January 12, 2004

LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has signed a package of new laws that will give communities more tools to combat blight, revitalize neighborhoods, and relieve huge backlogs of code violation cases that are clogging district court systems.

"These new laws will give our cities new tools to revitalize neighborhoods by targeting and cracking down on zoning and building code violators who neglect their properties," Granholm said. "These new laws will help communities streamline the process to get a property cleaned up, making for stronger, more stable and cleaner neighborhoods."

The new laws signed today by the Governor will:

• allow cities to establish an administrative hearings bureau to hear ordinance violation cases that involve "quality of life" issues such as zoning, building or property maintenance, solid waste and illegal dumping, noxious weeds, disease and sanitation, vehicle abandonment, inoperative vehicles and vehicle impoundment. (House Bill 5216 sponsored by Rep. Steve Tobocman, D-Detroit)

• allow cities to obtain a lien against property involved in a quality of life violation if a defendant did not pay a civil fine, costs, or an installment payment as ordered by an administrative hearing officer within 30 days after the date on which payment was due. (House Bill 5217 sponsored by Rep. Bill McConico, D-Detroit)

• allow cities to provide for an administrative hearings bureau to adjudicate alleged violations of ordinances and impose sanctions consistent with the city’s "quality of life" ordinance. (House Bill 5218 sponsored by Rep. Ken Daniels, D-Detroit)

• exempt a blight violation from district court prosecution if the city has an administrative hearings bureau in place. (House Bill 5219 sponsored by Rep. Jim Howell, R-St. Charles)

• allow cities to designate as a quality of life violations structures that are in violation of building codes and to impose fines or other legal sanctions. (House Bill 5220 sponsored by Rep. Edward Gaffney, R-Grosse Pointe Farms)

• allow cities to designate as blight violations land owners’ refusals to remove and destroy noxious weeds on their property. (House Bill 5224 sponsored by Rep. Morris Hood III, D-Detroit)

The new laws are based on an innovative system developed by Chicago to expedite zoning and property code violations in a fair and cost-effective manner. Currently, these violations are heard in district court which often has limited time and resources to deal with the high volume of violations.

"These new laws will help cities take control of the process to clean up abandoned property and dilapidated buildings in a quicker, more efficient way," Granholm said. "Swifter and stronger enforcement of code violations will result in cleaner, safer communities."