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Council weighs liens, lawsuits to recover demolition costs
Summary
Council discussed nine planned demolitions; a third of those properties may be owned by people holding multiple city properties. Law Director Costa Mastros said the city can place liens and pursue lawsuits to recover costs; council debated how far back to pursue delinquent costs.
Council members debated how aggressively the city should pursue property owners to recover demolition costs at the Oct. 21 meeting. Council member Albaugh told the body that nine demolitions are planned and that about a third of the properties are owned by people who own multiple properties; he asked whether the city can recover costs from owners. “I mean, he’s owned 20 plus properties,” Albaugh said in describing one owner’s holdings and argued the city should try to recoup costs rather than absorb them.
Law Director Costa Mastros said the city’s ordinance authorizes placing a lien on a property and that staff can also pursue lawsuits to recover demolition costs. “We can see about making that happen,” Mastros said, adding he and City Manager Jim Mavromatis would coordinate and that property owners would be treated equally; he noted he might file in stages rather than all at once. Council discussed how far back to pursue unpaid costs and emphasized the need to stop covering recurring private-property neglect.
