, 2025, to allow owner time to present a plan and contractor schedule.

- 1143/1153/1163 area and related properties (various entries) — where owners reported phased renovations the commission required timelines; returns set on Aug. 28 or July 24 depending on the case.

- 201 Van Avenue (CE 25CE55; owner: Gerald McCaslin) — commission modified the pending raise order to a repair order and continued the matter for an on-site inspection and progress check on Aug. 28, 2025.

- 639 East Maryland Street (CE 25CE114; owners: Douglas W. Kennedy & Patricia A. Kennedy) — affirmed emergency vacate based on inactive gas and electric; vacate to remain until utilities are restored and verified.

- 640 East Maryland Street (CE 25CE94; owner: 640 East Maryland Street Land Trust / PD23 LLC) — affirmed emergency vacate for inactive gas and electric; commission noted utility records and affirmed the vacate order.

- 1611 West Missouri Street (CE 25CE111; owner: Maria Najero) — affirmed vacate and raise orders; owner said she intends to repair but lives out of town; commission affirmed and advised the owner of appeal rights.

- 1300–3304 and 3304 Forest Avenue (CE 25CE109; owners: Catherine Beckham & Brandy Beckham Bertinati) — case continued to July 24, 2025, for a walk-through and additional coordination after the parties told the commission they would coordinate inspections.

- 3316 Austin Avenue (CE 24CE132; owner: Deborah Kitzinger / buyer contact present) — inspector reported progress in some nearby sales and recommended returning the matter on Aug. 28; the commission accepted return and took a $500 civil penalty under advisement where repeated delays were alleged.

- 3403 Austin Avenue (page reference) / Austin Development LLC — inspector reported significant progress; commission returned matter for progress on Aug. 28, 2025.

- 620 East Blackford Avenue (CE 24CE168; owner: Brett Basham / Patrick Rhodes present) — continued to Aug. 28, 2025, for progress; permits were reported active.

- 2100 West Maryland Street (continued from April; owners: John T. Tucker Sr. & Jr.; representative present) — hearing officer granted the raise order based on evidence of structural impairment; owner was advised of the 10-day appeal period.

- 651 East Riverside Drive (CE 24CE170; 651 East Riverside Drive Land Trust) — inspector reported the house was sold and that new owners had made repairs; matter returned for Aug. 28, 2025, to verify continued progress.

- 2937 Broadway Avenue (CE 25CE110; owner: KP Capital Rentals LP) — affirmed vacate and raise order after inspection evidence of structural and roof deterioration; commission confirmed the order.

- 1321 Bellemeade Avenue (CE 25CE17; owner: Robert B. Gilliland) — inspector reported owner had promised repairs and not completed them; commission imposed a $500 civil penalty for willful noncompliance and returned the matter July 24, 2025.

- 918 Judson Street (CE 25CE106; owner: Kenold Levasseur) — affirmed repair order after inspectors reported gutted interiors, missing meter/weather head, broken windows and other violations.

- 537 South Perth Avenue (CE 25CE88; owner: Troy E. Bolton Sr.) — affirmed emergency vacate based on utility records showing inactive electric and gas service; vacate to remain until utilities are restored and verified.

- 907 Harriet Street (CE 25CE100; MA Valley Inc.) — matter continued to Sept. 25, 2025, at the request of counsel; commission noted no further continuances would be granted without counsel present.

- 915 Oakley Street (CE 25CE101; owner: Ezekiel Vasquez Saldivar) — affirmed vacate and raise order after repeated inspections showing settling, holes in roof and other structural hazards.

- 639 East Tennessee Street (CE 25CE99; owner: Mace East Property Solutions LLC) — affirmed vacate and raise order because inspectors found major foundation loss and settling that made the structure unsafe.

- 1604 East Franklin Street (CE 25CE97; owner: Kelly Wiggs) — affirmed vacate and raise orders after extensive structural and foundation issues were documented; commission cited proximity to neighboring houses and risk if the foundation failed.

- 1014 North Garvin Street (CE 25CE105; owner: DC Indiana LLC / Carousel Property Management) — affirmed vacate and raise; commission noted repeated re-entry after sealing and extensive deterioration; vacate to remain.

- 2504–2506 North Ferris Avenue (CE 24CE129; owner: Tight Natas Holdings LLC) — inspector recommended removing the matter from today’s docket and monitoring the vacate order while utilities are restored and occupants move out; commission accepted the recommendation and will monitor.

- 906 West Illinois Street (CE 25CE68; owner: Bonger Commercial LLC) — permit for garage demolition was filed; commission continued matter to Sept. 25, 2025, to allow demolition work to proceed.

- 1604 Ewing Avenue (CE 25CE16; owner: Racille Rodriguez) — inspector reported the owner was actively working and the commission returned the matter for an Aug. 28 progress check.

What happened at the hearing, in context

Inspectors presented photographic exhibits, title searches and utility records as evidence in most cases. Where CenterPoint or city utility emails showed gas or electric services inactive, the commission routinely affirmed emergency vacate orders. Where owners or their representatives presented permits or active work, the commission more often converted raise orders to repair orders or continued cases to allow repairs, then scheduled on-site inspections or return dates. The hearing officer repeated the statutory appeal pathway and his authority under Indiana Code 36-7-9 to impose civil penalties up to $5,000 and to require bonds or other remedies.

Quotes from the hearing

“The structure is an impaired structure condition that makes it unsafe to persons or property. The structure is a public nuisance,” Hearing Officer Ryan Schultz said when reading the commission’s findings in multiple cases.

“We just got these permits two weeks ago,” owner representative Gina Bayt said at the Covert Avenue matter as she described recent permit activity and a schedule the company planned to submit.

Next steps and follow-ups

The commission set the bulk of returned matters for progress checks on Aug. 28, 2025, with a smaller set scheduled for July 24, 2025. Where emergency vacates were affirmed, owners were told to contact the building department once utilities were restored so staff could verify and release the order. Owners were repeatedly advised of the 10-day appeal deadline to seek judicial review in Vandenberg County Superior Court.

The hearing record shows a pattern: the commission uses vacate and raise orders where structural and utility evidence demonstrates immediate safety risks, and it uses continuances and repair-order conversions to allow owners and new buyers a window to mobilize contractors and permits. Several owners reported having recent permits or buyers; inspectors and the commission set firm deadlines for progress verification.