Bad neighbors: Thousands of nuisance violations in Houston are on government-owned properties
It was not the first time Wicoff or her neighbors spotted suspicious activity inside the city-owned property at 1417 Telephone Road that has been steadily deteriorating for years. The awning over the entrance has partially collapsed, and wood planks are scattered around the sizable lot. A rusty staircase leads to a broken window on the second floor, which, Wicoff said, squatters have used to enter the building.
The properties were acquired by the city for rights of way, flood mitigation and other purposes, according to Mary Benton, a spokesperson of the Mayor's Office, who added that most are undeveloped lands. Houston's General Services Department, which manages the city’s properties and addresses maintenance and security issues along with third-party contractors, consistently reviews its processes to find ways to improve, she said.
In some situations, however, the city neither fully fixed up its properties nor paid a fine for persistent problems. The city is not the only public entity that struggles with property upkeep. The Harris County Flood Control District is second to the city in the number of nuisance violations, 661, in the past six years.
A neglected lot in a residential neighborhood in south Houston, for instance, has been written up for “We've prioritized working closely with to quickly address issues on the sites, such as illegal dumping or other forms of illegal occupancy,” Edwards said. “Many of our sites now have ‘No Trespassing’ signs.”The Houston Land Bank, a local government corporation, owns 425 properties across Houston. Keeping the lots in compliance is a strenuous and costly task, Chief Executive Officer Christa Stoneham said.
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