Search Warrants on Vacant Houses
On February 1, Rehabilitation Technician Joe Lewis and Property Maintenance Inspector Susan Jones served search warrants on two vacant properties. Each of the properties had been registered as a Vacant Nuisance Residential Building in late 2015. No further effort was taken by either property owner to rehabilitate the structures as required by the ordinance.
1503 Paula Drive
This is a bank owned property and has been vacant since 2013 when it went into foreclosure. The property has been open to intrusion on numerous occasions and the exterior has deferred maintenance. The interior was found to be structurally sound with the need of for updating the electrical and plumbing systems. The property will be further evaluated for the next action step but is likely to be a good candidate for developer rehabilitation.
714 W. Vine
This is a privately owned property that has been vacant for over five years. The structure has been open to intrusion at least 2 times a year. The Champaign Police Department has removed individuals that were trespassing on two separate occasions in the previous year. It has been boarded up since late 2015. The City has abated the grass and weeds on a regular basis for years. Lewis and Jones observed the home to be overflowing with furniture, clothing, tools, windows, doors, etc. The electrical wiring and copper water lines have been removed in the basement area. It is hard to determine if the property could be rehabilitated until the contents are removed and all floors and walls are visible. This property will also be further evaluated for the next action step which most likely will be seeking litigation against the owner for a repair or demolish order through the circuit court.