Housing commission orders show‑cause hearings, condemns fire‑damaged homes and authorizes cleanup bids for nuisance lot

The Housing Commission on an undisclosed May meeting date moved to step up enforcement on multiple properties, voting to pursue condemnation or cleanup for houses damaged by fire and a long‑running nuisance lot with disabled vehicles.

Code enforcement officer Tory, who presented an inspection of the vacant house at 626 Avenue, described a collapsing front wall, rotted window sills and repeated grass and cleanup citations. “This property has been a little bit of a problem property for exterior-wise,” Tory said, noting repeated notices and a municipal lien for mowing and related fees. Tory told the commission the county taxes were current but that municipal liens and city maintenance costs have accumulated.

Legal counsel advised the commission to secure structures and, if owners are unresponsive, pursue an interior inspection via a warrant and then return findings for a demolition determination. “You can order a warrant for inspection. That should be done,” counsel said, adding that an inspection report would provide grounds for demolition if the structure proved unsafe.

After hearing staff recommendations, the commission voted to contact the owner of the 626 Avenue property and to proceed with condemnation steps if the owner does not respond and allow inspection. Commissioners discussed the city’s process for securing structures, placing cleanup costs on the tax roll and collecting liens from property sales.

At 6504 Burr Street, Tory reported years of noncompliance — overgrown grass, a “graveyard” of motorcycles and multiple inoperable vehicles that neighbors said could be leaking fluids. A commissioner moved to issue another show‑cause notice ordering the owner to appear at the commission’s June 10 meeting; the motion warned that if the owner fails to appear the city would solicit bids to clean up the exterior and impound nonoperable vehicles. The motion passed with one abstention.

The commission also addressed three fire‑damaged properties. Staff said a fire report showed the structure at 6925 Martha Avenue exceeded 50% of its structure value, triggering the city’s demolition standard under the city code. Members voted to condemn the property, schedule a show‑cause hearing for June 10 and have the city secure the building; that motion recorded one abstention. The commission approved a similar condemnation and June 10 show‑cause for 1306 Adana Lane, where staff reported both fire damage and a hoarding condition that made the property unsafe for firefighters.

For 1200 Forest Green Drive, staff told commissioners that Real Gold LLC has purchased the property and that a registered agent and contact address are on file; the commission moved the case to the June 10 meeting to give staff time to contact the buyer and to pursue securing utilities and pulling power if needed while the property remains condemned.

Staff said 3612 Whitehead Avenue has a potential purchaser (a neighbor identified as Rudy Miranda) who expects to close within two weeks; the commission moved that item to the June 10 meeting for an update on the buyer’s plans to bring the property into compliance.

What the commission decided and what happens next

- Staff will post and send show‑cause notices requiring owner appearances on June 10 for multiple properties and will proceed with interior inspection warrants if owners do not cooperate. - The city can secure buildings, solicit bids for demolition or cleanup and place city costs as municipal liens that can be collected through the tax roll or sale proceeds.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to contact the owner and commence condemnation steps for 626 Avenue: motion approved (recorded as approved by the commission). - Motion to issue a show‑cause to 6504 Burr Street and notify the owner that failure to appear on June 10 will result in bids for cleanup and impoundment of nonoperable vehicles: passed (one abstention). - Motion to condemn 6925 Martha Avenue, set a June 10 show‑cause and have the city secure the building: passed (one abstention). - Motion to condemn 1306 Adana Lane and set a June 10 show‑cause for demolition: passed (one abstention). - Several procedural motions to move old‑business items (1200 Forest Green Drive, 3612 Whitehead Avenue) to the June 10 meeting were approved.

The commission set the next meeting for June 10. Staff will return with inspection findings, any interior‑inspection warrants and cost estimates for cleanup or demolition if owners do not comply.