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Urgent Sanford City Commission Meeting Tonight...Please Read Even If You Don't Live/Work in Sanford

By
Education & Training with HD Realty BK662006

Tonight at 7pm the City of Sanford will hold a first reading and initial vote for a whole slew of new ordinances that will affect ALL property owners in Sanford AND EVERYWHERE ELSE IN FLORIDA!

What we've seen in the past is that when one city passes things like this, other cities just follow (like lemmings!)  In fact, Sanford's is based partly on one enacted in Palm Coast in Flagler County.

Here are a few of the things they are proposing:

1.  Install the 2006 International Housing Maintenance Code.  This will affect ALL homeowners, not just investors.  All homeowners will need to bring their homes up to 2006 codes, and they are NOT proposing any kind of a "grandfather clause" if you have an older home.  This will cause many homeowners to "walk away" because they don't have the money to upgrade their homes.

2.  Increase the maximum daily fine for code enforcement violations from $250 per day to $1,000 per day!  So everyone that can't fix their house under item #1 may have fines racking up at $1,000 per day.

3.  Every owner of an investment property in Sanford will either have to live in this county or one of the ones immediately touching it OR designate a local representative that has authority to speak and act on your behalf (almost like a power of attorney).  You will also have to register that person with the city.

4.  All rental property owners will need a city occupational license under the new regulations

5  (my favorite, you're going to love this one!)  Because of all of the vacant/foreclosure houses, they came up with this one.  As soon as a lender starts the foreclosure (defined as the court filing OR sending a demand letter)  the lender will now be responsible for the maintenance on the house (everything installed under item #1 above including trash, windows, yard, peeling paint, etc.).  The lender will also need to have a local representative within 20 miles of the property and pay a $100 registration fee to the city.  They also want the lender to have a physical address in the State of Florida so they can serve code enforcement notices easier.  Do you believe that!

I can't get a lender to respond when I've got a ready-willing-and-able cash buyer!  How does the city think this is going to work?

If you are anywhere close to the City of Sanford and can show up tonight at 6:30pm (even if you don't have property here) then please do!  The Orlando Regional Realtor Association is against these regulations as well as the Investors Resource Center and the Central Florida Realty Investors.

In a time where convincing buyers to buy is already an uphill battle, these measures will make Sanford even less attractive, and if it passes in Sanford, don't be surprised if you see it soon in YOUR city!

Details:

City of Sanford City Hall at 300 N Park Ave Sanford, FL 32771.  We will be congregating at the North Side (by the waterfront) at 6:30 and the meeting starts at 7.

If you need more info regarding this notice, please call Andy right away at 407-842-7700

 

Show All Comments Sort:
Catherine C Capasso
Catherine Cornelia Real Estate - Eastchester, NY
Cottage or Castle, What's Your Dream!

Good Luck tonight. I hope it doesn't get passed. Florida has enough trouble these days. I am in New York and given the financial state here, I wouldn't be a bit surprised seeing proposals like this being presented. If it works and generates revenue for a municipality no matter how ridiculous, it just might fly.

 

Feb 09, 2009 06:53 AM
Maya Thomas, Broker
Tampa, FL
Please see my client recommendations.

Scary stuff.  I had to go to a code enforcement hearing and there was a homeowner who owed more in fines than his house was worth.  Code enforcement gave him a violation for hurricane damage.  He didn't have the money to fix it and the fines just kept adding until he let the bank foreclose because he couldn't pay the fines.  

Mar 13, 2009 02:52 PM