San Antonio code board orders demolition or repair of multiple hazardous houses, citing safety risks near schools

The Construction Standards Council on June 12 declared several residential properties “public nuisances” and ordered demolition or repair after staff and police testimony documenting fire damage, severe structural decay and evidence of illegal occupancy that council members said posed a safety risk to nearby neighbors and, in some cases, to nearby schools.

Council staff presented photos, inspection findings and a series of recommended actions for properties including 9530 WikiUp (recommended: repair of the primary structure and demolition of the accessory structure, with evacuation and securing), 310 East Drexel Avenue (recommended demolition), 1035 West Malone Avenue (recommended demolition), 159 Day Road (recommended demolition), and 5339 El Paso Street (recommended demolition and securing). Council members voted on several of those recommendations and approved demolition or other required actions, typically with unanimous votes.

Why it matters: council staff said the properties present immediate hazards — open holes in floors and roofs, exposed wiring, evidence of fire and smoke damage, accumulation of combustible debris, and illegal occupancy in some accessory structures. Police and neighborhood witnesses described drug activity and frequent calls for service at some sites. Several properties are within about 1,000 feet of elementary schools, increasing council members’ concern about public-safety risk for children walking in nearby streets.

What the council heard and decided - 9530 WikiUp Street: Cristi Garza, a dangerous‑properties officer…