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Seattle set to increase fees on developers who let properties sit empty and go derelict

While it isn’t yet ready to implement more aggressive programs like permitting temporary housing, Seattle will begin stepping up its efforts at encouraging owners with properties lined up for development to either keep the buildings in use or make sure they don’t become neighborhood safety issues with squatters and drug use.

Seattle’s new increased oversight of vacant buildings starts in June:

New processes for inspection of vacant buildings take effect on June 1, 2019. The changes add a wider range of properties to the City’s Vacant Building Monitoring program, including all properties with active development proposals containing a vacant building. The frequency of inspections will increase from once a quarter to once a month. We estimate that this will add approximately 1,200 new properties to the program this year and can reduce the risk of vacant buildings becoming a blight on the community. In the past, SDCI monitored around 100 properties each year with consistent vacant building violations.

Last fall, CHS reported on efforts to study better methods for monitoring the city’s steady of flow of vacant buildings including the possibility of formalizing a program to match landlords of vacant buildings with organizations that can temporarily put the property to use in housing programs like Weld Seattle and Mary’s Place or with arts groups coordinating with the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture to house an art space..

While adding more muscle to those opportunities will still require new legislation, the bill passed during the latest budget round at City Hall will mean every property in development that includes a vacant building to be enrolled in the city’s monitoring program during the permit application process.

Properties will be inspected at least three times under the program. If inspectors find no violations, the owners will be charged at the lowest monitoring fee rate. Properties must have no violations for three consecutive monthly inspections in order to be removed from the program.

The new legislation also raised the vacant building monitoring fees by 3%. Per inspection fees are charged in three levels:

  • Vacant but no violations: $261.40
  • Vacant with violations but not open to entry: $435
  • Vacant and open to entry: $521.75

In addition to the increased costs, the frequency of inspections will also rise from quarterly to monthly.

Some landlords will, to be sure, go ahead and the eat the fees.

“In 2016 and 2017, we experienced a dramatic increase in complaints about vacant buildings including unauthorized entry, accumulation of junk around structures, and public safety issues such as fires, rodent infestations, and criminal activity,” the city’s announcement on the new oversight reads.

In addition to trying to better address public safety issues, city officials also hope the new rules will help keep more people in their homes longer even as the development process on a property begins to play out. “We encourage owners to explore ways to keep buildings occupied during the permitting process,” the announcement reads. “This extends the use of existing housing and maintains a better property condition for the community.”

In addition the expanded monitoring the program, the city says it will also continue to operate its “complaint-based system to respond to vacant buildings.” Neighbors who see a vacant building that is not properly secured by the owner can call (206) 615-0808 or visit the Seattle Services Portal to file a complaint.

 

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JayH
JayH
4 years ago

I like the idea in principle. The article suggests that at least part of the vacant building problem is the City being slow to issue permits. There is a conflict here. The City wants the buildings occupied longer. The City wants more notice for tenants to vacate. Doesn’t this add even more delays?

And what about the Broadway Grill space. Is that empty and derelict? Or empty and vacant? Hard to tell sometimes. Does it get charged fees?

Mike
Mike
4 years ago
Reply to  JayH

Good points, JayH. I see the same problem/conflict with the permit speeds as well.

This idea has worked well in Vancouver, BC but like they say the devil is in the details. I wonder how the implementation of Vancouver’s solution differs from this.

oliveoyl
oliveoyl
4 years ago
Reply to  JayH

If there is a project in the permit queue obvs this should prevent a fine. There are properties that are just sitting empty for years. I agree, something should be done w perpetually vacant commercial properties too

dan
dan
4 years ago

Man, somebody has got to do SOMETHING about the dead Broadway Grill space. Someone said back in March they were “just going to clean it up,” but I don’t see any cleaning going on. 6+ years of a dead space. Sucks.

Jason
Jason
4 years ago
Reply to  dan

Also the corner of Denny and Olive. They had a fire already. It needs to be cleaned up!