Special assessment examples
Boarded building
If a structure is found to be vacant and open to trespass, or is found to be safety hazard for other reasons, the City can have it boarded up. The cost is then added to the property's taxes.
Nuisance abatement
If issues on a property are a public nuisance, the City may give an order to correct. Common nuisance issues include overgrown vegetation, hazardous trees, trash and inoperable vehicles. If you do not complete the order by its due date, the City may have a contractor take care of the problem.
If a property gets two or more of these orders within one year, notice is no longer required.
The amount charged by the contractor, plus an administrative fee, is added to the property’s taxes.
See property maintenance issues
Unpaid administrative citation
If an administrative citation issued for a violation at a property is not paid or either stayed or dismissed at a hearing, the amount is added to the property’s taxes. A 10% late fee applies to assessed citations.
Assessable citations include those issued by Construction Code Services, Environmental Services, Inspections Services, Public Works and Zoning Enforcement.
Unpaid reinspection fee
A reinspection fee is issued if an inspector does a reinspection and finds that the violation still exists. If a reinspection bill is not paid within 30 days, it is added to property taxes. Inspections Services adds a $50 late fee to assessed reinspection fees. The amount is added to the property’s taxes.
Unpaid utility bill
Unpaid balances on utility bills, including disputed charges that remain after a hearing officer's decision, are added to property taxes.
Vacant Building Registration fee
You can appeal the annual Vacant Building Registration (VBR) fee at an assessment hearing.
If a VBR fee is not prepaid or dismissed at a hearing, we add the fee to the property's taxes.
