Determining Vacant Buildings
A structure is considered vacant and must be registered if, for a period of 180 days, it is unoccupied, or unsecured and occupied by one or more unauthorized persons.
After the property meets one of these criteria, an owner has 30 days to register the property with the City. Registration and the VBR program are free of charge.
Benefits
The VBR program will allow the City to provide better services by:
- Communicating vacant building information to the police and fire departments, thereby making neighborhoods safer by reducing or eliminating unauthorized activity or vandalism
- Protecting our City from increased urban decay
- Providing the owner with property maintenance resources and the opportunity to retain and improve property value
In addition, there are financial benefits to the City’s VBR program. After the property is registered, when it is re-occupied, if it is an income producing property, it may be eligible for Business and Occupation tax credits.
Apply
Download the application (PDF).