Alma City Commission affirms demolition order for 1237 Michigan Ave

The Alma City Commission affirmed a hearing officer's order that found the structure at 1237 Michigan Ave to be a "dangerous building" and not fit for human habitation, preserving the city's right to demolish the structure and place the demolition cost as a lien on the property if the owner does not comply.

City Attorney provided the hearing background, saying Hearing Officer Jim Gray issued an oral and written opinion on or about May 12, 2026, concluding the cost to repair the structure exceeded its true cash value and that demolition was the only reasonable remedy. The written order gave the owner until May 26 to complete demolition; as of the commission meeting the demolition had not occurred. The attorney said, "if the structure is not demolished by the owner voluntarily, the city would have the legal right to complete the demolition on its own," and that demolition costs would be recorded as a lien and collected similarly to unpaid property taxes.

Property owner Delian (referred to in the meeting as Mr. Leon) told the commission he purchased the house as a fixer-upper and that a foundation wall collapsed after heavy rain. He said his contractor is "willing to do the whole foundation on the whole building and fix it" and that the contractor had indicated he could begin next week. Delian said he had done interior work and that the contractor had agreed to finish the remaining structural work. He asked for more time to complete repairs and said, "I need this building. I really do. I've been trying to fix it up."

Commissioners and staff pressed the owner on whether repairs had been paid for or completed, and noted the property's history of open permits and prolonged disrepair. Staff told the commission the foundation permit was pulled in 2022 and the last inspection was in 2023, and that the foundation permit was never closed (no final inspection). Commissioners observed that rebuilding the foundation and load-bearing walls could require rebuilding much of the structure and questioned whether repair would be less costly than demolition.

During public comment a nearby resident described the site as an open trench with construction debris and cautioned that the area was not fenced or secured, saying the site posed a safety risk to children and pedestrians and had been an "eyesore" for years.

After public comment the commission closed the hearing and voted to adopt a resolution affirming Hearing Officer Jim Gray's determination and order declaring the existence of a dangerous building at 1237 Michigan Ave and ordering remediation. The city attorney advised the owner to remove personal property and said the demolition process would take additional procedural steps but that the city had the legal authority to proceed.

The commission's action preserves the hearing officer's finding; it does not record a contractor schedule for demolition by the city. The owner said he could try to remove personal property immediately and pursue repairs, but staff and several commissioners expressed skepticism that repairs could be completed quickly enough to remove the public safety risk given the structure's condition and permit history.

What happens next: the owner retains the opportunity to complete demolition or repairs consistent with the order; if the owner does not comply, the city may initiate demolition and record a lien for costs. The meeting record does not specify a new timeline granted by the commission.