Kenosha finance committee reviews citywide vacant-building inspection plan and proposed code rewrite

The Kenosha Finance Committee on Aug. 4 heard from City inspection staff about a planned citywide vacant-building inspection and a proposed rewrite of the vacant-building ordinance aimed at strengthening enforcement.

Gary Roberts, who introduced the item, said the inspection program will pivot from corridor-based checks to a citywide approach and that the city will divide the municipality into four quadrants for a saturated inspection of residential and commercial properties. "We're going to do a citywide vacant building inspection," Roberts said, adding the report to the committee will distinguish properties that are "for rent/for sale" from those "in violation" and that properties in violation will receive letters and be required to come into compliance.

Why it matters: The committee and staff framed the changes as a response to blight, break-ins of unsecured properties and public-safety risks. The proposed code rewrite, Roberts said, "has a little bit more teeth," and will be circulated to council leadership for further review.

Rich Cap, supervisor of inspections, walked the committee through the current complaint and monitoring process. Complaints come from residents, police, fire and even postal carriers, Cap said; staff monitor flagged properties monthly and only after roughly 180 days of observed vacancy does the city send a compliance letter and request that the owner obtain a vacant-building permit. "After 180 days, we'll send out a letter to the owner... Residential permit is a $100 and a commercial is $360," Cap said.

Staff and committee members discussed several exemptions and practical limits to enforcement. Under the current ordinance, properties actively marketed "for rent" or "for sale," properties in foreclosure and properties in probate generally are not cited as vacant. Visible personal property, active utilities or delivery mail are treated as indicators a property is not vacant. Roberts and Cap said the draft rewrite would clarify or alter some time periods and criteria but noted certain legal constraints remain.

Committee members raised the length of the 180-day threshold and suggested a possible non-fee registration for seasonal absences (so-called "snowbirds"). Staff counseled caution about mandating registrations, noting prior court challenges to similar requirements. The committee discussed potential options, including shortening the residential threshold to 90 days, but staff said legal limits and practical enforcement concerns will shape any final change.

On inventory and enforcement capacity, Cap said the city's list of flagged properties had fallen from about 160 to about 20 but added that the smaller figure is likely incomplete and that the special citywide inspection project is intended to re-check and update the inventory.

Committee members also asked how back taxes and county processes interact with local enforcement. Staff said tax-foreclosure and county collection processes are handled separately by the county and do not prevent an owner from reopening a property once issues are resolved; unpaid enforcement charges can become a special assessment attached to the property if not paid.

The chair closed the hearing and thanked Roberts and staff. Roberts said he had already drafted a more detailed vacant-building code and had sent it to John Morrissey for review; he and Morrissey will meet with the chair to discuss possible revisions. The committee moved to "receive and file" the quarterly vacant-building status report and approved that motion by voice vote.