Blighted properties are now a violation under a new ordinance to keep these and other “nuisance” properties throughout the city in check. 

Owners, or a financial institution like banks or credit unions who have control of a property, “are now more accountable,” Director of Inspectional Services Glenn Hathaway said.

“It’ll help deal with anything that comes up efficiently and effectively,” he added.

With increased clarity around timelines for registering a vacant or foreclosed property, and penalties for allowing a property to go unmaintained, which could pose a threat to public safety, Hathaway said the hope is that regulation will eliminate absentee landlords and owner abandonment cases.

Read more at heraldnews.com.