Boerne council orders demolition of fire‑damaged home at 217 Sofia Circle within 60 days

The Boerne City Council on May 13 voted unanimously to declare the dwelling at 217 Sofia Circle substandard and to order its demolition within 60 days.

Nathan (chief building official) presented the item and said the house suffered a March 2024 fire that caused “more than a 50% loss to the integrity of the structure.” He told the council both the fire marshal and the chief building official have declared the structure substandard under the city’s code and recommended the demolition order.

Staff told council the property’s listed owner had died and title has passed to the mortgage holder, Mr. Cooper Mortgage; Single Source Property Solutions is under contract with the mortgage company to address maintenance and code violations. Nathan said staff had discussed the matter with the mortgage holder’s contractor and that the contractor was soliciting demolition bids but could not proceed until foreclosure paperwork allowed action. Nathan summarized timing uncertainty: “In Texas, you have a minimum of about 40 days. ... The average is about 160 days,” and told council staff recommended a 60‑day demolition order as reasonable given those timelines.

Neighborhood representative Lanice Grace, president of the Boerne Heights Homeowners Association, urged the council to move quickly: “We sure do hope that you vote to demolish this. Our neighborhood has seen this terrible situation for over a year,” she said, adding that the association had tried to contact relatives with no response.

Council action and next steps - Motion: Declare the dwelling at 217 Sofia Circle substandard and order demolition within 60 days (in accordance with Article 3, substandard structures). The motion was moved by Councilman Macaluso, seconded by Councilman Bunker, and passed 4–0. - Staff noted that if the mortgage holder does not complete demolition, the city retains the option to perform demolition and seek reimbursement pursuant to city code. Nathan said the mortgage holder’s representative had been “positive” in conversations but that completion is contingent on foreclosure and corporate decisions.

Clarifying details - Cause and condition: The home was fire‑damaged in March 2024 and declared more than 50% structurally lost by the fire marshal and building official. - Ownership and process: County appraisal district records list the owner as deceased; mortgage holder has assumed responsibility and is working with a vendor. Foreclosure and administrative timelines cited in the staff presentation are estimates and may require extension of the demolition deadline if paperwork remains pending.

Provenance: Staff presentation and public comment on this item are recorded in the May 13 meeting transcript; council recorded the motion and voice vote approving demolition.