MASON CITY – City Hall in Mason City continues to pursue seedy and unsightly properties in town thanks to a favorable state law and recently their employees demolished two houses.
According to a document at City Hall: “Staff continues to work with our attorneys and owners to bring properties into compliance. The City took title to 41 2Y’ Street SW in May. The demolition was completed by a City crew, saving significant excavation costs. The City took title to 1609 South Harding Avenue in April. This house was also demolished by a City crew. We feel that our efforts in this program thus far have been very successful, and we will continue to monitor the progress of this effort.”
NIT has previously reported on the City’s actions on dealing with unsightly, abandoned and/or dangerous properties that have become a nuisance in town. The City worked to get two North End buildings demolished and another house and others. This has been accomplished under the City’s Section 657A.10/Blight Elimination Program, which utilizes Iowa state code 657A.
The City has been trying for years to take down certain buildings on the North End of town.
To further address blight in town, the Vacant Building Registration Ordinance in Mason City was approved on final reading at the first meeting in March. This ordinance will require the owners of vacant commercial and industrial buildings to register their buildings and pay an annual fee to help offset the City’s costs related to nuisance abatement, law enforcement, and other actions related to vacant properties. The ordinance will have an effective date of July 1, 2023, to allow time for administrative activities and to notify the affected owners. Staff has been compiling lists of vacant buildings and creating forms for registration or exemption.
Easing blight in Mason City is a huge task, as years of neglect by property owners caught up with the community. One local property owner said, “if the City wants to find crappy, dangerous houses, there’s plenty right near downtown. One guy lives in a house with no electrical power, no running water, and hangs dead animals in his backyard, which is strewn with trash and debris. He has his pals living in a shed in the backyard, coming and going all day and night on bikes. Sometimes you can hear a woman screaming back there, over the low hum of his electrical generator. No amount of calls to City Hall amounts to squat. I pray for a resolution, but I aint holdin’ my breath, ’cause the Lord don’t always work miracles.”
Some crappy houses and buildings on 2nd Street SW were demolished in 2012. The River II Apartments are under construction there, now.
(TOP PHOTO is 217 2nd Street SW in Mason City demolished back in 2012. The City turned this area into “natural setting” that could be enjoyed by citizens. Apartments are being built there today.)