The city council finds as follows:
A. When the owner of a vacant building fails to actively maintain and manage the building, the building can become a major cause of blight in both residential and nonresidential neighborhoods. Vacant buildings that are boarded, substandard or unkempt properties, and long-term vacancies discourage economic development and retard appreciation of property values.
B. It is a responsibility of property ownership to prevent owned property from becoming a burden to the neighborhood and community and a threat to the public health, safety or welfare.
C. One vacant property that is not actively and well maintained and managed can be the core and cause of spreading blight.
D. Owners of multiple buildings, either concurrently or serially, that are vacant and a blight to the community are a significant problem in the city. Owners of multiple buildings who fail to correct deficiencies and blighted conditions contribute to the decline of neighborhoods to a greater extent than owners who own only one building. Some owners have acquired multiple vacant and blighted buildings at depressed prices and have not improved or cared for the properties. It is in the interest of the welfare of neighborhoods that owners of multiple properties who fail to maintain properties and correct vacant and blighted buildings be subject to imposition of higher administrative penalties in order to encourage these owners to correct violations of this article in a prompt manner. (Ord. 2007-060 § 2)