MuniReg

03/31/2025

Well done
This article details out-of-the-box thinking, to address multiple issues.
Too often we see concerns voiced with these types of initiatives. This appears to be a good example where the end justifies the means!
New Mexico Magazine American City & County magazine
American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association Urban Institute Center for Community Progress

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – With a push to make affordable housing more available, a new program aimed at rehabbing old homes and turning them into rentals has launched. One nonprofit is already rolli…

03/25/2025

A recent article by Anthony A. Braga, Jerry Lee Professor of Criminology and Director, Crime and Justice Policy Lab, at the University of Pennsylvania revisits the 1982 landmark article in Atlantic, written by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling introducing the Broken Windows thesis.

American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association Urban Institute Center for Community Progress

Public-health advocates regularly suggest preventing violence by, for instance, securing abandoned properties, cleaning up blighted lots, and fixing street lighting. But improving the physical environment is an old and well-established idea in policing.

03/25/2025

New legislation under consideration in Illinois takes an aggressive approach on fighting blight.

American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association Urban Institute Center for Community Progress Illinois Association of Code Enforcement - IACE

Provides that a property owner that lives within one-fourth of a mile of and on the same street as residential real property that has been abandoned may, after the property has been continuously abandoned for 12 months, petition the court for title to the land.

03/19/2025

Taking matters into their own hands!
Last month we posted about private nuisance actions. Here is a good example of a neighborhood group stepping up and pushing the envelope.
Well done McKinley Heights Neighborhood, St. Louis, Missouri and the McKinley Heights Neighborhood Association!

American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association IMLA - International Municipal Lawyers Association Urban Institute Center for Community Progress

Two properties have been the scourge of the McKinley Heights neighborhood for years.

03/12/2025

Opening lines of communication in San Jose.
As evidenced in the prior post, rental registries, inspections etc. can be very combative.
Kudos to District 10 Councilmember George Casey for taking the initiative and creating what appears to be a platform for open, frank and hopefully collaborative communication.

American Association of Code Enforcement California Association of Code Enforcement Officers

South San Jose property owners want city code enforcement to spend more time working with them on potential violations rather than punishing them.

03/12/2025

Two interesting articles pertaining to rental registries.
A new ordinance in Alliance OH up for consideration seeks to provide a compromise to what has been a contentious debate.

The proposal calls for
1) Creation of a five-person Housing Oversight Board comprised of a council member, landlord, tenant, city's safety-service director and the mayor.
2) Rating system for exterior conditions of all residential properties, including rentals, to be evaluated by the Housing Oversight Board. 3) Minimum requirements for landlords i.e. hot and cold running water, functional heating system, code-complaint electrical system and components etc..
4) Minimum requirements for renters i.e. clear of debris, clutter, pests and trash etc..
5) Inspections of exterior and interior of residential structures if the conditions are rated C or worse, with a fee;
6) Landlords would be required to register all properties
7) City's safety-service director to file a report with City Council at the first meeting of each year detailing the activities of the previous 12 months with "respect to inspections performed, compliance achieved, and any other information requested

Fore more information, click on the link below.
Second article forthcoming in next post.

https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/alliance/2025/03/11/alliance-council-lohnes-mastroianni-rental-regulations/81338740007/

Greater Ohio Policy Center Ohio Municipal League American Association of Code Enforcement

Alliance City Councilmen Ed Lohnes and Phillip Mastroianni have introduced a new direction on regulating rentals. The proposal has mixed reviews.

03/04/2025

We agree.

HB 374's amendments waters it down and greatly limits it effectiveness.

Georgia Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association National League of Cities Urban Institute

Wall Street landlords are in the Georgia General Assembly's crosshairs — but will reforms pass?

02/28/2025

Another example of why a new approach is needed. Last month we reported on the low compliance rate for the Syracuse rental registry
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2025/01/syracuse-rental-registrys-weak-compliance-is-worse-than-believed-auditor-says.html

Now in Cleveland, an example of challenges with paperwork, staffing etc.

Both communities have strong, experienced and knowledgeable leadership so this is not a representation of them. These results are just a reality in communities across the country.

Why do communities still operate in the same manner and expect different results?

The article discusses "going to do it differently", but is this really "different"? Internal resources are valuable. Leverage external resources to maximize them.

We are here to assist!

American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association

https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-lead-paint-team-tied-up-with-application-backlog/

Two code inspectors and others are reviewing 1,200 applications from landlords seeking lead-safe certificates from the City of Cleveland.

02/27/2025

A new report from the Center for Community Progress discussing the symbiosis (and challenges) between land banks and brownfield redevelopment.

ICMA - International City/County Management AssociationNational League of Cities National Housing Conference

Practical guidance and case studies for land banks that want to redevelop contaminated vacant and abandoned properties.

02/26/2025

Our latest LinkedIn Blight Alert. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated.
From a recent State Senate hearing on blight to a crypto investment scheme that could bring even more harm to communities already struggling with abandonment—here’s what’s happening and why it matters.
Plus, additional insights on matters pertaining to property vacancy, zombie foreclosures, and neighborhood stability.
Stay informed. Stay proactive. More details inside.

American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association National League of Cities Center for Community Progress

From a recent State Senate hearing on blight to a crypto investment scheme that could bring even more harm to communities already struggling with abandonment—here’s what’s happening and why it matters. Plus, additional insights on matters pertaining to property vacancy, zombie foreclosures, an...

02/26/2025

"Aside from being a new revenue stream" and "the city has received its first two checks from its new registry program for foreclosed, abandoned properties"

These are two quotes from the below article (paywall).

Of course revenue is critical however it should not be the focus of these registries.

As was stated in the recent PA Senate Field Hearing (see post from earlier this month) “The blight world is not a profit-making world.”

The misguided approach of focusing on a registry as a new revenue stream, as opposed to what the program actually was designed to be, may be the reason municipalities are dealing with COSTLY challenges e.g. https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/2024/11/26/19m-settlement-approved-in-class-suit-over-vacant-property-fees/?slreturn=20250226180558

The tool is valuable, but the added plus of potential revenue is not worth the risk.

Dont fall into the trap, let us help you.

Our conscientious and conservative approach delivers the necessary results while mitigating your risk and exposure.

https://www.meadvilletribune.com/news/revenue-realized-from-foreclosure-registry-in-titusville/article_d85ea5c6-efad-11ef-9397-7f67bc779d10.html

AAmerican Association of Code EnforcementIICMA - International City/County Management AssociationNNational League of Cities

02/24/2025

In January we reported on articles in the Wall Street Journal and other major outlets that highlighted a concerning trend in some housing market, hidden costs and the potential for it to result in higher foreclosures.

Now the Joint Center For Housing Studies of Harvard University has issued a new research brief exploring the state of housing affordability for homeowners. It finds that the greatest burdens are being shouldered by those with the lowest incomes, many of whom are older adults, households of color, or otherwise vulnerable, and these homeowners have few options available to get immediate help.

AmAmerican Association of Code EnforcementCICMA - International City/County Management AssociationNational League of CitiesrUrban InstituteaNational Housing ConferencemAmerican Planning Association

In January we reported on articles in the Wall Street Journal and other major outlets that highlighted a concerning trend in some housing market, hidden costs and the potential for it to result in higherREAD MORE

02/19/2025

Concerns raised about rental registries. Link below discusses Rhode Island's state registry (perhaps relying too much on technology) and following discusses Louisville's registry with threats to ban registries at the Statehouse unless changes are made.
https://www.lpm.org/news/2025-02-18/frankfort-to-louisville-weaken-lead-hazard-rental-registry-ordinance-or-lose-it

American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association National League of Cities IMLA - International Municipal Lawyers Association



https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2025/02/17/landlords-blast-suspected-rental-properties-feature-on-new-registry-of-lead-inspection-data/

A landlord advocacy group is criticizing the rollout of the Rhode Island Department of Health’s new database allowing the public to search rental properties for lead inspection reports, taking issue with the software used and little effort made to prepare property owners.

02/18/2025

This example highlights why follow-up is critical—but just as important is early intervention. Whether through our Vacant Property Registration (VPR) program or by leveraging our expertise in navigating the banking world to improve property maintenance, we help prevent these issues before they escalate while also freeing up staff to focus on the necessary follow-up.

Don’t wait for a problem to grow—reach out today. We’re just a phone call or email away!

American Association of Code Enforcement ICMA - International City/County Management Association National League of Cities

A judge has dismissed lawsuits by Dunkirk over three “zombie properties” because no one apparently followed up on them. The city opened court action in 2019 against the bank that held the mortgage on the properties, and the company that was supposed to maintain them. However, according to the ru...

02/13/2025

The first line in this Op-Ed speaks volumes. It is not limited to the discussed (Review Board) and is applicable to all communities not just Altoona

"Altoona should not ignore any potential resource in the fight against blight."

MuniReg is here to help all communities, large, small and any in between!

Reach out to [email protected] to learn more.

Altoona should not ignore any potential resource in the fight against blight. That’s why the city should revive the Vacant Property Review Board, which has been dormant since about 2008. Evidence in the form of blight — now and perhaps as far back as 2008 — has shown how inactivity of the revi...

02/13/2025

The "ownership" may be with what listed in county records but behind the scenes, the LLC may have dozens of "owners".

If/when the individual property or the entire system goes south, what will be the impact to existing tenants and when it/they are abandoned, to the neighboring property owners?

Brief research indicates strings of LLC's.

We are here to help

RealT, a crypto real estate company, has been selling bits of Detroit rentals to investors, but some tenants say they've been left to fend for themselves.

02/11/2025

Following up on the last post, here is Michael Halpern's take on yesterday's Pennsylvania Senate Majority Policy Committee Hearing on mitigating blight.
Though some of the conversation was Pennsylvania specific many national issues and solutions were discussed, including

1) Judicial Challenges in Addressing Blight
2) Funding Shortfalls for Code Enforcement
3) Underutilization of Existing Tools and Resources
4) Creative Solutions to Zoning Challenges
5) The Ongoing Struggle to Increase Owner-Occupancy Rates

Click on the below link for the full blog post and the session recording

Pennsylvania Municipal League National League of Cities ICMA - International City/County Management Association Center for Community Progress American Association of Code Enforcement

On Monday, February 10, the Pennsylvania Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by long-time anti-blight advocate Senator David Argall, held a public hearing to review successful strategies for combating blighted, decaying buildings in communities large andREAD MORE

02/07/2025

The Pennsylvania Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by long time anti-blight advocate and supporter Sen. David Argall will conduct a public hearing "to review successful strategies to fight the spread of blighted, decaying buildings in communities large and small"

The hearing will take place Monday, Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will be livestreamed on the Senate Majority Policy Committee’s website.

More information, including the testifiers, and a link to the live stream is available on the link below.
Pennsylvania Municipal League
National League of Cities ICMA - International City/County Management Association
Center for Community Progress American Association of Code Enforcement

The Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Sen. Dave Argall (R-29), will visit Sunbury next week to review successful strategies to fight the spread of blighted, decaying buildings in communities large and small.