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County discusses condemning uninhabitable estate property; hearing set for March 17
Summary
Rankin County staff told supervisors they will present evidence at a March 17 hearing seeking condemnation of the David Key estate property at 163 Pine Acre Place as uninhabitable; staff cited safety, utilities and notice challenges because the owner is deceased.
Rankin County staff told the Board of Supervisors on March 3 that they will seek a condemnation finding at a public hearing to declare the David Key estate property at 163 Pine Acre Place uninhabitable and to secure the site.
Staff said the property, which is linked to the recently deceased owner, poses life-safety concerns and that a prior 911 call and on-site inspections documented hazardous conditions. The county’s fire coordinator has investigated the premises and will present findings at the March 17 meeting.
“We are using state law to actually ask the board to hear evidence … and to recommend that the board condemn it, render it uninhabitable, not allow anyone to live there,” said Mister Slay, staff member. Slay told supervisors that this situation is beyond the county’s normal nuisance process because staff now believes the property is unfit for habitation.
Staff also described notice and estate complications: because the record owner is deceased, the county is attempting to identify heirs or others with a legal interest. Slay said the county will provide notice to known occupants and likely interested parties but acknowledged statutory notice procedures are imperfect for deceased owners.
Staff asked the board to receive the fire coordinator’s report on March 17 and indicated that, if the board finds the structure uninhabitable, staff will request authority to secure utilities and take other safety measures consistent with state law and county procedure.
No formal condemnation vote was taken March 3; the matter will return to the board at the March 17 meeting for action after staff presents the investigation report.
