An Oak Ridge board on Thursday will consider ordering the demolition of five homes that could be bought by the city. The homes are at 105 Waddell Place, 101 and 117 Wade Lane, and 335 and 363 West Outer Drive.
The homes on Wade Lane and West Outer Drive are owned by Carden Rentals Limited Partnership. The Waddell Place house is owned by Rex Gass. The owners are interested in selling the properties to the city, the municipal staff said.
The Gass property is a vacant single-family dwelling, and the Carden homes are vacant multi-family residential units.
The city staff has recommended that the Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals declare the homes unfit for human occupation or use, and order them demolished within 90 days to possibly allow the city to acquire them. The board meets at 3 p.m. Thursday in the Municipal Building Training Room.
The board’s agenda said the homes lack adequate ventilation, light, air, heat, or sanitary facilities, and they are dilapidated due to disrepair. There are structural defects, and repair costs would exceed 50 percent of the structure’s estimated value, the city staff said. The Wade Lane and West Outer Drive homes also have problems related to water damage, rodents, and mold, the agenda said.
“This structure is dangerous to the health and safety of the general public,” the agenda said of the five homes.
See the board’s agenda here: Board of Building and Housing April 2014 Agenda. It includes a brief summary of each demolition case.
Joshua Hamilton says
So I hate to be the one to say it, but why don’t the property owners just tear the places down and sell the land themselves? Sure sounds like a lot less legwork than this plan.
Philip W Nipper says
Joshua, it usually comes down to out of pocket expenses that the property owners either don’t have or don’t want to spend. I believe the city utilizes grant funds (CDBG) to acquire properties such as these as long as they are located in certain specific sections of the city and meet other criteria including property owner acceptance of the agreement. The process can make it very convenient for property owners who want to be rid of certain properties at the same time ridding the community of undesirable housing. As a member of the Building and Housing Code Appeals Board, we see several properties similar to these every year that meet the requirements and are eventually removed from being eye sores to their neighborhoods.
Bill says
Phili W. Nipper…even if the City does have grant funds – why should Cityibe burdened with the additional costor demolishion instead of the responsibility of the property owner be responsible for the cost?
Philip W Nipper says
Sir, I suggest you contact the Community Development Department at the City of Oak Ridge or talk to one of our council members regarding your question. BTW, you are required to use your real and full name per the commenting guidelines of this online publication.
johnhuotari says
Thank you, Philip, for letting Bill know about the guidelines. Bill, as Philip said, we do ask those who post here to use their real, full names. Thank you.