Building Standards Board orders demolition for multiple dilapidated properties; one owner granted time to repair

The San Antonio Building Standards Board met July 10, 2025, and issued orders on a series of dangerous‑building cases across the city, finding multiple structures in violation of City Code Article 8, Chapter 6 and directing demolition or repair depending on the case.

The board voted unanimously to order demolition within 30 days for several properties found to be beyond feasible repair, including 606 Cincinnati Avenue, 1520 Delgado Street, 230 Astor Street, 230 Astor Street (referred to in staff presentation), 418 Morrison Boulevard and 614 Hearne Avenue. The board also ordered that properties be vacated, secured, utilities disconnected where appropriate and cleared of trash and debris as part of the demolition orders.

In one contested case, 335 Elmhurst Avenue, the board found the structure to be a public nuisance but feasible to repair and approved a 90‑day remediation plan. The successor trustee who is now managing the property presented an executed contract with a prospective buyer and a plan showing available financing; the board required permits, 30‑day check‑ins with the assigned code officer and a 90‑day completion target for structural repairs and foundation work.

Several staff presentations documented the conditions that led to the board's recommendations: rotted or missing roof decking, sagging or shifted foundations, holes in ceilings and floors, exposed wiring, evidence of vagrant occupation, animal feces and biohazards, and operations without required permits. Police officers gave on‑record descriptions of repeated calls for service, narcotics and violent incidents at some addresses; neighborhood association emails and residents also urged action in several cases.

Votes at a glance

- 606 Cincinnati Avenue (District 1): Board found the main and accessory structures to be dangerous and ordered demolition within 30 days. Staff documented extensive structural failure, exposed wiring, basement sewage and reports of vagrant occupation and drug activity. San Antonio Police Department and neighborhood advocates described repeated calls for service. Motion carried unanimously.

- 335 Elmhurst Avenue (District 2): Board determined the property is a public nuisance but feasible to repair. Successor trustee Daniel Fleming presented evidence that the property is under contract to a developer and provided a scope of work and financial documentation. The board approved a 90‑day repair order, required permits and 30‑day progress check‑ins; the board will revisit the case if work is not completed in 90 days.

- 1520 Delgado Street (District 5): Staff recommended demolition after a Dangerous Assessment Response Team (DART) inspection documented severe water damage, saturated subflooring, animal feces and collapsed ceiling drywall. Police described a shooting and weapons found on site during prior enforcement. The board ordered demolition within 30 days; motion carried unanimously.

- 230 Astor Street: Staff found the single‑story house to have rotted framing, holes in the roof, collapsed interior ceilings and dangerously soft floors; owner Veronica Garcia Moxley told the board she preferred demolition and offered an estimate and a contractor ready to begin. The board ordered demolition within 30 days; motion carried unanimously.

- 503 Pecan Valley Drive: The owner/representative appeared but did not provide the documentation the board requires (scope of work, proof of funds). The board voted to reset the case to the next available meeting to allow the potential new owner to supply the required paperwork; roll call on the reset produced a 2–1–1 result and the case was continued.

- 418 Morrison Boulevard (City records: owner living trust): Trustee Kimberly Koehler and family members said the house is a family property in poor condition and asked for time to arrange demolition and contractor estimates. Staff documented heavy interior debris, missing drywall, collapsed ceilings, and three deteriorated accessory structures. The board ordered demolition within 30 days; motion carried unanimously.

- 614 Hearne Avenue (tax‑forfeiture property): Development services notified the board that Bexar County, as tax‑forfeiture holder, authorized the city to proceed to protect public health and safety. Staff documented large holes in floors and ceilings, rotted members and extensive interior debris. The board ordered demolition within 30 days; motion carried unanimously.

Why it matters

The board's decisions remove structures the city found to pose immediate risks to public health and safety and, in one instance, allow for a funded repair plan that could return an architecturally salvageable house to productive use. Several orders require follow up by development services to ensure demolition, securing, and permitting follow legal and preservation obligations (including deconstruction reviews where indicated). The board recorded that property owners, potential buyers or trustees must provide scopes of work, proof of funds and permits to pursue repairs.

What comes next

Development services staff will implement the board's demolition orders, coordinate deconstruction reviews where the deconstruction ordinance applies, and monitor the 90‑day repair case at 335 Elmhurst. Cases reset for lack of documentation will return to the board at its next available meeting; owners or representatives who wish to pursue repairs must submit the required scope of work, financial proof and permit applications to staff as directed.

Votes and formal actions taken at the July 10 meeting are reflected in the board minutes and are actionable once the written order is mailed to owners or interested parties by Development Services.