# How to get a house condemned and torn down?



## Nomad

The house on the corner across the side street from me...35' away is the problem guy's house. If you haven't read my posts about him, it doesn't matter. The issue is the house. It has been abandoned since before we moved in. The electric company took the meter away last summer. I am going to try to get it condemned and torn down, but I'm not sure how to go about it. The house is uninhabitable. The house is 110 years old and some of the windows are gone. The masonry is crumbling and one of the front porch cement block columns fell last year and hit a guy in the head, and some of the blocks are still laying out front. My neighbor didn't know if the guy died or not. The back yard was not mowed all last year and the only reason the small strips in front and the side were done is because another neighbor across the other street did it so we all wouldn't have to look at it. I'm pretty sure baring a boatload of money,which the guy doesn't have, the place can't be made livable again. Anyway, I'm not sure who to contact first. 

Nomad


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## copperkid3

Check the tax office first to find out. If or when they go into arrears,

the county will eventually hold a tax sale on the property and you can 

bid on it and if it's in the condition you claim it is and barring the possibility

that someone in city hall isn't planning an urban renewal in that area, the

odds are you could end up owning it. Then you can tear it down and be happy.


But 'I'm guessing that isn't the information that you really want to hear . . .


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## MO_cows

The city would have to declare it abandoned or hazardous or whatever their criteria are. Then it might still sit for years until they find the money in the budget to raze it. Maybe you'll get lucky and some homeless or druggies will use it and start a fire......


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## Guest

Here, the building inspectors office.


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## Sawmill Jim

A trip to the Mayor's office might help especially if said mayor is up for reelection . Give the Mayor a pat on the back reminding him/her what a great job they are doing and that you have so many votes at your house . Then spring your thoughts on him/her . 

If you want to buy it this way it will be near nothing . A town near here if you take responsibility for a place like that you can get for $1.00 that is enough for a legal sale


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## Common Tator

I'll be watching this thread with interest. There is an abandoned house behind ours. Been empty for at least 15 years. Very heavily vandalized.


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## arabian knight

Around my area old houses that are ready to be torn down are used to train firefighters and they come out and burn the place down for training purposes and that is handled through the tech schools around that teach firefighting.


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## Guest

Even at that, they would need to be condemned by due process. Some towns are really on the ball about that, rural areas in counties, not at all. Here, anyway. I still think a call to the local building inspectors office is the obvious first move.


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## CaliannG

I'm not sure that you CAN get it condemned unless you can prove that it is a hazard for others.

Out here, we have houses all over the place that are over 100 years old, partially collapse, and leaning....more bits of them fall down every year. The county isn't going to tear them down because there are not utilities hooked up to them, and therefore they only pose a hazard to either the owner, or people who shouldn't be on the property in the first place.

Many cities work in the same fashion. If they condemn a place, they simply unhook the utilities from it so the place is no longer a fire/flood hazard, and then they ignore it. Either the place is sold by the owner, (which may or may not be the city) or it falls down all on its own.

SOMETIMES you can get the city or county to move on it if you show that kids play in it, especially young kids. But that might also only achieve getting the thing boarded up really well.


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## Michael W. Smith

Our town has a local code enforcement officer. But I'll warn you - it's not something that will happen real soon.

I've seen in the past where houses are condemned by the code enforcement officer, and at the town council meeting, it's mentioned that a house on X street was condemned. The homeowner usually has 10 days or so to either bring the house up to code or start demolition or the town will start legal action - and at the next monthly meeting, something is usually said about the house, but I've seen where it takes months or years before anything is done.

While the town might have a regulations, bringing legal action against the homeowner ends up costing the town money. Many times the homeowner lives out of town and is "working" on getting someone to fix the house.

And sometimes the homeowner just quits paying taxes on it. It will take 2 or 3 years before it ends up in the sheriff sale - no one will buy it because the new owner will have to tear the house down - so eventually the town has to pay to have it torn down - costing $5000.00 or more and the property eventually ends up in the tax claim borough for the next sale.

While the regular Joe might attempt to tear down a house, usually you have to at least the house parts removed and properly disposed of - you can't just hire a backhoe to tear it down, and push all the contents into the basement and cover it up. Depending on the house, you might run into asbestos and other "hazardous" parts - roofing, insulation, siding that will require special disposal costing big bucks.

Sometimes the fire department will burn the building for practice - but again, depending on what the house is made of, that might not be an option.

Any scenario is not a quick fix. At the very least, I would think the town would have a lawn ordinance and the homeowner is given 5 days or so to cut the grass, or the borough will do it and charge the homeowner.

You will have to check in your town to see who is in charge - but like I said, nothing quick is going to happen.


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## mamita

they will most likely condemn it, but tearing down is a grand expense that I doubt they will do unless it truly can be proved a major hazard. just look all around any city, and you'll see it isn't an easy, quick process at all. they can try to put pressure on the owner, but usually they are long gone. imagine the cost if the city had to fund every single old house removal, and a smaller town most likely just doesn't have the funds.


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## JawjaBoy

I'm on the city council here and we are in the process of aggressively enforcing our city derelict building code. Basically we give the property owner notice that they have 30 days to bring the building back into code or remove it, or they are fined $500 per day until the building is up to code. If the owner is working on the building we do give some leeway and will postpone the fine. Sometimes we will work with the owner to use the building for firefighter training, but the owner then has to clean up the debris.


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## Jennifer L.

Around here the ones that make the news are the ones that are health hazards, like rats living in them (a LOT of rats) or in the case of one man, he had a few hundred cats all living in the house and not keeping up with any litter boxes. That gets the attention and they are taken care of.


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## mekasmom

health department


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## Nomad

This town is good about tearing down houses. They do it on a regular basis. I think since someone may have been killed by the falling column and there is another one that is leaning, it is pretty unsafe. I just saw the guy come and dump a load of trash on the back porch. I'll be contacting my council member today to see what to do next.

Nomad


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## opportunity

No Idea there are two burned out homes near us that have been that way for 15-20 years as best we knoe and they are just left to be. I wish they would do something but nothing is going to happen as long as the mean old mad who owns them is alive. Funny thing is he keeps up the trees and yards of these shells.


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## emdeengee

Where I live only the Fire Marshall or city building inspector can have a house condemned as unsafe. I suppose the first thing would be to speak to your fire department, city hall or by-law office.


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## Michael W. Smith

JawjaBoy said:


> I'm on the city council here and we are in the process of aggressively enforcing our city derelict building code. Basically we give the property owner notice that they have 30 days to bring the building back into code or remove it, or they are fined $500 per day until the building is up to code..


I'd like to know how much money you have actually gotten. I think around here, along with the10 or 30 day notice to do something, if the homeowner doesn't, they are supposed to be fined, but I'm guessing they aren't. Like I said, I've seen council talking and talking about the same building for a year or more - the out of state owner is always "Hiring someone to work on it" or "The hired help can't get to it right away as they have other projects to finish first."

Just because the utilities get unhooked, certainly wouldn't make a building safer. I would be worried about a fire that got started from "lightning" some night a thunderstorm comes through the area.


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## Nomad

Just call me lucky. I guess the point is now moot. I saw the guy and his wife moving crap into the house. I got a voice mail from a neighbor that said they are moving back in and to keep our doors locked and watch out. That neighbor has seen the inside and says some of the ceilings are falling. But they are druggies and not mentally stable, and I guess it doesn't matter to them. He is years behind on his taxes, so I don't see how he's keeping the place anyway.

Nomad


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## Sawmill Jim

Nomad said:


> Just call me lucky. I guess the point is now moot. I saw the guy and his wife moving crap into the house. I got a voice mail from a neighbor that said they are moving back in and to keep our doors locked and watch out. That neighbor has seen the inside and says some of the ceilings are falling. But they are druggies and not mentally stable, and I guess it doesn't matter to them. He is years behind on his taxes, so I don't see how he's keeping the place anyway.
> 
> Nomad


Never moot call the health dep. Give the Mayor another $100.00 bill to donate to his favorite charity eep::hysterical:


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## Joshie

Complain to the city zoning department. Be specific. Are there rodents? Safety issues? Could children be hurt? Does it attract vagrants? Long grass? Garbage? It doesn't really matter if somebody is living there or not. The house needs to be repaired. Sounds like an eyesore and not exactly good for property values.


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## Alice In TX/MO

Document document document. Rats, trash, overgrown yard.

Health department, mayor's office, sheriff, etc.

Doesn't matter if there is an occupant or not.


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## Nomad

Sawmill Jim said:


> Never moot call the health dep. Give the Mayor another $100.00 bill to donate to his favorite charity eep::hysterical:


Sounds good except I'm about $97 short. 

Nomad


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## Nomad

Looks like yesterday was just a preliminary, because they left in the afternoon and haven't come back yet. Of course it's 40 degrees colder today and I'm not sure there is any heat. I also noticed they have a small dog. One of those yappers. The woman let it outside yesterday and it ran right across the street to my yard. That will definitely have to cease. I check the obituaries daily hoping to see the guy's name, but so far no luck. He is known to be a drug dealer as well as user and since my windows face the house and the rear door they use, I will be watching and taking pictures of anything suspicious. The only thing I'm worried about is my daughter when she finds out. I hope it doesn't cause her to slide back too far.

Nomad


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## Sawmill Jim

Nomad said:


> Sounds good except I'm about $97 short.
> 
> Nomad


I feel your pain :smack Having neighbors is one reason i'll never live in town again . I had a huge old four bed room house in town once . Two many folks,noise ect . When we bought this house we bought the one down the road too . That got rid of one rental property a fellow was renting out . :clap::clap:


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## Michael W. Smith

Nomad said:


> He is years behind on his taxes, so I don't see how he's keeping the place anyway.Nomad


Around here, it takes 2 or 3 years of you not paying taxes to get listed that your property will be up for Sheriff's sale. However, the property owner has up to the time of the sale to go in to the tax claim borough and try to make things right. As long as they are attempting to pay, the property is pulled off of the Sheriff's sale.

Around here, it's usually the same names and addresses that are up for Sheriff sale. Right before the sale, the property owner will go in and either start making a payment or pay off the previous year's taxes - and then they can wait and do it again the following year when their property is up for Sheriff sale. I would think doing it this way ends up costing alot more - because there are late fees and interest that have accrued.

I guess the government bodies need to wake up and see that this program needs changed. They need to change it that at least a full year's taxes are paid off before it is removed, and if your property ends up on the Sheriff sale list again within the next 5 years, you either have to pay all back taxes comepletely off, or your property goes into Sheriff sale.

Just because they move in, doesn't mean you can't complain. Get an ordinance list for your town and go down through the list marking everything that is in violation. Then take the list in to the code enforcement officer (or whoever is in charge) and hand them the list. Do this each month until things are either fixed or at some point you might have to "go up the ladder" if the person in charge isn't doing their job.


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## Nomad

Michael W. Smith said:


> Around here, it takes 2 or 3 years of you not paying taxes to get listed that your property will be up for Sheriff's sale. However, the property owner has up to the time of the sale to go in to the tax claim borough and try to make things right. As long as they are attempting to pay, the property is pulled off of the Sheriff's sale.
> 
> Around here, it's usually the same names and addresses that are up for Sheriff sale. Right before the sale, the property owner will go in and either start making a payment or pay off the previous year's taxes - and then they can wait and do it again the following year when their property is up for Sheriff sale. I would think doing it this way ends up costing alot more - because there are late fees and interest that have accrued.
> 
> I guess the government bodies need to wake up and see that this program needs changed. They need to change it that at least a full year's taxes are paid off before it is removed, and if your property ends up on the Sheriff sale list again within the next 5 years, you either have to pay all back taxes comepletely off, or your property goes into Sheriff sale.
> 
> Just because they move in, doesn't mean you can't complain. Get an ordinance list for your town and go down through the list marking everything that is in violation. Then take the list in to the code enforcement officer (or whoever is in charge) and hand them the list. Do this each month until things are either fixed or at some point you might have to "go up the ladder" if the person in charge isn't doing their job.


Well that makes sense then. According to the Auditor's office the total is three or more years worth in dollars, but someone has paid a small amount every so often. They must have some kind of deal going. The person paying the taxes isn't the guy who owns it, so I don't know what that is all about. 

I'll complain as often as it takes. The only reason I didn't last summer was because one of the neighbors said the bank had taken the house back. Now that I know it isn't the case, I will do what is needed.

Nomad


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## Nomad

Sawmill Jim said:


> I feel your pain :smack Having neighbors is one reason i'll never live in town again . I had a huge old four bed room house in town once . Two many folks,noise ect . When we bought this house we bought the one down the road too . That got rid of one rental property a fellow was renting out . :clap::clap:


We had a few problems with some of the neighbors early on, but I knew most were transients and would move eventually. Two of the troublemakers have moved and the Mexicans on the side have been told by the police to keep their kids off my property and they have. All was good until that scum across the street decided to move back in. Guess we'll see how it goes.

I do miss country living. We'd love to have a dog again and I miss shooting regularly. You can't even shoot spitballs in town.

Nomad


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## highlands

Nomad said:


> The house on the corner across the side street from me...I am going to try to get it condemned and torn down


If you want it torn down you should buy it and then tear it down once you own it. To do otherwise is mean. It's not your property. Don't be a nasty neighbor.


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## AngieM2

Nomad said:


> I do miss country living. We'd love to have a dog again and I miss shooting regularly. You can't even shoot spitballs in town.
> 
> Nomad


sounds as if you can take the Nomad out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of Nomad.

Take care.


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## Nomad

AngieM2 said:


> sounds as if you can take the Nomad out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of Nomad.
> 
> Take care.


It's been almost 48 years since I left the farm and moved back to Milwaukee. From there it was one city or town after another. I shouldn't have listened to the family when we were looking for a house, but three people wanted to live in town so I did what they wanted. Now three of us want to be somewhere else and can't. I'm just glad I'm old and won't have to put up with it too much longer.

Nomad


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## Nomad

highlands said:


> If you want it torn down you should buy it and then tear it down once you own it. To do otherwise is mean. It's not your property. Don't be a nasty neighbor.


I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you must not have read anything else about the situation here. If you had you wouldn't say anything about me being a nasty neighbor. From now on maybe you should get the facts before you post.

Nomad


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