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Long Beach City Council Approves Creation Of Foreclosure Ordinance by Ryan ZumMallen | Archive | 09.08.10 |
+ 2:45pm | Amid all the budget hullabaloo last night, the Long Beach City Council also approved an item to create a Foreclosure Ordinance that will impose fines on banks that do not maintain foreclosed residential properties. The item is an effort to stop the growing trend of foreclosed homes that become blighted and community eyesores. It was proposed by newly-elected Councilmember Steven Neal, and supported by Councilmembers James Johnson and Gerrie Schipske. The item was passed unanimously last night. The City Manager and City Attorney will now develop the new Foreclosure Ordinance and the Council will vote on it at a later date. The item stems from fear that continued economic troubles could force many more people out of their homes. This causes a problem because vacant homes pose a fire hazard, attract criminal activity and can hurt a neighborhood's value. Some estimates say that a foreclosed property can cost the City about $34,000 in increased police and fire attention, weed abatement, building inspections and more. “We have an opportunity to protect our neighborhoods from the crime, blight and vermin that vacant buildings attract,” Neal said in a recent statement. “If we place responsibility on the banks that own vacant and foreclosed properties, they will think twice about leaving them unmaintained for such a long period of time." Under the item recommendation, banks would be required to pay a fee and register their foreclosure upon issuing a notice of default on a foreclosed home, and owners who acquire foreclosed properties will be given 30 days to fix the home before fines are issued. California passed a bill called SB 1137 in 2008 that gives cities the right to create programs like this. The item notes that several other California cities have created similar plans and benefited quite handsomely. The city of Richmond, which just over 104,000 residents, has issued about $1 million in fines while Chula Vista issued more than $900,000 in fewer than six months of the program's existence. The cities of Los Angeles and Garden Grove as well as several counties have similar programs. The item recommends that revenue generated from the registration fees be used to maintain vacant properties, though any money fines could be applied to the General Fund as a revenue generator. However Rex Richardson, 9th District Chief of Staff, told the LBPOST.com today that revenue is not the Foreclosure Ordinance's primary intention. Follow the LBPOST.com on our Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages. Click here to read our policy on covering the Long Beach City Council.
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5 Comments so far.
Great Ordinance This ordinance makes so much sense and is great for everyone in a neighborhood that is concerned about their neighborhood's safety and well-being. It is also good for the taxpayers by saving money. And the police and fire departments should not be using limited resources on foreclosed properties. Congratulations to Steven Neal for making the proposal and for the City Council for passing it unanimously. Good, Could be tougher. Yeah, good banks should be responsible for maintaining houses they own, just like everyone else should. Fines should be steep, like overdrafts. Unmowed yard, few hundred, rats, broken window, $35 a day, just like overdraft. If they don't pay after a week, fees double, like parking tickets. If the bank refuses, the city takes the house, same way they tow, or the same way banks will take from your savings. Give the banks 30 days, then sell at auction price to a qualified home seeker. Helen Najar Excellent - let's make sure there are teeth in it. I, and other Realtors, are often the first line of defense on still water that presents a west nile threat, overgrown yards, abandoned animals and general blight. YES Great move by Councilmember Neal. Why hasn't this been done before? Looking forward to the things to come to LB w/ Neal on board and in North Long Beach. Darlene Wonderful concept!Great way to rebuild our city,and keep out the problem people.
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LBPOST.com Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen keeps up on all the current and breaking Long Beach news.
Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.
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