City putting final touches on vacant property registry
Measure could help code enforcement issue fines for eyesore down the street
Ask any city official about blight and they’ll give you the same line: They’d love to issue fines to absentee owners who allow their properties to fall into disrepair. Unfortunately, most of the time they have no clue who owns the houses, which are a magnet for crime and a burden on nearby residents. Things might finally change. From a City Hall press release received this morning:
In effort to improve enforcement of the City of Atlanta’s housing code ordinances, owners of vacant properties are now required to register with the city.
Within the city limits of Atlanta, there are buildings and structures that are vacant and could pose a threat to the safety and security of citizens. Vacant buildings cause deterioration and instability in neighborhoods and may lead to hazards like fire, accidents, or other calamities. Now under City Ordinance 10-O-1457, the Office of Code Enforcement is addressing these concerns by providing guidelines for a new registry of vacant property.
Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd, whose district includes many vacant properties, and Atlanta Police Chief George Turner will release more details about the registry, which we hope will include fees and fines to give the measure some teeth, at a Monday press conference in southwest Atlanta.