With the increase of abondoned properties on the rise, some cities are finding it hard to keep neighborhoods and property values from declining. The solution to the problem in Claremont, CA is to make the current home owner or the lender or anyone with a vested interest in the property, clean it up, and maintain it on an ongoing basis. It is called the "The Vacant Property Ordinance" and it is designed to make the properties more marketable which in turn will lead to faster occupancy.
Here are a few requirements per the city of Claremont:
· The ordinance requires that property owners have a duty to record any change of ownership with the county Recorder's Office within 10 days.
· An inspection is to be performed by the lender/owner or their agent to ascertain whether a property is vacant or occupied if a Notice of Default is about to be filed.
· If the property is not vacant then the lender/owner or their agent must inspect the property on a monthly basis during the foreclosure process to determine its occupancy status.
· Abandoned or vacany property must be registered with the City's Community Improvement Division within 10 days. Then the owner or his agent must inspect the property weekly, maintain the property to the standard of the neighborhood, and keep it secured. This includes maintaining the landscaping, irrigation, and continuing care of all visible front and side yard areas while vacant.
· The ordinance also requires that owners located 40 miles or more away from the property engage the services of a local property manager to inspect the property on a weekly basis for security and maintenance for the period of vacancy until ownership changes. If the owner is local the weekly inspections are still required.
· A placard 18" X 24" must be displayed at the front of the vacant property and visible from the street indicating the contact information and a 24-hour contact phone number.
. Failing to register, maintain, and secure a property can result in civil penalties up to $1,000.00 a day.
The owner/lenders are responsible to have accurate ownership information recorded with the County for contact and noticing by the City. If the ownership record is not accurate and they have an ownership interest as defined above they will still be held responsible and possibly have to pay significant penalties.
A copy of the Chapter 8.17 ordinance and requirements are now available online on the City of Claremont Web Site at the following Internet address: http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/ps.municipalservices.cfm?ID=2298 and the text of the ordinance is at http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/index.cfm Title 8, Chapter 8.17. The registration form will be available from the first listed link in the near future.
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