§ 38-66. Legislative findings.

The city council finds that:

(1)

Scattered throughout the city are a large number of unoccupied dwellings which are constantly broken into, vandalized, used for unsanitary or illegal purposes and are potential fire hazards.

(2)

There are many unoccupied dwellings in the city which, because of their vacant status, constitute hazards to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

(3)

Certain vacant dwellings have reached a stage of disrepair and deterioration which create a public nuisance or exert a downgrading or blighting influence on the surrounding neighborhood, resulting in discouraging neighbors from making improvements to the properties and thus adversely affecting the tax revenue of the city.

(4)

Currently, tax delinquent abandoned dwellings revert to the state and are then deeded to the city through the state tax reversion process. However, this process takes several years, during which many dwellings are lost through vandalism and deterioration.

(5)

Acquisition of abandoned dwellings by purchase or gift, or through exercise of the power of eminent domain, and permitting individuals to repair and reside therein under contract with the city will preserve the residential housing stock of the city, increase neighborhood stability, and provide needed homes for city families.

(Code 1965, § 9.41)