Hopkinsville board orders removal of unsafe house at 917 House Street

The Hopkinsville Code Ordinance Enforcement Board on Sept. 9 found the house at 917 House Street to be an unsafe structure and ordered it removed, after code officers presented photos and inspection details showing extensive exterior and interior deterioration. The board also approved an assessed penalty and a $200 administrative fee.

Code enforcement officer Darnell West testified that the property, inspected first in June and again in August, showed foundations with large voids, deteriorated mortar joints, sagging rooflines and collapsed ceiling areas. West told the board the water service had been off since January 2021, electricity had been absent since June 2015, plumbing appeared inoperable and several windows were boarded or damaged. Photographs presented show an open back door, trash and interior clutter; West said the team believed someone may have been staying inside and that they observed signs consistent with indoor grill use.

"This property was found, during proactive duty," West said while describing the photo evidence and checklist items that led staff to conclude the structure met the threshold for an unsafe structure.

Chair Rodney Davis closed the evidentiary hearing to allow deliberation in open session. A member moved that the city had met its burden of proof and that a violation exists; the motion was seconded and approved. The board then discussed penalties and a cleanup/removal order. The motion carried to remove the structure and assess a monetary penalty as recorded in the hearing record; the transcript records an administrative fee of $200. (The transcript's numeric penalty amounts are ambiguous in places; see audit notes.)

Board members said safety concerns — including risk of fire, collapsing floors and hazardous interior conditions — justified immediate abatement. A member remarked, "Let's get it get rid get rid of," after which the removal motion was approved.

Notices of violation and citations were posted on the property; West told the board that the notice of violation had been posted Aug. 14 and that follow-up inspections and citation posting occurred after no contact from the owner. The board did not specify an exact timetable for removal in the public record beyond approving the removal order and associated penalties.

The board's action is a final administrative order for the Code Ordinance Enforcement Board; the transcript notes that final orders may be appealed to Christian District Court within 30 days of the board's written order.