Flossmoor, IL, establishes vacant property registration ordinance, expands chronic nuisance laws

Flossmoor, IL: The Mayor and Village Board recently approved inclusion of a vacant property registration ordinance, as well as expanded the Village’s ability to address chronic nuisance properties.
 

Buildings found to be vacant by the Village, or reported vacant and verified by review, will trigger for the owner a one-time registration fee of $150 for the duration of the building remaining vacant, and the “owner would be required to maintain liability insurance equal to one and one-half times the estimated market value as determined by the Cook County Assessor,” per the amended Code.

For properties labeled as a chronic nuisance, the Code states, “The owner of a property placed on the registry shall pay a fee of $150 per building, plus an additional $50 for each dwelling unit above two units which would cover the initial and six months inspection as well as the annual performance evaluation. Additional inspections would be assessed a fee of $150 and a fee of $50 would be assessed for rescheduling a scheduled inspection.”

A property can be labeled as a “chronic nuisance property” if the Village has determined be in violation of building or property maintenance Code, or has had criminal activities occur at the property two or more times within six months. Properties on the registry will remain on the list for at least a year, based on the Village inspections and if the criminal activities cease.
 

Failure to adhere to the vacant property registration ordinance, property maintenance codes, or continued violation as a chronic nuisance property can results in fines and penalties, with each day of continued violation potentially constituting a separate violation and continued fines.

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