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City staff outlines completed blight survey and considers lien options to encourage rehabs
Summary
City staff told the June 16 pre-meeting the four-year blight survey is complete and the administration will begin processing identified properties; council members raised concerns that city liens sometimes exceed property value and discussed targeted lien negotiation or forgiveness to spur rehabilitation.
At a June 16 pre-meeting, Mobile City staff said the city has completed its four-year blight survey and will begin proactively processing properties identified as code-blighted. The survey, staff said, complements responses to 311 calls and routine inspector observations.
"We do have a proactive program. It's called the blight survey... we just finished that. So we have that data and we're going to start working those structures that we have found to be blighted," David told the council.
Council members described recurring issues: long-vacant houses, out-of-state mortgage holders, foreclosures whose debris remains in yards, and liens that can exceed a property's market value and discourage buyers. One council member suggested a program to forgive or negotiate city liens when a local buyer commits to renovation; the administration said it has discussed individualized lien negotiation and is open to reviewing options.
David walked the council through the nuisance-and-abatement timeline: municipal enforcement serves a 45-day notice for owners to repair or present a plan; if not resolved the item is placed on the council agenda (typically after about 50 days) and council has roughly 120 days under city code to act before a new notice is required. Staff explained that even after a declaration of public nuisance there are necessary steps (utility shutoffs, permitting, bidding) that commonly extend the practical timeline for remediation.
Council members urged clearer tools and better communication to residents about existing programs: one member asked for the blight survey data (including whether it is broken down by district) so council offices can inform constituents. The mayor (as recorded in the transcript) said the administration will consider negotiating liens on a case-by-case basis when a buyer can show plans for renovation, and emphasized the city is "open for business" to investors willing to restore blighted properties.
Council members and staff also reiterated the importance of reporting problems to 311 and escalating persistent cases to Keisha Brown in the administration for follow-up.
