County Commission discusses action on nuisance properties

If a property owner neglects their property, they could face potential prosecution in local court. 

During a recent Jackson County Commission meeting, commissioners, Jackson County Appraiser Kate Immenschuh and County Counselor Lee Hendricks discussed the protocol when a property becomes neglected in the county. 

When the county receives a complaint for a neglected property, the complaint is investigated and up to two letters will be sent to the property owner telling them to clean up the property.

A third letter will be sent to the property owner from Hendricks if there is no response from the previous letters. After that, the matter will be sent to the county attorney’s office for prosecution.

There will be penalties assessed after the judgment, it was reported.

In addition to neglected properties, letters are also sent to property owners after a house fire informing them that the county will be holding back a percentage of the property owner’s insurance payout until clean up begins on the home.

Last year, commissioners approved a resolution that allows the county to hold back a portion of a homeowner’s insurance payout on a loss claim on a house fire until the building site is cleaned up. This is for homes in unincorporated areas only. 

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