North Las Vegas council considers foreclosure maintenance ordinance

To combat blight in its neighborhoods, the North Las Vegas City Council plans to vote today on an ordinance that would require foreclosed properties to be registered with the city and maintained.

The city's building official, Gregory Blackburn, said the primary push for the ordinance came from residents concerned about vacant and abandoned properties.

"These residents have also contacted the mayor and City Council members expressing their frustration that banks are not maintaining these properties and that this problem could negatively affect their property values and neighborhood aesthetic," Blackburn said.

Ward 3 Councilwoman Anita Wood said she often hears complaints of blight from residents.

"I don't know of any neighborhood in North Las Vegas that hasn't been affected by it," she said.

Mayor Shari Buck said she doesn't think the city faces a substantial blight problem and that this ordinance is pre-emptive.

"I don't think it's a significant problem, but we don't want it to get to that point," she said. "Let's put the burden on the banks, not on the city."

Buck said the city has considered an ordinance since late 2009 but saw lawsuits developing in response to different registry ordinances across the country, including in Las Vegas, so the city decided to wait.

The Code Enforcement Division has taken action on more than 1,700 new cases this year.

Nearly a quarter of the properties have been "hazardous abatements," a designation that includes properties that were open, abandoned or had sitting water violations, such as unkept swimming pools.

The council meeting is planned for 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Contact View reporter Laura Phelps at lphelps@viewnews.com or 702-477-3839.