Lien authority sought over nuisance sites
City officials want to recoup costs of cleanups
The city of Spokane Valley is getting tired of spending tax payer dollars on the cleanup of private properties that become a nuisance because of the trash and debris owners let pile up.
To help recover some of the cost, City Manager Mike Jackson and City Attorney Cary Driskell asked the council for permission to go to Olympia and lobby for a change in state law that would allow the city what’s called lien authority.
“It would give us the ability to impose a lien on that property,” Jackson said, “and that would allow us to cover some of the costs for cleaning it up.” He added that it’s not fair that other taxpayers have to pay for the cleanup of problem properties, some of which are repeat offenders.
As it is right now, the city may place a lien on a property but it’s what’s called a junior lien: low on the food chain when creditors come after their money, especially in foreclosure situations.
Jackson said mortgage companies usually oppose lien authority because they don’t want any other liens to be considered alongside the mortgages they hold.
Driskell, who showed photos from a recent abatement where building materials, trash and broken furniture covered an entire yard, said cleanups vary in price.
“We did one that was $17,000 – that was a really bad one,” Driskell said.
Spokane Valley uses work crews from Geiger Correctional Facility for the cleanup jobs whenever possible, because it’s the cheapest solution.
Driskell said the city has spent about $60,000 on abatements over the past five years, of which it has collected back roughly $20,000 and lost $10,000 to $13,000 on foreclosed properties.
Both stressed that lien authority does not take away the city’s obligation to work out a payment plan with property owners.
“We are always open to that,” Jackson said.
The council agreed to the plan – even though it may take a year or more for the change to work its way through the Legislature.