City of Sheffield working to identify and handle over 176 ‘nuisance properties’

SHEFFIELD, Ala. (WAFF) - City officials said they are looking into what can be done in order to create a cleaner and more beautiful Sheffield.

In the city council meeting on Monday night, officials brought up nuisance properties. City council member Fred Mason said this has been an ongoing process.

“It’s something that we’ve know has been an issue since we’ve been elected,” Mason said. “Some have been worked on a little bit but we have an exhaustive list of properties not being held up to standard.”

Mayor Steve Stanley described a nuisance property as any patch of land with a house in disrepair, overgrown vegetation or anything that would have the effect of devaluing the property or properties surrounding the area. There are 176 houses on the list and counting. Mason said he added another house today.

Mayor Stanley appointed firefighters as inspectors to go out and create a list of blighted properties. The city council has not officially labeled each property on the list as a nuisance property, but once they do, the owner will be called and asked to fix it.

“What we’re expecting and hoping to accomplish is to improve the quality of the housing stock in Sheffield and make it more attractive for young families in particular to come and have their first starter home and have their life in Sheffield,” Mayor Stanley said.

Mayor Stanley said if it is not eventually fixed, the city and council will take action. He said that could include getting the civil court involved or the city will have to create a plan to demolish the structure or fix the overgrown vegetation itself.

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