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Board extends deadline for repairs at vacant Acosta Street house, requires June contractor plan
Summary
After hearing from the owner and a lienholder representative, the Building Advisory and Appeals Board modified April orders for 1605 Acosta Street to allow more time for repairs and required the owner to return in June with a detailed contractor timeline; the board voted 6-0.
The Building Advisory and Appeals Board voted unanimously to modify earlier April orders for the vacant house at 1605 Acosta Street, giving the owner additional time to repair or secure the structure and requiring the owner to return in June with a detailed contractor plan to qualify for any longer extension.
Staff told the board that the structure has roof holes, broken windows, a collapsed ceiling in places, interior water damage and a mold-like substance. The property is vacant, has shown signs of vandalism and unauthorized entry, and staff classified it as substandard and dangerous under sections of the Grand Prairie Code of Ordinances.
At the April hearing staff had ordered the owner to repair, remove or demolish the structure within 30 days and appear at the next board meeting with a detailed contractor plan showing 30-, 60-, 90- and 120-day actions. At Wednesday's hearing the owner, Jill Malone, told the board her contractor had been in an accident and had not yet provided the timeline; she presented photographs and described steps already taken to secure doors and windows and to arrange tarping and yard cleanup.
Malone said she had secured the broken windows and that neighbors' security cameras were helping secure the property. She said the contractor planned to place a tarp to dry the interior and that insurance information had been provided to her; Tom Brackett, who said he represents the lienholder, confirmed the lienholder had insurance information and had provided it to Malone.
Board members discussed whether the paperwork and contractor timeline presented at the hearing constituted the “detailed plan” the board had requested. The board resolved that Malone must return to the June meeting with a detailed plan from her contractor; if the board receives a qualifying plan in June it may extend the compliance deadline beyond the newly set date. The board set a date-certain deadline for compliance to July 4, 2025, and the motion to modify the April order passed 6-0.
Staff advised Malone that if the structure is not secured the city may resecure it at the owner's expense and that the city may assess civil penalties of $1,000 per day for ongoing violations and place liens for unpaid charges. The board said it was encouraged by the progress Malone described but emphasized the need for a written contractor schedule when she returns in June.
The board's action preserves staff's prior requirements to secure the property and to remove debris, while giving Malone a clear calendar milestone for returning with contractor documentation that would allow the board to consider a longer compliance schedule.
