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Council presses staff on demolition, liens and lot‑clearing as demolition budget is reduced
Summary
Council members questioned cuts to demolition funding and pushed for more proactive code enforcement; staff said demolition funding was underused, noted legal limits tied to property ownership and liens, and described shifting some dollars into lot‑clearing contracts and beautification grants.
Council members used the Sept. 15 budget workshop to press staff over recent decisions to reduce the city’s demolition account and reallocate some funds toward lot clearing. Councilman Hancock and others urged a more proactive approach to clearing blighted properties and called for clearer tracking of which properties were in court or subject to liens.
Staff responded that Texas property‑rights rules and complex ownership chains often slow city action: many problematic properties have deceased owners or…
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