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 with Development Services, presented photographs showing extensive rot, broken windows, exposed wiring and interior debris, and said the primary structure did not meet multiple code subsections and that the accessory structure had evidence of current occupancy. San Antonio Police Officer José Peña described repeated calls, arrests and observed drug activity at the location and told the council the site posed a public‑safety problem. The council moved and approved a finding that the property was a public nuisance under City Code (Chapter 6, Article 8) and ordered both structures demolished within 30 days; the motion included evacuation and securing of the property and passed unanimously.

- 310 East Drexel Avenue: Crystal Town, dangerous‑structures officer, presented photos documenting extensive interior and exterior damage, unauthorized additions, missing flooring and evidence of on‑site drug use and prostitution. Several neighbors testified about ongoing criminal activity. The council approved a motion to declare the property a public nuisance and to demolish it within 30 days; the motion passed 5–0 on a roll call.

- 1035 West Malone Avenue: staff said the house had suffered fire damage and extensive smoke and structural deterioration; neighbors reported the structure had been abandoned for years. The council found the property a public nuisance and ordered demolition and securing within 30 days; the motion passed unanimously.

- 159 Day Road: staff reported foundation failure, severe rot and interior hazards. The council voted to declare the property a public nuisance and ordered demolition within 30 days; the motion passed unanimously.

- 5339 El Paso Street: staff described repeated delays in resolving title issues, interior destruction, evidence that transient occupants had been using the property, and hazardous openings in flooring and walls. The council approved demolition of both primary and accessory structures within 30 days and included a directive that utilities remain disconnected; the motion passed unanimously.

Several other properties were presented with staff recommendations (for repair or further action). One property, 5618 Summer Fest Drive, was presented with a recommendation for repair rather than demolition; no final council action on that property is recorded in the meeting transcript excerpts provided.

Direct testimony Officer José Peña, San Antonio Police Department, described repeated calls and arrests connected to 9530 WikiUp and told the council: “It was a public‑safety problem.” Cristi Garza summarized the condition of 9530 WikiUp: “The property is not complying with the applicable codes and presents hazards that make it not habitable.” (All quotes are translations from testimony taken in the public hearing.)

Votes at a glance - 9530 WikiUp Street — declared a public nuisance; both structures to be demolished within 30 days; evacuation and securing ordered; vote: unanimous (voice) (5–0 where roll call used). - 310 East Drexel Avenue — declared a public nuisance; demolition within 30 days; vote: 5–0 (roll call). - 1035 West Malone Avenue — declared a public nuisance; demolition within 30 days; vote: unanimous. - 159 Day Road — declared a public nuisance; demolition within 30 days; vote: unanimous. - 5339 El Paso Street — declared a public nuisance; demolition within 30 days; utilities to remain disconnected and property secured; vote: unanimous.

What the orders require next: for properties ordered demolished, the council’s actions require demolition within 30 days of the hearing date, evacuation where specified, securing of the site and, in at least one case, explicit direction that utilities remain disconnected. Owners can appeal the council’s decision within 30 days, and staff said they had provided relocation resources to occupants when appropriate.

Background and context: council staff repeatedly cited City Code, Chapter 6, Article 8, as the authority for declaring properties public nuisances and for ordering repairs or demolition. Staff also said the Office of Historic Preservation had reviewed several cases and found the properties ineligible for historic designation. Several speakers and staff representatives emphasized that the properties had recurring police calls, evidence of drug activity, or previous fires that left structures unsafe for habitation.

Closing note: council members who voted in favor did not record dissenting votes in the provided transcript. Several enforcement presentations included documentation of inspections, photographs, and follow‑up efforts by development‑services staff to offer relocation resources to occupants when the department believed occupants were eligible for assistance.