City to Conduct Downtown Property Maintenance Initiative

Mar 29th, 2013

Beginning Tuesday, April 2, 2013, the City of Mobile Urban Development Department will begin an Enhanced Downtown Property Maintenance Initiative to crack down on building code violations. The sweep of every property in the Hank Aaron Loop will be conducted over a four-week period.

The purpose of the initiative is to enhance safety and improve the aesthetic quality of our downtown core. If a property is found to have code violations, the owner will receive a letter notifying them of the issue(s). They will then have a thirty-day grace period to fix the problem. If the violations are not corrected within thirty days, they will be given a Notice of Violation, which will give them another thirty days to fix the problem. If the violations are still occurring, a Municipal Office Ticket will be written, fines will be levied, and a court date will be set.

“Our downtown area has caught the nation’s eye, and the attention of companies looking to locate here,” said Mayor Sam Jones. “As the starting point for any city, our downtown must express the pride that we take in our community. We are committed to working with the residents and businesses to make sure their properties are up to code and provide a safe environment for everyone.”

Common building code violations include exposed entrances such as doorways and windows, roofing issues, rotten wood, loose electrical or mechanical equipment, graffiti, high weeds and grass, and debris.

The City of Mobile will hold an informational meeting to discuss the initiative with property owners on Monday, April 1 at 11 a.m. at the Temple Downtown (351 St. Francis Street).

For more information, contact:

Ron Jackson
ron.jackson@cityofmobile.org
208.7092
208.7199

Derrick Scott
derrick.scott@cityofmobile.org
208.1528
208.7091