Scottville commission takes action to abate blighted property. 

Scottville commission takes action to abate blighted property. 

SCOTTVILLE — City Commission took action Monday evening to abate a blighted property located at 404 S. Main St. The city has been working with the property occupant, Shaun Hansen, for the past two years in attempts to have the property cleaned up. 

Hansen does not own the property nor does he rent. He was living at the property when its owner, Becky Dodson, passed away in September 2018. Because Dodson did not have a will or a trust, the property’s ownership has been in limbo. Dodson’s father, Richard Dodson through his attorney, Nick Krieger, has indicated to City Attorney Carlos Alvarado that he is not interested in the property, according to Alvarado. 

District Health Dept. No. 10 recently deemed the property uninhabitable. City Manager Courtney Magaluk said the property has not had water service for several months. In addition, odors from the home have caused neighbors to complain to the city. Hansen said Dodson had over 30 cats. He still has nine of them, he told commissioners Monday evening.

The city’s ordinance allows it to require the exterior of a home to be cleaned up when it is deemed blighted. Through abatement, the city can take action to hire clean-up crews and charge the cost to the property tax bill. Monday’s resolution allows the city to proceed with abatement. It also allows the city police department to enforce the health department order, which required the home be vacated as of Nov. 6. The resolution passed Monday allows the police department to confirm if the home is still occupied and to take action to prevent further access to the home. Hansen admitted Monday, during public comment, that he is still living in the home, along with a 1-year-old child. 

Hansen told the commission that he had recently contacted an attorney from Troy who has offered to help him go through the probate process to obtain ownership of the home. Ownership would also require him to catch up on property taxes that are delinquent and to also restore municipal water service to the home. 

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