The vacant property and building registration ordinance that was passed in 2011 is still not popular among residents.
Resident Ray Sternot questioned the effectiveness of the program at the April 2 Council meeting.
“I’m confused, I thought the ordinance was to address blighted and abandoned homes/ buildings,” Sternot said. “First, it isn’t really addressing blighted properties that aren’t abandoned. Second, many homes that are vacant really may not be abandoned or blighted. How does this ordinance improve the city’s image with the average upstanding citizen who takes care of their property and doesn’t abandon it?”
The purpose of the ordinance was to establish a program for identifying and registering vacant residential and commercial buildings; to determine the responsibilities of owners of vacant buildings and structures; and to speed the rehabilitation of the vacant buildings.
However, Sternot argues that there are many abandoned and blighted properties not being addressed under this ordinance.
“Mr. Lewis (Painesville Assistant City Manager Doug Lewis) points out that this ordinance takes some conservable manpower and oversight. Might more of that time be directed toward regular violations and those properties that are only really abandoned? Why is any time being spent on properties that aren’t blighted or abandoned, but may temporarily be vacant but in good repair?”
Another longtime resident, Barry Deane, agreed with Sternot, adding that he knows several people were ordered to pay fees under this program despite maintaining the property.
Meanwhile there are individuals living in their homes and are not taking care of them, which negatively affects the aesthetics of the neighborhood and hurts property values, he said.
Deane said he thinks the city should focus on the people who are not taking care of their homes.
Currently, housing inspectors use a checklist to determine vacancy. Signs of vacancy are significantly below standard utility usage; overgrown or dead vegetation; accumulation of newspapers, circulars, fliers or mail; accumulation of trash, junk or debris; broken or boarded-up windows; abandoned vehicles, auto parts or materials; the absence of window coverings, such as curtains, blinds or shutters and the absence of furnishings or personal items consistent with habitation or occupation.
Lewis said the largest indicator of a vacant property comes from the Utility Department’s zero consumption monthly report.
“Is it a loss of utility revenue that is driving this?” Sternot asked.
Councilwoman Lori DiNallo also questioned the ordinance at a previous meeting.
“I feel we have the right to not live in or occupy a piece of property we own,” DiNallo said at a previous meeting.
She said it is not right to tell people they must occupy a property if they are maintaining and taking care of it.
Lewis said the program has been successful, noting that the number of vacant properties has dropped considerably since the start of the program.
In 2015, there were 232 vacant properties in the city of Painesville, whereas in 2017 there were 157, he said.
However, he admits there are disadvantages to the program.
“With positives, there’s always negatives,” he said. “The biggest problem we’ve seen is trying to make everyone aware of the program.”
Other disadvantages are the fees that property owners may have to pay for leaving their property vacant; fees people who purchase property to invest in the community pay; complaints from buyers, sellers and property owners who have to pay vacant property fees; increases in rental properties, because banks list properties and investors purchase them for income property; added work for Realtors and title agents, because they are required to check on fees prior to closing and the considerable staff time it takes to administer the program that takes away from property maintenance and other responsibilities, he added.
Council President Paul Hach said that there will be work session to further discuss the vacant property and building registration ordinance.
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