Seattle mayor proposes legislation to combat rising vacant building violations

(The Center Square) – Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is proposing a new ordinance meant to improve security and management of vacant buildings in the city.

According to Harrell’s office, the number of complaints about vacant buildings in the city with safety or maintenance violations increased 25%, from 556 in 2021 to 694 in 2022. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections has recorded an uptick in enforcement of violations at vacant buildings over the last few years. In 2021, 284 cases were reported. That number increased to 345 in 2022.

Assuming that trend continues, city officials expect violation cases to exceed last year’s total.

Harrell’s proposal calls for strengthening the standards for securing vacant buildings by requiring them to have solid core doors, reinforced deadbolts, and in some cases polycarbonate sheets instead of plywood.

The legislation would also require vacant buildings to be kept free of graffiti, mandate that any building that receives a violation notice to enter the vacant building monitoring program, simplify the process for police and fire referrals to vacant building monitoring, and authorize the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections to file a property lien to collect unpaid vacant building monitoring fees and abatement costs.

- Advertisement -

“While we want to encourage new development and adaptive reuse of vacant buildings so that they do not fall derelict in the first place, these stronger standards will help us ensure that buildings left unoccupied are secured and maintained, along with efficiently inspected and monitored by the city so that they do not pose any dangers or hazards to neighbors and first responders,” Harrell said in a news release announcing the proposed legislation.

The latest proposal from Harrell coincides with the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan’s intent to utilize vacant or underdeveloped land for housing or mix-used development.

Vacant buildings also create health and safety risks. According to the Seattle Fire Department, there have been 29 fires in vacant buildings so far this year, compared to 19 over the same time period in 2022. There have been three deaths this year involving vacant building fires.

“Fires in vacant buildings can present some of the most dangerous conditions for responding firefighters,” Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. “We welcome the mayor’s efforts to strengthen requirements that may prevent fires in vacant structures and provide a quicker path towards demolition or refurbishment.”

spot_img
spot_img

Hot this week

Health care company agrees to pay $22.5 million to settle claims of over billing

A health care company agreed to pay nearly $22.5...

African and Caribbean Nations Call for Reparations for Slave Trade, Propose Global Fund

Nations across Africa and the Caribbean, deeply impacted by...

Sports betting expert offers advice on paying taxes for gambling winnings

(The Center Square) – Tax season is underway, and...

Business association ‘disappointed’ by WA L&I’s proposed workers comp rate hike

(The Center Square) – The Association of Washington Business...

Sports betting bill still alive in Georgia House

(The Center Square) – A bill that would allow...

McCormick talks veterans, shutdown in Pennsylvania

(The Center Square) - While visiting Harrisburg on Monday,...

Legal marijuana, tax distribution changes closer to reality

(The Center Square) – Voters who overwhelmingly approved recreational...

New Hampshire Democrats want to regain first-in-the-nation primary

(The Center Square) — New Hampshire Democrats are making...

Michigan leads Democrat coalition supporting gun laws

(The Center Square) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel...

Public hearing Tuesday for new economic development district in Shreveport

(The Center Square) — The Shreveport City Council meets...

Report: Michigan, Washington ‘worst’ on religious nonprofit protections

(The Center Square) - Michigan and Washington scored the...

Colorado looks to fund food banks as shutdown continues

(The Center Square) – With just five days left...

More like this
Related

McCormick talks veterans, shutdown in Pennsylvania

(The Center Square) - While visiting Harrisburg on Monday,...

Legal marijuana, tax distribution changes closer to reality

(The Center Square) – Voters who overwhelmingly approved recreational...

New Hampshire Democrats want to regain first-in-the-nation primary

(The Center Square) — New Hampshire Democrats are making...

Michigan leads Democrat coalition supporting gun laws

(The Center Square) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel...