Grand Prairie board orders repairs, deadlines for four dangerous properties; one case tabled to May

The Grand Prairie Building Advisory and Appeals Board on an evening meeting voted 7-0 to adopt staff recommendations and set compliance deadlines for three properties deemed dangerous or substandard, granted a 90-day extension on a fourth property that is under contract, and tabled an initial hearing on a fifth property to the board's May meeting.

Board action focused on immediate safety and property-securement measures for vacant houses that staff said have structural damage, unauthorized access and code violations. The board required owners or interested parties to present plans and meet interim deadlines so the city and lienholders can monitor compliance and, if necessary, pursue demolition or lien remedies.

Staff said the properties present public-safety and nuisance risks because of holes in roofs, collapsed interior ceilings, broken windows and evidence of unauthorized entry. "The structure is a dangerous structure as that term is defined in Grand Prairie code of ordinances," a code-enforcement staff member told the board when presenting the cases, noting the city may board up, repair, remove or demolish structures and may assess civil penalties or place liens on properties that remain in violation.

At 1605 Acosta Street, owner Jill Malone told the board she has applied to Grand Prairie Neighborhood Services and is pursuing financing and a contractor. "I want the house to be repaired," Malone said. Staff…