| Wichita KS StopBlight Program |
| Thursday, 27 April 2006 | |
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A recent report discusses a proposed initiative to address
blight in the City of Wichita (67201-21,67223,67226-28)
Wichita KS City proposal considers ways to eliminate eyesores Plan would require owners to register boarded-up houses The city of Wichita is developing a program to try and cut down on the number of boarded up, vacant and abandoned homes throughout the city. The program, called StopBlight, would require the owners of these properties to register their homes, pay a registration fee and include a long-term plan for their property. Failure to register for the program, maintain the property or follow through on their plan could result in penalties and fines under the proposal being considered. In January, city staff reported to the City Council that there were about 700 boarded houses in the city and that more than 300 of them are rated as being "in poor condition." Additionally, of the 4,000 housing code violation cases currently being pursued, about 1,200 involve vacant houses, city staff reported. The City Council has not yet voted on the program. "We hear the community in terms of its frustration with these buildings and we share those frustrations," said Mary K. Vaughn, director of the city's housing and community service department, which is helping to plan the StopBlight program. "A lot of the reason problems exist is because our hands are tied with what we can do with other people's property." The StopBlight program patterns itself from a program in Hennepin County, Minnesota, where officials purchase foreclosed houses then hire private developers -- mainly women and minority-owned firms -- to renovate then sell the property. About 40 houses have been renovated and sold through the program in Hennepin County. That program began in 1996. Revenue from the sales gets returned to the county's Forfeited Tax Sale Fund, which backs the renovation efforts. The program outcome is the long-term return of a productive, occupied family housing unit back to the tax rolls and elimination of blight on a block, rather than a high-profit margin, according to Jeffrey Strand, supervisor of Hennepin County's Taxpayer Services Department. The program, according to Strand, works with the "worst of the worst" properties that are not beyond repair. Vaughn said Wichita's program would build on Hennepin's tactics. Ordinance changes are needed to allow the city to take ownership of foreclosed properties, according to Vaughn. Current policies don't allow Sedgwick County, which oversees property taxes, to transfer the title of a foreclosed house to the city for economic development purposes, according to Patricia J. Parker, assistant county counselor. "The county only takes title to these properties for the explicit purpose of selling them at a tax sale," Parker said. Real estate is eligible for tax foreclosure if a tax becomes three years delinquent. Once a house is foreclosed, it's eligible to be sold. The sales proceeds are applied to taxes due and fees associated with the sale. Any leftover money is returned to the owner. Vaughn said there have been times when three years have passed and eligible homes are still not put up for sale. "The Treasurer could not expedite this process to force some property into a sale before it is legal to do so," according to Ron Estes, county treasurer. The city does have the option to use eminent domain, which allows officials to take land for a price to make way for economic development or other uses. Eminent domain can be used in blighted areas. "We want to be more aggressive," Vaughn said, "We really have to change ordinances to do that." A pending bill in the state legislature would restrict cities and counties from taking private property, for a price, to be used for economic development even in instances where blight is of concern. City leaders said the pending bill is too overreaching and limits local government's home-rule authority. Residents who live near run-down homes said the city should keep the right to use eminent domain when fighting area blight. "They should be able to enforce rules that makes people try to keep up their properties better," said Jewel Seymour, who lives in the 1900 block of North Lorraine. Her neighbor, Charles Phillips, agrees that the city should have more ways to get people to take care of their property. But Phillips said housing cases should be considered on an individual basis. "Hard times do come up where people can't afford to keep up their property," Phillips said. "That's different from when owners don't care." Phillips, who thinks StopBlight's tactics including buying and renovating houses are a good idea, said improving the look of neighborhoods is what really matters. "As long as the houses get fixed up and someone decent moves in," Phillips said, "it doesn't matter who buys it." BLIGHT IN WICHITA BY THE NUMBERS • Total houses in Wichita: 159,000 • Boarded houses: 700 • Housing code violation cases: 4,000 • Housing code violation cases in the court system: 400 • Housing code violation cases involving vacant property: 1,200 • Percent of housing cases within a 25-square mile near the city's central core: 90 percent. Source: Numbers are approximations reported to the Wichita City Council, January 2006 For more information about the StopBlight program, call (316) 462-3795. HOUSING INSPECTION PROCESS Step 1. Initiating a case: • Citizen complaints to the Office of Central Inspection, (316) 268-4481. • Referrals from other city departments • Inspector observations. Step 2. Enforcing a case: • A "Notice of Improvements" is issued that describes each violation. A first notice allots people 60 days to fix the problems. A shorter time frame is given if life-safety or other serious problems exist. • 60-day extensions can be granted upon reasonable efforts to comply. Additional short extensions are given until the work is completed in some cases. • A "Notice of Violation" is given if very little to no improvements have been made. No more than 30 days to achieve code compliance is given in this instance. If improvements still aren't made then a Uniform Criminal Complaint is issued, which requires an appearance in Environmental (Neighborhood) Court. Step 3. Neighborhood Court: The court is charged with resolving the matter at hearings held at 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Wichita police sub-stations. Source: The city of Wichita HOUSING CONDEMNATION PROCESS 1. Inspectors submit to Neighborhood Inspection supervisor cases where code violations continue to exist on dangerous or unsafe structures. 2. A certificate of title is ordered and all parties are notified the case will be heard before the Board of Code Standards and Appeals. The board either gives an extension for repairs or recommends to the Wichita City Council to demolish the house. 3. The case goes before the Wichita City Council within 45 days of the Board of Code Standards and Appeals hearing. The council either adopts a resolution to extend or demolish the structure. 4. The owner is given 10 days to start demolition otherwise the city's demolition contractor tears down the structure and all costs are assessed against the property. Source: The city of Wichita To view the online article please click on the following link. |
