CHANGE TARGETS PROPERTY CODE VIOLATORS

A junky house is not just an eyesore. It can prove dangerous for neighborhood children, and it bring down the values of other homes around it.

Cape Girardeau's minimum property standards are pretty specific. In the past, only tenants, invitees or patrons of commercial property or residents living within 200 feet of a property could file a complaint.

But last week, the Cape Girardeau City Council expanded the list of those who can file complaints by one person. This individual can make a significant difference.

By unanimous vote, the council approved allowing the police chief to file property complaints. It's a smart move.

The minimum property code ordinance was written to discourage frivolous filing of complaints by neighbors who just don't get along. The former council wanted to make sure that these standards weren't used in a vengeful way.

On the other hand, many neighbors may think twice about filing a property complaint on a neighbor -- for fear of retribution.

But granting such powers to the police chief makes sense. After all, the police already deal with the fallout when unkept property leads to injury or neighborhood squabbles that get out of hand.

The police chief sees the new power as another weapon to use against criminals. Sometimes drug dealers look for abandoned houses in which to set up shop. In other cities, the police have used property maintenance codes to bring down crime.

Once a complaint is filed in Cape Girardeau, a specific process must be followed. The city must give the property owner a five-day notice before making the inspection. If the inspector finds serious violations, he can order the owner to make repairs by a certain date.

If the repairs are not made, the city can board up the building and evict the tenants.

The city's inspection services director, Richard Murray, said the city tries to work with landowners who are serious about keeping their property. That's important. The collective goal is to bring these properties up to safe standards.

The police chief may be able to help residents who are trying to improve their neighborhoods. For example, the council last week received a petition of neighbors in the May Greene Elementary School area asking for more vigorous enforcement of property maintenance code violations.

The city had already condemned one abandoned building in the neighborhood, but residents worry about pieces of unkept property that are more than 200 feet away. The police chief may be a new ally in the fight to literally clean up the neighborhood.