Charleston, S.C. — The city of Charleston is developing a new approach to help owners of vacant properties deal with deterioration before problems get worse.
The city is monitoring about 225 vacant properties on the peninsula alone, according to its livability department. Holes in roofs that let in water and animals, overgrown lots and failing structures can put buildings at risk and affect neighbors.
Charleston is building the program through a 16-week initiative with the Bloomberg Center of Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University. City departments and outside partners would go directly into neighborhoods with high numbers of vacant properties.
The next step is to develop and test an educational outreach program in one neighborhood with a high concentration of vacant buildings. City officials said it is not a renovation grant program.
Under existing city rules, livability officers ensure that vacant houses meet minimum standards for property maintenance and that structures are boarded, watertight and secure from public access. Vacant properties must also be posted with No Trespassing signs.
Cases can be referred to Livability Court, where violations can carry fines of up to $1,087 per ticket.
