After debating the issue, and with news reports in the last weeks dissecting the impact, members of the Denver City Council have voted to increase the fees for owners of abandoned properties and buildings.
In a unanimous decision, the council agreed to increase violations from $999 per day to $5,000. The new system also makes it possible for Denver to put in place a service response fee of up to $5,000 per response if three or more calls for help to the city occurs within a half-year period.
The new legislation additionally reduces the number of city departments which may be involved in abandoned property enforcement, while also giving more authority to the city’s Department of Community Planning and Development to determine what properties are seen as derelict and abandoned.
It is thought that there are currently nearly 300 homes and commercial structures that are both in a dilapidated condition and abandoned in Denver. Such structures are officially defined by the City as being an “unoccupied building that city inspectors have identified as unsafe, a nuisance, habitually in violation of city codes, or at least one year behind in property taxes.”
According to the Community Planning and Development agency, the number of buildings now regarded as neglected are nearly twice the amount recorded in 2020. In just 2024 another 160 buildings were added to the city’s official neglected and derelict building list.
The most recent list shows that that overwhelming number of abandoned properties are single-family homes. But some commercial structures and even historic properties also made the list.
Supporters of the new fees have pointed out that the effort is not just about fixing up properties but also promulgating a unique kind of law enforcement. “Some properties are owned by bad actors taking advantage of Denver’s lack of enforcement tools,” notes the publication Westwood.
The new ordinance is set to take effect in February.
July 18, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
