On July 14, Denver’s City Council unanimously amended Chapter 10 of the municipal code to confront roughly 300 derelict and neglected properties with far tougher penalties. Owners now face fines up to $5,000 per day for each day of non-compliance—up from the previous $999 maximum—marking the first major update to this ordinance since 2012.
Under the new rules, a derelict building is any unoccupied structure that inspectors deem unsafe, a chronic code violator or public nuisance, or that is more than a year behind on property taxes. The definition also embraces vacant lots.
For those who live in One Lincoln Park, you may recall the recent fire in the old Mexican restaurant on 20th Avenue and Glenarm. The building which is on the corner of Lincoln and 20th Ave and the apartment which is on the corner of 20th Ave. and Sherman are constantly used for illegal camping, producing a raft of trash. UpDoNa will be asking the city to inspect these buildings for any violations.
If a property is judged by city inspectors to be in violation, the owner is required to submit and implement a remediation plan to address the issues. For example, locks, fences, clean-ups or other physical security could be ordered. The most significant change to the ordinance is the size of the fine if the owner does not mitigate the problem.
In hazardous cases, emergency abatement measures can be initiated by the city, with reimbursement required from the owners.
Residents can report suspect properties via Denver’s 311 system or the Community Planning & Development Department’s online portal or send a picture and address to gilvon2001@gmail.com and we will see that the property is reported.
Attribution for thumbnail photo: City of Denver
