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Gulfport council grants 30‑day extensions in code enforcement hearings, hears tax‑sale buyer’s timeline
Summary
Council opened a code‑enforcement hearing, granted a 30‑day extension to a longtime property owner restoring a family house and heard a tax‑sale purchaser’s attorney say title work should allow cleanup within 30–60 days.
The Gulfport City Council opened its code enforcement hearing and granted short extensions in two cases while urging cooperation with administration to resolve title and cleanup issues.
Crystal Perry, who said her family has owned the 13th Avenue property for at least 60 years, told the council she has been working for months to restore the house after a destructive tenant and asked for more time to finish repairs. ‘‘My family has owned that piece of property for at least 60 years,’’ Perry said, describing thefts and vandalism that delayed restoration. The administration and council agreed to a 30‑day extension and offered staff assistance to follow up on the repairs.
Joel Blankledge, an attorney representing TLG FY LLC (a tax‑sale purchaser), told council his client bought the property at a 2021 tax sale and is pursuing a quiet‑title action; he asked for time to resolve the title cloud and said he could "at least have the property cleaned up" if given 60 days. "If you can give me 60 days, I can at least have the property cleaned up," Blankledge said. Council recommended the standard 30‑day cleanup recommendation and asked the petitioner to update staff on progress.
Council and staff noted legal limits when tax‑sale buyers are constrained by a recent Mississippi Supreme Court decision that affected how much money purchasers can invest before confirming a tax deed; Blankledge said that decision has slowed many purchasers' actions.
The hearing closed after council voted to adjourn the code‑enforcement docket; staff will monitor compliance and report back according to the city’s usual follow‑up procedures.
Ending: Owners and purchasers were told to work directly with code enforcement and administration and return with updates at the end of the extension period.
