(A) Property owners of residential, commercial and industrial properties located in the city shall be required to register in writing such properties as being empty, vacant, and/or not in use, if vacant for a period of more than 90 days. An OWNER is a person or entity legally recognizable as having an ownership interest in a property or has obtained judgment of foreclosure regarding the property based on a mortgage or land contract and whose identity may be determined from a recorded interest.
(B) A property will be considered abandoned if it is:
(1) Vacant for more than 90 days;
(2) The subject of an unresolved enforcement action before the Hammond Board of Works or in Hammond City Court;
(3) Not maintained in compliance with the city code, Indiana Building Code or fire codes; or
(4) An unsafe property under the Unsafe Building Act (I.C. 36-7-9).
(C) (1) A property will be considered vacant if such property is not:
(a) Inhabited;
(b) Maintained in a condition which permits immediate inhabitation;
(c) Currently connected to public utilities such as power and/or water;
(d) Boarded or partially boarded up in excess of 90 days; or
(e) An unsafe property under the Unsafe Building Act (I.C. 36-7-9); or
(2) A property is not vacant if it is actively listed for sale by an Indiana licensed real estate agent and remains maintained or is the residence of an individual actively serving in the U.S. military.
(D) Owners will be required to notify the city when such residential, commercial and industrial properties become inhabited or put back into use, and a timeline for same. If notification is not made by the owner, the presumption shall be that the building remains vacant.
(E) A registration form and registration fee of $300 will be required for each vacant property, each year of vacancy exceeding 90 days. The registration form will require the property owners name, address and 24-hour contract number in case of emergency. A registration sticker shall be posted on the building. False information provided shall invalidate the registration.
(F) In the first year (2015) of the program, owners shall have until November 1, 2015, to register. Starting in 2016 and subsequent years, October 1 shall be the deadline to register.
(G) Any property owner failing to register shall receive a citation in the Hammond City Court pursuant to § 150.999.
(Prior Code, § 150.47) (Ord. 8282, passed 6-26-2000; Am. Ord. 9312, passed 9-28-2015) Penalty, see § 150.999