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Board gives owner more time, orders temporary roof fix at 1605 Acosta
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Summary
The Building Advisory Appeals Board voted 7-0 to require a temporary roof repair within seven days at a vacant house at 1605 Acosta and to have owner Jill Malone and her contractor return on Feb. 2 to report financing and progress toward compliance.
The Building Advisory Appeals Board voted unanimously to require a temporary roof repair within seven days at 1605 Acosta and to have owner Jill Malone and her contractor return on Feb. 2 to report financing and progress.
Mr. Brown, a city code-enforcement staff member, told the board the house has roof holes, interior damage including a collapsed ceiling and signs of vandalism, and contains a mold-like substance. Brown said the property is vacant and secured but remains noncompliant with the code sections read into the record; an amended order previously set a Dec. 1 deadline to repair, remove or demolish the structure.
"All that has been done except for the structure is not totally in compliance," Brown said, and described offers from the contractor to make a temporary repair "to stop the bleeding" and limit further water intrusion while the owner pursues financing.
Owner Jill Malone said she has emptied most of the house and repeatedly attempted to secure financing. Malone told the board lenders had initially approved applications then denied them after hard credit checks, and that a local finance company in Grand Prairie would not accept the nonprofit where she works because it "doesn't have a state number." "This is not how I thought this day would be," Malone said. "I'm not giving up."
Board members pressed staff on options and timetables. The city attorney told the board the options were to keep the order in place or extend time if requested. Several members said they were willing to grant a short extension if the owner demonstrated concrete steps to limit further damage and pursue financing.
One board member asked whether a temporary tarp or patch would remove the property from the dangerous-structure list; Brown said it would not remove the listing but would contain further damage while more permanent repairs are sought.
The board resolved to require a temporary roof patch or similar stabilizing work within seven days, instruct staff to follow up, and to have Malone and her contractor return to the board on Feb. 2 to show financing and any completed work. The motion passed by a vote of 7-0.
The chair opened the floor for citizen comments; none were offered. The meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m.
