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Housing committee refers amendments to Title 15 to update demolition, inspections and registration
Summary
The Housing & Neighborhood Assistance Committee reviewed and referred an ordinance updating Title 15 (land use/housing code) to revise procedures for hearings, repair/vacation/demolition, registration and mandatory rental inspections, increase penalties, and permit a bonded rehabilitation option for subsequent purchasers after demolition orders.
The Housing & Neighborhood Assistance Committee considered an ordinance to amend and supplement Title 15 of the Akron Codified Ordinances, touching sections on hearings, repair, vacation and demolition procedures, condemned-dwelling entries, registration requirements, mandatory rental inspections, and penalties.
Housing staff said the amendments grew out of prior work on vacant-building registration and are intended to modernize administrative processes, align penalty schedules and create a mechanism whereby a subsequent purchaser may post a bond and present a rehabilitation plan after a demolition order has been issued. Staff and the law department said the change would not create a separate right of appeal to the city once the statutory appeal period for a demolition order had expired; rather, a subsequent purchaser may approach the city with a plan and bond to rehabilitate the property and, if successful, recover the bond; otherwise the city would use the bond funds for demolition costs.
Committee members asked how the city determines unfit housing and why some fire-damaged properties take months or years to move through the demolition process; staff explained the Housing Appeals Board issues demolition orders after inspection evidence and hearings, and that emergency demolitions require immediate determinations from fire officials to expedite removal.
The committee voted to refer the ordinance for additional consideration.
Next steps: Staff will return material as requested and the ordinance will be considered in further committee or full council proceedings as scheduled.
