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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 9, 1916 ... Oregon and Alaska lift suspension of troubled insurance carrier Moda ... Oregon refuge occupier releases videos mocking FBI ... Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 9, 1916 ... Oregon and Alaska lift suspension of troubled insurance carrier Moda ... Oregon refuge occupier releases videos mocking FBI ... OUR VIEW Our View: Set firm deadlines on blighted houses Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Medford City Council members are on the right track with plans to crack down on blighted houses and other buildings that have become eyesores and a magnet for transients. An ordinance is in the works to set deadlines for these structures to be cleanup up or demolished. A firm time limit should be the first step. Medford's city code currently specifies no limit on how long a building can be boarded up. A quick survey by city staff found 55 properties identified as blighted, but there likely are more. Often these properties are abandoned when the residents run out of money, suffer an illness or other hardship or they are simply ignored by an absentee landlord. Most of the 55 blighted buildings are owned by banks or mortgage lenders, not by individuals. Other cities have taken various approaches to the problem, but setting firm deadlines for action seems to be a common thread. Bend, for instance, sets a six-month deadline for action after a house is boarded up, and requires work to be completed or the building torn down within 60 days after that. The city has a responsibility to take action on this problem, which damages the livability of neighborhoods and can affect nearby property values. Abandoned structures of all kinds attract squatters. Code enforcement officers say even when intruders are removed, they or others may soon return. Some council members expressed concern about hardship cases in which a local owner does not have the resources to make repairs. Certainly, some discretion is appropriate, but the emphasis needs to be on working with the owners in question to fix the problem, not to put off dealing with it. In the case of buildings owned by out-of-town banks or mortgage companies, there should be no excuse and no leniency. City residents should not be forced to put up with boarded-up eyesores in their neighborhoods because it's not convenient for a bank to do the right thing. MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501