Neighborhood pride – few things have more potential to enhance the quality of life for everyone. The City’s Property Maintenance Inspections Department works with property owners and neighborhoods to address nuisance properties and housing violations, protecting property values and making your neighborhood more pleasant and welcoming for residents and visitors alike.
Keeping your property in good condition and free of debris, dead vegetation and overgrown weeds and grass is important for several reasons:
- Helps ensure your family lives in a clean, safe and pleasant environment.
- One unsightly property can damage or destroy the look of the rest of the well-maintained neighborhood.
- Enhances property values and contributes to neighborhood revitalization.
Q: What does the City prohibit/what constitutes a Nuisance Violation?
A: The City prohibits the following on residential lots:
- Construction/demolition debris
- Inoperable/unregistered vehicles
- Overgrown weeds and grass
- Auto parts and scrap metal
- Appliances/furniture
- Standing water
- Junk, debris, trash and litter
Q: What are examples of Housing Violations?
A: All residential properties must be well-maintained, safe and sanitary. Violations that may trigger a property maintenance action include:
- Peeling paint
- Deteriorated/damaged roofs
- Unsanitary facilities
- Electrical and lighting hazards
- Unsecured buildings
- Damaged doors or windows
- Absence of a heating system or damaged heating system
- Deteriorated/damaged fences and walls
- Substandard or inoperable plumbing
Q: What do I do if there is a nuisance property in my neighborhood?
A: There are a number of options available to you:
- Contact with the property owner or tenant. Describe your perception of the problem. Discuss how the problem affects you and possible solutions.
- Attend your Neighborhood Association meetings. Get involved with problem solving. If you do not know if you have a Neighborhood Association, call the Community Services Department at 864-596-2052.
- File a complaint. Call City Property Maintenance Inspections Division at 864-596-2915.
Q: What happens when a violation is reported?
A: Our goal is to encourage both owners and tenants to voluntarily correct any violations. When a violation is reported, we open a complaint and work toward resolving the violation through a process of education, inspection, and notices. In most cases, the person responsible for a violation is given an opportunity to voluntarily comply with the law and correct the situation.
Q: What happens if a violation is not corrected?
A: Each violation has a set of enforcement procedures and time limit for compliance. If the violation is not corrected in the time allowed, the City has two enforcement options:
- Abatement: In a typical case, the City's Property Maintenance Team will hire a private contractor to either demolish or board and secure a structure, or to clean a property of junk and debris.
- Judicial Remedies: Failure to correct violations can result in fines of as much as $440 and/or jail time.
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