How to Get a Building Condemned
Whenever a building fails to meet state or county municipality standards, local authorities may condemn it. A condemned structure must be repaired or demolished. A building inspector for a local board of health must follow a process before condemning a building.
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Instructions
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Respond to a report of a building in violation of health and building codes. Send a "Notice of Inspection" to the owner of the building informing him of the time and date of inspection.
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Conduct a thorough inspection of the building. Ask the fire department to assist to decide if the building violates any fire-safety codes.
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Complete a detailed inspection report. Take pictures to document all violations found within the building.
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Serve the owner with an enforcement order listing all violations found and detail how these violations threaten pubic safety. Tell the owner what must be done to rectify these violations and give him the time and date for the next inspection.
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Reinspect the building. If violations persist, arrange a hearing to condemn the building. Notify the owner of the date and time of this hearing.
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Order the owner and occupants to vacate the premises if the hearing rules in favor of condemnation.
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Post signs on the building indicating it has been condemned. Reentering the property after the posting will require written approval from the board of health.
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Tips & Warnings
Place a lien against the building for charges incurred to demolish the building should the owner decide not to perform repairs to avoid condemnation.
County governments can condemn a building through the power of eminent domain if it is deemed that doing so is in the public's interest.
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Comments
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Roberta53
Mar 08, 2008
Empty decaying buildings on Main Street are a huge problem for small town America. No one will buy these buildings because the cost of renovation is prohitive. Meanwhile, anyone interested in renting or purchasing these buildings to put in a business go elsewhere, futher sealing the demise of our local downtowns. How can we get local town councils to step to the plate and take pro-active action to prevent this from happening?
