Health & Safety Receiverships are an effective tool to restore vacant and abandoned properties when traditional code enforcement efforts have failed.
Across the nation, numerous residential and industrial properties remain vacant, half-constructed, or abandoned, serving no productive purpose. These properties are more than an eyesore—they pose a direct threat to the health, safety, and welfare of surrounding communities.
Vacant properties are strongly correlated with increased crime and vandalism, accelerated neighborhood decline, and depressed surrounding property values. They frequently constitute a public nuisance and impose ongoing costs on local governments through repeated code enforcement actions, police responses, and fire department calls. Vacant residential structures often become havens for criminal activity, while abandoned industrial sites are susceptible to illegal dumping and environmental hazards.
When left unsecured, vacant properties are easily overtaken by trespassers, leading to heightened risks of fire, unsafe living conditions, and criminal conduct. Vermin infestations are common and can quickly spread beyond the property itself, impacting nearby homes and businesses.
A court-appointed Receiver offers an effective and judicially supervised remedy for these problem properties. Through receivership, properties can be secured, rehabilitated, brought into code compliance, and returned to productive use, reducing public safety risks, stabilizing neighborhoods, and relieving municipalities of ongoing enforcement burdens.
Receivership is the legal remedy designed to preserve and restore at-risk properties by placing them under the control of a court-appointed, neutral third party, who is responsible for bringing the property back into compliance. The Receiver handles all necessary property maintenance and remediation – including the removal of garbage, debris, and any graffiti; abatement of overgrown weeds and grass; and extermination of any pests.
To protect public safety, the Receiver secures both the interior and exterior of the property by boarding windows and doors and, when appropriate, installing fencing or retaining on-site security to prevent unauthorized access and trespassing. Usually, in the case of vacant or abandoned properties, if the property owner cannot be located and held accountable for the costs associated with the work, the Receiver will seek court authorization to sell the property. Proceeds from the sale cover the work, the Receiver's fees, and the City or County's fees.
By securing and rehabilitating vacant properties, receivership eliminates hazardous conditions, mitigates the negative impacts associated with abandonment, and reduces risks to the surrounding community. Successfully completed receiverships return properties to productive and safe use, promote neighborhood stabilization, and support the development of healthier, more resilient, and more vibrant communities.
Our team is relied upon by cities and counties across the region to restore safety through receivership. Contact us today if you need guidance or assistance with any nuisance properties in your area.