Residents press Merced City to act on fire-damaged and vacant properties; city cites legal process and new ordinances

Esther, a student at John Mayir Elementary, told the council she walks past two neglected houses every day and urged the city to “fix them up or take them down” so the lots might become playgrounds or community gardens for Merced children.

Members of the 25th Street neighborhood and the volunteer group Beautify the Block described piles of trash and fire damage at properties bought in October 2024 and said they have seen no investment since the sale. Jamie Ellison, who provided a paper with a QR code of before-and-after images, said the properties were placed on a recent code-enforcement agenda but were not discussed because the meeting ran long.

Rhonda Lucas, chief deputy city attorney, told the meeting the city attorney’s office meets routinely with code enforcement and is actively reviewing problem properties. She listed addresses of concern as 2521 K Street, 409 West 25th and 415 West 25th and said staff would continue the monthly review process. Lucas said the council recently revised the nuisance ordinance to address abandoned and vacant buildings and is working with an ordinance subcommittee on an anti-slum ordinance to expand enforcement tools.

Mayor (and staff) described past cleanups — citing a burned property on East Maine that required court receivership and asbestos remediation, and other successes at Northwood Drive and the 21st and G Street site — to illustrate the legal pathways the city has used. Council members encouraged residents to report problems to police and code enforcement and offered to follow up directly; one council member suggested neighborhood groups could pursue private nuisance suits but said the city should also act.

Residents praised some individual staff members (Susan in code enforcement was named) while saying enforcement has been inconsistent across neighborhoods; one resident raised concerns that a county animal-control employee’s yard remained overgrown. City staff pledged to look up ownership and follow up with neighbors who provided contact information.

What happens next: officials asked residents to follow up with Chief Stanfield and the city attorney’s office for updates and said staff will research ownership and remediation options. The council signaled policy attention this year and a continued public process, including a town hall the next evening.

Sources and context: statements and specific addresses came from public comments and from Rhonda Lucas’s remarks during the town hall. The city described receivership, court action and ordinance updates as the primary tools for remediation.