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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Wilmington Speeds Up Processing Of Homes In Violation of Minimum Housing Code

City of Wilmington
From the Wilmington City Council's agenda for May 19, 2015

At the most recent meeting, Wilmington City Council reviewed three downtown houses in violation of the minimum housing code. That's the first set of homes to come before the council since changes were made last summer to speed up the process of addressing dilapidated buildings.

When homes don’t meet the minimum housing code, they come before the city council.  At this week’s meeting, three homes were considered. Repairs were already in progress for the first house, and council granted that homeowner six months to complete the work. Wilmington City Councilwoman Laura Padgett says catching a house at this early point of deterioration is ideal for all parties:

"If we can catch them sooner, we may provide more opportunities like we did with the first house to fix it. That house needs $3,500-3,600 worth of work now. If it continues to sit another year, it’ll probably need $10,000. So, the longer a property sits becoming dilapidated, the less fixable it is. "

Another homeowner was given four months to sell the house to a potential buyer. The new owner would have to show signs of repairs, or else that building will be torn down. The last house on the docket was ordered to be expeditiously demolished, since the city could not contact the owner and a squatter currently resides in the property.

According to a code enforcement officer, city council will review about 4 to 5 homes per month until the backlog of cases is addressed.