Washington County creates policy to fine owners of blighted properties

WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA) — Officers in Washington County say they’ve discovered a technique to encourage house owners of blighted and deserted houses to maintain up with their properties.

Code enforcement officers will quickly be ticketing house owners like they ticket automobiles. The standard of life ordinance will basically pace up the method of enforcement for violators.

Owners will obtain a ticket within the mail starting from $25 to $100, relying on the violation, and can have three days to repair up the property. If the property is cleaned up within the timeframe, the fantastic will likely be waived. In any other case, the town will take the home-owner to court docket.

Town additionally revised its deserted property ordinance. Starting Jan. 6, fines improve to $300 for the primary two years and $750 yearly after.

“Deserted properties create extra crime, individuals don’t really feel protected in these communities,” Metropolis Administrator Donn Henderson mentioned. “So they don’t seem to be good for the well-being of the group normally. So it is vital for us to try to nip that within the bud.”

“It lowers the property worth and folks do not wish to transfer on a block the place it seems like that,” resident Christopher Applewhite mentioned. 

Metropolis leaders say they’ve no less than 100 deserted properties all through the town and much more houses that house owners do not preserve.