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BPRC rescinds blight on four renovated properties, declares blight on three others
Summary
At its June 11 meeting, the BPRC voted to remove four properties from the blighted property list after inspections and repairs, and voted to designate three other properties as blighted, citing long-running code violations, tax delinquencies and unsafe conditions.
The BPRC voted June 11 to rescind blight designations for four properties that completed required repairs and inspections, and to add three other properties to the blighted property list after code-enforcement staff detailed long-running violations and tax delinquencies.
The body rescinded blight designations for 516 East 20 Third Street, 2520 East 40th Street and 1408 West Eighth Street after staff reported required permits were pulled, inspections were passed and final rescission inspections were completed. The commission voted to approve the minutes from its May 14 meeting earlier in the session.
Why it matters: Removing properties from the blighted list allows owners to move forward with renovation, transfer, or sale without the specific redevelopment restrictions or remediation orders tied to a blight designation. New blight designations start formal enforcement steps that can include fines, liens, or referral to the redevelopment authority.
Code-enforcement staff told the commission that the properties removed from the list had completed building, electrical and plumbing permits and passed inspections. Jake, a code-enforcement officer, said of one rescinded property: "They acquired all their permits and passed all their inspections," and described another as a full rehabilitation he had monitored since first encountering severe hoarding conditions.
On new designations, the commission voted to declare 452 East Fourth Street blighted. Staff reported the property has been vacant, had overdue taxes for 2024 and 2025 totaling a little over $1,600, and that an inspection found a water main break in the basement. Jake said the house "is extremely overgrown" and described it as a long-running hoarding situation with multiple prior notices and citations.
The commission also voted to designate another property (address not specified in the record) as blighted after staff reported unpermitted work (a rear staircase), halted construction, no utilities, and a history of five cases and three separate case files under the current owner. The transcript notes the owner did not obtain required permits and that the structure had been vacant for about 2½ years with no progress.
A third new designation was for 929 West 30 Eighth Street. Staff reported the utilities were off, the property was delinquent on taxes for 2023–2025 totaling more than $10,000, multiple notices had been posted with no response, and a citation remains pending in district court. Jake said staff had been unable to locate next of kin or any person responsible for the property on record.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of minutes (May 14, 2025): Motion moved and seconded; voice vote — all in favor; motion passed.
- Rescind blight: 516 East 20 Third Street — motion passed (voice vote).
- Rescind blight: 2520 East 40th Street — motion passed (voice vote).
- Rescind blight: 1408 West Eighth Street — motion passed (voice vote).
- Declare blight: 452 East Fourth Street — motion moved by Aaron, seconded by David; voice vote — approved. Staff documented tax delinquencies for 2024–2025 (~$1,600) and a basement water-main break.
- Declare blight: (address not specified in transcript) — motion moved by Rich, seconded by Janelle; voice vote — approved. Staff reported unpermitted rear staircase, halted work and a five-case history.
- Declare blight: 929 West 30 Eighth Street — motion moved and seconded; voice vote — approved. Staff reported utilities off, tax delinquencies for 2023–2025 (over $10,000), multiple posted notices and a pending citation in district court.
What was said and where: During the secretary's report, the body noted there are 282 properties currently on the blighted property list and that the redevelopment authority had authorized action against one property and that another would proceed through condemnation or eminent-domain processes. Jake provided the property-level details summarized above during the new-business section. Several commissioners made motions and seconded them as recorded; votes were taken by voice and passed in each instance described above.
The meeting closed after members noted the ongoing work of removing properties from the list when possible; staff expressed that removing and adding properties in roughly equal numbers indicates progress toward stabilizing the inventory of blighted properties. No public commenters were present in chambers to speak during the public-comment portion of the meeting.
