Fresno starts vacant and blighted property registry

The city of Fresno has placed a vacant and blighted property registry on its website so city staff can keep track of empty properties that may affect surrounding neighborhoods.

Buildings that are expected to be vacant longer than 30 days should be registered with the city at no cost. The registration includes the identity of all record owners, the street address of the building and a local contact.

Vacant properties not registered by April 2016 will be subject to an administrative citation of $250 per month. The city’s Blighted and Vacant Building Ordinance, passed in June, mandated the development of the registry.

“Maintaining a list of vacant properties allows city staff to immediately reach a property owner if they encounter a problem on their site,” Mayor Ashley Swearengin said in a news release. “And it allows the city to keep a closer eye on properties that are in jeopardy of falling into disrepair and affecting the surrounding neighborhood.”

The registry is available at webapp.fresno.gov/darm/vbproperty/default.asp.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Fresno starts vacant and blighted property registry."