Vanderburgh County Building Commission affirms repair, vacate and raise orders for dozens of Evansville properties

The Vanderburgh County Building Commission on July 25 affirmed repair orders, emergency vacates and raise orders across multiple properties in Evansville after hearing inspector reports that described structural damage, missing utilities and public-health hazards.

Hearing officer Ryan Schultz, who opened the session by citing his authority under Indiana Code 36-7-9, presided over more than a dozen cases. Inspectors recommended and the commission affirmed repair orders for houses including 521 Southeast First Street, 2016 North Fifth Avenue and others; return or compliance dates were commonly set for Aug. 29, Sept. 26 or later status hearings.

Several properties received more urgent action. The commission affirmed emergency vacate orders for sites where inspectors found raw sewage or inactive water service, including 803 Jackson Avenue (affirmed as an emergency vacate after an inspector reported sewage spilling into the yard) and 1316 East Illinois Street (a camper determined by an inspector to lack active utilities and to be a public nuisance).

The panel also granted raise orders where inspectors found homes unsafe for habitation. At 1330 East Indiana Street, Inspector Allen told the commission she was recommending both a vacate order and a raise order because foundation damage and tree intrusion made the house unsafe; the commission moved to grant the orders. At 1707 South Ferris Avenue, the commission directed removal of a large tree and granting a raise order after testimony that the tree obstructed safe demolition or raising.

The commission imposed civil penalties where owners were found noncompliant. The hearing officer announced: “We will grant a thousand dollar civil penalty for willful noncompliance,” after testimony that an owner had refused to restore water service to tenants at a duplex on North Ferris Avenue. In other cases the commission recommended or imposed civil penalties of $500 for willful noncompliance where inspectors documented lack of progress and no contact from owners.

Inspectors repeatedly urged property owners or representatives to contact the assigned inspector once repairs are complete so reinspection can be scheduled and appearances at future hearings avoided. Multiple matters were continued for progress checks in late August or September; several others were set for return in November where owners described deed or title complications.

The commission’s actions are administrative enforcement of local unsafe-structure ordinances; owners were reminded of appeal rights (appeals must be filed in Vanderburgh County Superior Court within 10 days of a decision). The commission’s next scheduled reviews will proceed on the calendar dates set in each order.