Atlanta making a move to deal with vacant properties (city hall, crime)

[K-SawDude]

City putting final touches on vacant property registry | Atlanta News & Opinion Blog | Fresh Loaf | Creative Loafing Atlanta

Ask any city official about blight and they'll give you the same line: They'd love to issue fines to absentee owners who allow their properties to fall into disrepair. Unfortunately, most of the time they have no clue who owns the houses, which are a magnet for crime and a burden on nearby residents. Things might finally change. From a City Hall press release received this morning: In effort to improve enforcement of the City of Atlanta’s housing code ordinances, owners of vacant properties are now required to register with the city.

And this quote from a commenter:

finally! this is the number one problem that is causing further deterioration in neighbourhoods south and neighbourhoods west of downtown— the worst one having problems with this is the bluff (english avenue). i can understand people who are poor and don't have the money to take care of their house, but this is about absentee landlords, who are wall street investors buying these properties hoping to sell them at a profit when the market goes back up or the neighbourhood goes up. they're perpetuating the problems in these neighbourhoods by making their property a den for criminals and drug dealers who squat in these homes.

I agree that dealing with these vacancies is key, especially for parts of intown Atlanta, if we're ever going to see improvements in some of these neighborhoods.

[LynnHarris]

I absolutely agree. There are many intown communities that would benefit from this -- which includes attracting more quality residents.

Thanks for posting this article.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

finally! this is the number one problem that is causing further deterioration in neighbourhoods south and neighbourhoods west of downtown— the worst one having problems with this is the bluff (english avenue). i can understand people who are poor and don't have the money to take care of their house, but this is about absentee landlords, who are wall street investors buying these properties hoping to sell them at a profit when the market goes back up or the neighbourhood goes up. they're perpetuating the problems in these neighbourhoods by making their property a den for criminals and drug dealers who squat in these homes.

that was me! fresh loaf reader here.

i'm really hoping they go after these people. i've heard other cities don't have problems like this— cities elsewhere have been fining those who don't maintain their properties for years. down here in atlanta, you've got buildings right in the middle of downtown that are in shambles, and in the surrounding neighbourhoods, oh my goodness. but since the recession hit in 2008, it seems like it's gotten worse than it ever was before.