The Atlanta City Council Community Development and Human Resources Committee approved a vacant property registration ordinance on November 29th. Ordinance 10-O-1457 will introduce a vacant property registration amendment to the Land Development Code of the Atlanta Housing Code of 1987. This ordinance would require property owners to register vacant residential properties within 30 days after the building or dwelling becomes vacant. Below is a list of summary points about the ordinance:
- Registration must be filed within 30 days after the building or dwelling becomes vacant or within 30 days after acquiring ownership of any vacant residential property not currently registered. The owner must pay a registration fee of $100 for each registered property. Any vacant residential property that is in violation of any housing, building or fire code must pay a $250 renewal fee.
- The registration will remain valid for 12 months. Renewal of the registration must be made for each 12 month period. Upon renewal, a $100 fee must be paid or a $250 fee if the building is in violation of any housing, building or fire code.
- Once a residential property that is on the vacant property registration list is occupied, the owner must file a statement within 5 days of occupancy.
An amendment was proposed to this ordinance that included language that would also require registration of vacant commercial and industrial properties. The Council for Quality Growth and the Board of Realtors provided recommendations at the Atlanta City CDHR Committee meeting to ensure that this language was removed from the amendment. Since the ordinance was not placed on the consent agenda, however, there is potential for the industrial and commercial language to be placed back into the ordinance. Ordinance 10-O-1457 will be brought before the full Atlanta City Council next Monday, December 5th in the Council Chambers of Atlanta City Hall at 55 Trinity Ave; Atlanta, GA 30303. The Council urges you all to reach out to Atlanta City Councilmembers and emphasize that the language including industrial and commercial properties should remain excluded from this ordinance. If you have any questions, please contact me by e-mail or at 770-813-3388. The amended ordinance can be read by CLICKING HERE. Contact information for Atlanta City Council members can be found HERE.