City Council Grants Authority to Waive Some Liens

TYLER — The Tyler City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to grant the City Manager the authority to forgive demolition and weed/debris liens up to $10,000 when it is in the best interests of the City to do so. State law grants local municipalities the authority to assess a civil penalty against a property owner for failure to repair, remove or demolish a substandard building declared a public nuisance. In certain situations, this penalty can be imposed through a lien on the land on which the building stood (stands) and is tied to the City’s actual expenses to clean up the property. “The action taken by Council today provides the City Manager the discretion to waive these liens when it makes sense to do so,” explained Mayor Barbara Bass (pictured) Wednesday. “If it means getting the property back on the tax roll, it may be prudent to waive the liens assessed on the property.”

Certain criteria must be met to be eligible for the waiver, including:

* The applicant must make improvements to the land in question at least equal to the value of the lien.
* The applicant must not be the same owner as when the lien was assessed.
* The applicant must pay a $50 processing fee along with the fee for filing the lien release.
* Taxes on the tract are current.
* The applicant must comply with all City ordinances on required permits and has completed improvements that have been approved by the Development Services Department.

“This process is intended to encourage the redevelopment of some of our vacant infill properties where nuisance structures once stood,” added Mayor Bass.