A recent report discusses three new proposals from the Dayton's Housing Division to address blight. To run a property report for properties housed in the Safeguard database please click on the following link.

Dayton OH Code Enforcement
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City wants to tackle blighted properties

Harry White hates the drive down Anna Street to his mother's aging, but tidy home. As he makes the turn onto Anna from West Third Street, he passes a double with broken windows, another house damaged twice by fire, then one with siding stripped off as high as the thieves could reach.

"I'd rather see a field than those raggedy houses," said White, whose family has lived on Anna since 1961.

In May, Dayton's Housing Division will propose three laws it hopes will go a long way toward ridding blight from city neighborhoods. The Dayton City Commission will decide whether the following proposals become law:

•A re-inspection ordinance would target property owners who do not fix structural violations cited by the housing division. There would be no charge for the first and second inspection, but if the city has to go out more than twice on any violation, the property owner would be charged $75 each time.

"This won't end up costing any more for people who do the work. Where we think this will have the biggest impact is with individuals just sitting on properties for investments who drag their feet about fixing them up," said John Baker, Housing Inspection Division manger.

The city anticipates 12,000 re-inspections annually.

•A second ordinance would require property owners to disclose unresolved housing code violations to potential buyers. Also, the citation process must now start over if the property is transferred. Citations would follow the property, under the new law.

"We want to make sure buyers know what they are getting in to," Baker said. "It also means the buyer accepts responsibility."

If adopted, this ordinance would go into effect Jan. 1, 2007, and include a $50 fee for the seller of the property with violations. With an estimated 6,000 owners filing annually, the ordinance would generate $300,000 a year for the city.

•Under another proposed ordinance, commercial property owners would be held to the same standard as residential owners when it comes to trash, debris and high weeds. Now, residential property owners can be cited for these violations, but not commercial owners. Maximum fines for would be $150.

Finally, the housing division hopes to fast-track demolition of dilapidated garages and sheds that are hazards.

"This may not take ordinance change, it may just require a change in policy," Baker said.

To view the online article please click on the following link.

City wants to tackle blighted properties