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Hutchinson council sets April hearing for five unsafe residential structures
Summary
City building officials told the council five residential properties were inspected and determined to be unsafe; the council approved a resolution setting a public hearing for April 21, 2026, and staff said demolition funds are available in the FY26 budget.
The Hutchinson City Council on March 3 approved a resolution fixing a public hearing for 5:30 p.m. April 21, 2026, to consider unsafe residential structures identified by the city building official.
Jason Lady, Hutchinson’s building official, told council staff had inspected five properties and determined the structures are “unsafe and dangerous as defined in chapter 21, article 7, unsafe and dangerous buildings.” He said notices were sent to owners and that demolition work is already included in the FY26 demolition budget.
Lady listed the properties by address and asked council to approve both the resolution and the proposed hearing date. He said staff had not received responses from some owners and estimated demolition costs for the houses would likely be in the $5,000–$8,000 range depending on square footage and construction type. Lady added the city has been coordinating with nonprofit partners that sometimes pursue rehabilitation or purchase of troubled properties.
Council members asked about the timing of notices and whether taxes were current on the properties; staff said taxes were current on most but not all. The council voted unanimously to set the April 21 hearing and authorized the mayor to sign the resolution.
If owners fail to address the identified unsafe conditions after the hearing process, staff said the city’s demolition budget and procedures would be used to abate hazards consistent with local code and the hearing outcome.
The hearing, required by the city’s unsafe-structure code provisions, will be open to the public and provide property owners an opportunity to respond before the council considers condemnation or demolition actions.
