Huntingburg taking action on two problematic properties
The Huntingburg Board of Public Works heard updates today from Code Enforcement Officer Keith Snyder on two troublesome properties in the city.
One property owned by Curtiss (correct spelling) Palmer is located at 1019 North Main. The city has contacted Palmer several times for repairs and cleanup that needed to be done on the property. The home hasn’t been lived in for some time and it has an unfinished exterior; house-wrap is loose and flapping in the wind. The roof is in need of repair as well.
Snyder contacted Palmer to gain access to the home with a building inspector to ensure the structure is still sound. Palmer lives in Evansville and is unable to make repairs to the home or tear the house down due to money constraints. He has 15 days to contact the city to arrange for a Snyder and a building inspector to enter the residence.
“From the outside it looks bad,” Snyder said, “but you get inside the house and it could be fine. We just want to be sure its safe.”
An additional property Snyder has sent notice to is 116 Jackson Street. This property is across from the Southwest Dubois County School Corporation offices at the Maple Park School building. The property is owned by an out-of-state creditor and has been a problem for several years as well.
Recently some work has been completed on cleaning up the property but it stopped progressing and now a retaining wall holding back a steep bank has collapsed onto the sidewalk. The city is concerned with the safety of the property and further damages to public property with the collapse of the wall.
The creditor, an LLC in Texas (Snyder did not have their name at the time of interview), has 30 days to comply to the city’s order to clean up the property. If no action is taken the city will be able to clean up the property and then charge the clean up to the company. Snyder explained this could still take time to complete as the city takes a specific course of actions requiring certain steps. In the meantime, Street Superintendent Rich Thyen agreed to put up safety barriers to warn people of the debris and the city will be cleaning up the wall that has fallen on the sidewalk.
Snyder commented that the actions the city has began to take in regards to these homes is possible with the city council approving funding for the Abandoned Building Fund. “Before we could tell people to do this and do that, but without any money we couldn’t take any action. Now we can do something.”
Snyder also notified the board he was already issuing warnings on property owners needing to mow their grass. This is a month earlier than usual due to the early spring.
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Thank you to the City officials that are taking action against property owners that shine a poor light on our community. It is much needed and will benefit everyone in town if these properties are improved or removed.
I agree, but can't imagine why the city can't or won't also charge the property owner for any clean-up of city property, particularly with Jackson St where the retaining wall has collapsed on the sidewalk areas. Just add that cost to the property clean-up costs.