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This small house at 118 Leona St. in Celina is one of eight buildings deemed unsafe by Celina City Safety Service Director Tom Hitchcock. Owners have 60 days to either make the necessary repairs or raze the building.
CELINA - So far this year, Celina officials have deemed eight buildings unsafe and ordered the owners to either remedy the violation/s or demolish the structure. It's an effort to ensure the safety, general health and welfare of both the occupants and the public at large, according to city law.
Six of the unsafe buildings are smaller, single-family homes. Also targeted are a commercial building and a structure designated as a medical clinic/office, both on Main Street.
The owner of one of the properties - the commercial building at 121 S. Main St. - has complied with the city's orders, according to city safety service director Tom Hitchcock.
In late March, letters were mailed to the owners of two properties, informing them their buildings had been deemed unsafe. Hitchcock in a letter to the owner of the commercial building at 121 S. Main St. cited four code violations of the city's unsafe buildings ordinance.
Those violations pertained to damage or deterioration of the supporting member/s, non-supporting enclosing/outside wall, or outside wall/covering, including the roof; and damage by decay, deterioration, fire, wind or other elements, or other causes, among other conditions.
Hitchcock in a letter to the owner of the medical clinic/office at 326 S. Main St., cited two code violations - damage to or deterioration of the supporting member or members or damage to or deterioration of the non-supporting enclosing or outside walls or covering, including the roof, and lack of proper roof or window covering, allowing water to enter the structure.
This vacant home at 611 Vining St. is one of six residences deemed unsafe.
Additionally, Hitchcock this month sent letters to the owners of six single-family homes that were deemed unsafe due to being vacant, closed-up or boarded-up for a period of at least two years. They are located at 538 Touvelle St., 303 N. Brandon St., 118 Leona St., 320 Mortan St., 504 Sycamore St. and 611 Vining St.
In the case of vacancy, the owner can resolve the violation by arranging for someone to live at the property, Hitchcock explained. If the property remains vacant, the city's only recourse is to raze the structure.
Upon receipt of the letter, the owner has 60 days to either make the necessary repairs to the building or raze and remove it from the premises. In the event the owner fails to comply with the orders, the city will repair or raze the structure and assess the cost against the real estate.
This vacant home at 320 Morton St. is one of six residences deemed unsafe.
"Normally, if they're working on it, we normally work with them so they complete it, as long as they are showing us progress," Hitchcock told The Daily Standard.
Hitchcock said the city is made aware of potentially unsafe buildings by complaints or the city utility office.
"Six of them (recently deemed unsafe buildings) have been vacant for over two years," he said. "Usually the utility office sends us a list of the ones that have been vacant for a couple years.We go take a look at them, and (at whether) they look like they need some work. That's kind of how it gets generated."
Hitchcock said about eight to 10 properties are deemed unsafe each year, mostly residential and commercial properties.
Since 2012, the city has issued about 75 unsafe building notices, according to city administrative assistant Kari Fox.
During that same timespan, at least 44 structures have been torn down and cleared away, Hitchcock said. The city has had to arrange for demolition of about four to five structures. The rest were taken care of by the property owners.
"We don't actually foreclose on it. Even when we demolish it the property stays with the property owners," Hitchcock made clear. "We just assess the bill to the property taxes."
Over the years, a few owners of unsafe buildings have sought court injunctions against the city in a bid to fend off demolition.
"One postponed demolition for about a year but never repaired the building, so it was demolished," Hitchcock said.
City councilors in 2012 approved legislation to strengthen city administrators' ability to go after unsafe buildings. The policy authorizes Hitchcock to act as building inspector with the power to deem structures dangerous and unfit and order repairs or demolition.
It explicitly lists several defects that would define a dangerous and unfit structure, such as leaning or buckling walls; damage by decay, deterioration, fire, wind or other elements; and unfit conditions for habitation.
The legislation, Celina Mayor Jeff Hazel said, was an in important step in giving property owners the incentive to maintain, rehab or demolish older structures.
"They were not merely a nuisance or safety hazard to the surrounding area and hurting property values, but also that provided targets or opportunities for unsavory characters and or rodents/animals," Hazel said about the unsafe buildings targeted by his administration.
In at least one instance, an unsafe building notice set into motion the restoration and repurposing of a commercial building.
Hitchcock sent a letter in February 2019 to the erstwhile owners of the former Lininger building at 202 South Main St. The owners were ordered to make necessary repairs to make the building safe or to raze and remove it.
Not wanting to lose a historic downtown building, Mercer County Community Development Director Jared Ebbing successfully applied for a $250,000 grant to get the building up to code. The building was then subsequently sold, restored and turned into a restaurant.
This vacant home at 303 N. Brandon St. is one of six residences deemed unsafe.
