The
Facts on Blight
Over the past few weeks,
blight and code enforcement have been hot topics in Bristol. Suggestions have
been made that this current City Council has not done “enough” to curtail
blight and enforce codes. However, the facts of the City’s blight reduction and
code enforcement efforts over the past six years, and particularly the last
two, actually make an argument much to the contrary.
In 2008, the City established
the Code Enforcement Committee, consistent of representation from the Chief
Building Official, Director of Bristol/ Burlington Health District, Chief of
Police or his designee, Zoning Enforcement Officer, Fire Marshal, Director of
Public Works or their designees and chaired by a member of the City Council,
currently Mayor Ward. This group meets monthly to coordinate the City's
anti-blight and code enforcement measures. Since the creation of the Code
Enforcement Committee, the number of code complaints received has totaled 7891,
or approximately 1500 per year. The two years prior to the creation of this
committee, the City had received just 129 complaints total.
The City has resolved 96% of
the complaints received since 2008, and has billed violators a total of $1.34
million dollars, with approximately $1.1 million already collected. Seven
arrests were made over this span, and since 2012, the number of abatement
orders issued has increased by 40 percent.
In 2010 the City was able to
further streamline and consolidate the process by assigning the duties of the
former Code Enforcement Officer to a Lieutenant. This simple, yet effective
consolidation measure was implemented after the Building Department and Police
Department established the lack of a necessity for a full-time, Code
Enforcement Officer. By merging the duties of the Code Enforcement Officer with
the Lieutenant’s responsibilities, the City was able to cut costs while still
performing the essential functions of the position.
But the City hasn’t just been
cracking down on blight and enforcing housing codes, we have been approaching
it and other quality of life issues through a multi-faceted approach. This
approach has combined enforcement with incentives for private investment into
these blighted properties.
In 2008, the City implemented
a “Tax Assessment Freeze Program”. This program authorizes the Tax Assessor to
freeze assessments of rehabilitated properties. The goal of the program is to
help achieve the rehabilitation of blighted property by freezing the assessment
of the property to a point established prior to rehabilitation. Once a
certificate of occupancy is issued, the “freeze” lasts for a duration of five
years.
However, if the property
becomes the object of an enforcement action by any member of the Code
Enforcement Committee during this time period, the adjusted assessment can be
revoked by the City Assessor. Furthermore, if a property owner or the property
owner’s spouse, business partner, or other entity associated with the property
owner caused the blighted condition or violation of codes, they are exempt from
participating in the program.
Since the creation of the
program, 16 properties have participated. However, eight of the participating
properties have occurred since 2012, with an additional eight applications
currently pending. In other words, participation in the program has increased
by 100% since 2012.
Between the 16 properties who
have taken part in, and applied for the program since 2012, there has been over
$1.1 million in private investment. The resulting impact has been a future
increase in taxable assets, as well as a significant increase in property
values at these locations, and for their surrounding neighbors.
Pre-rehabilitation property values for these properties have averaged
approximately $97,000. Post-rehabilitation property values have averaged
approximately $171,000, an increase of about $74,000 on an average investment
of about $69,000.
Another successful program
has been the Bristol Development Authority’s Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) Home Rehabilitation program. Since 2008, the CDBG Home Rehabilitation
Program has provided nearly $1.3 million in grants for renovations. The Home
Rehabilitation Program allows qualifying homeowners the ability to receive a
percentage of the renovation costs in the form of a grant. These funds come by
way of the Federal government’s CDBG program. 532 units have been renovated
utilizing CDBG funds since 2008.
The Council is continuing to
work with City departments to create a comprehensive package and a marketing
plan of all the incentives currently offered to private investors for the
rehabilitation of blighted properties and code compliance measures. In
addition, we have been working to create and implement a multi-family
homebuyers program that will help promote more private homeownership, and
ultimately, reduce the number of absentee landlords in the City. In the West
End alone, over 40 percent of homes are owned by a landlord who does not live
in Bristol.
The Mayor and the rest of the
current City Council understand the importance of cleaning up the City, and
have pushed for an even greater focus on blight and code enforcement over the
past two years. Understanding the tough economic conditions facing the City,
this administration has had to do more with less in order to avoid saddling our
taxpayers with even greater expenses. Between the incentives offered to spur
private investment, as well as the responsible appropriation of surplus funds
when possible, this administration has tackled the issue with a sustainable
approach that is both effective, and cost efficient.
Going forward, we will
continue the progress gained with regard to these efforts. Blight and code
enforcement will always be an on-going battle, but we are fully committed to
continuing the positive momentum. With a little patience, increased private
investment, continued responsible and sustainable City funding, and the
continued community efforts exhibited by our wonderful neighborhood
associations, we know this is a battle the city of Bristol will win.
Sincerely,
The Bristol City Council
-Mayor Arthur J. Ward
-City Councilor Eric Carlson
-City Councilor Ken Cockayne
-City Councilor Derek Czenczelewski
-City Councilor Henri Martin
-City Councilor David Mills
-City Councilor Mayra Sampson
