12 thoughts on “Theresa Stehly Street Talk; Vacant Houses”
Sounds like a Fox News story designed to get old folks spun up about something that’s not even a real thing. It’s a weird timeline we live in when Sierra makes more sense during input than this boomer.
Believe it or not there is an effort to boot snowbirds out of there homes
Home confinement prison! Sounds like German persecution circa 1940.
Has the city council become a strong mayor cult? Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.
“Boomer”? Are you an ageist, or just a wiener? But with a name like “Oscar” you sound like the type that once created Boomers…
So let me get this right, snowbirds are getting the boot, while RVers are welcomed?
The Application for Vacant Building Registration has the following question and statement:
“Is this property being maintained and secured? (i.e., weekly yard/snow maintenance, no boarded
doors/windows, locked and secured, no padlocks, etc. Appears as a normally occupied property.)”
“If yes, building is not required to be registered, but must remain secure and maintained normally.
If no, must be registered. Please refer to the vacant building ordinance for more information.”
(a) The owner of a vacant building shall pay an annual fee of $1,000 for the first year period
the building remains becomes a vacant building. If the property is located in a historic district
identified by the city of Sioux Falls, the owner shall pay an annual fee of $2,000 for the first year
period the building remains becomes a vacant building. Thereafter, if any property remains
vacant unoccupied, the subsequent annual fee shall increase by $1,000 increments each year.
(b) The first annual fee shall be paid not later than 30 days after the building becomes a
vacant building. Any subsequent annual fee shall be due upon renewal of the vacant building
registration. If the fee is not paid within 30 days of being due, the owner shall be in violation of
this subchapter.
(c) The fee shall be paid in full prior to the issuance of any building permits, with the
exception of a demolition permit
I kind of wondered and have been questioning whether or not snowbirds would be required. I have always encouraged people to have home sitters when they go to the South for the winter. The city can evaluate your water usage to determine if a property is occupied or not. So while they may not be required to register, they may get a friendly letter from the city about the status.
There’s what’s termed the ‘Bundle of Rights’ associated with real estate. The law doesn’t allow the city to infringe upon habitation, only use and improvements. This will be interesting when it gets to SD Supreme Court. Is there a reverse AirBNB? You pay someone to occupy your residence? Put a sign out front ‘Welcome Squatters and Dope Customers’?
Interesting topic. I’ve noticed some homes in my neighborhood use no snow removal service (driveway and sidewalks never get touched) as they go south for the winter. Always made me wonder how code enforcement considers a cracked sidewalk a major issue but never acknowledges or responds to unshoveled walkways all winter
It’s called ‘selective enforcement’.
A few of the questions I have about the vacant property ordinance being voted on July 5, 2023.
1. Will the City be using monthly water usage to determine if someone is living in their property? Has this information ever been shared with developers, real estate/ house buying companies or individuals?
2. Will Snow birds , people on vacation,truck drivers on the road or individuals not sleeping in their property ,need to register with the city that their home will be vacant for more than 30 days and will these people need to pay any kind of vacancy fee?
Will this information be available for the public?
3. Will a landlord who has a building permit to do work on property have to register with the city as well that their property is vacant?
What about a landlord /owner doing maintenance on their property?
4. Will a landlord who can’t rent a property out for more than 30 days, need to list it with the city as a vacant property after 30 days? How many days does a landlord have to rent a property before they must register as a vacant property?
5. Will people in the hospital or rehab for more than 30 days have to register with the city that they won’t be home?
How many days will the City allow people in those medical situations before they must register as a vacant property?
6. Will the vacant property fine notification be delivered by proper service, mailed or personal delivery?
7. If a family wants to keep the family home so they can come back to visit their ailing relatives, will they need to list the house as a vacant property with the City?
8. Will the City absorb the losses and the costs associated with law suits caused by vandalism/property loss resulting from the release of the vacant property list?
What if we turned snowbird homes into seasonal AirBnBs? That could make for a real complicated mess.
Sounds like a Fox News story designed to get old folks spun up about something that’s not even a real thing. It’s a weird timeline we live in when Sierra makes more sense during input than this boomer.
Believe it or not there is an effort to boot snowbirds out of there homes
Home confinement prison! Sounds like German persecution circa 1940.
Has the city council become a strong mayor cult? Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.
“Boomer”? Are you an ageist, or just a wiener? But with a name like “Oscar” you sound like the type that once created Boomers…
So let me get this right, snowbirds are getting the boot, while RVers are welcomed?
The Application for Vacant Building Registration has the following question and statement:
“Is this property being maintained and secured? (i.e., weekly yard/snow maintenance, no boarded
doors/windows, locked and secured, no padlocks, etc. Appears as a normally occupied property.)”
“If yes, building is not required to be registered, but must remain secure and maintained normally.
If no, must be registered. Please refer to the vacant building ordinance for more information.”
(a) The owner of a vacant building shall pay an annual fee of $1,000 for the first year period
the building remains becomes a vacant building. If the property is located in a historic district
identified by the city of Sioux Falls, the owner shall pay an annual fee of $2,000 for the first year
period the building remains becomes a vacant building. Thereafter, if any property remains
vacant unoccupied, the subsequent annual fee shall increase by $1,000 increments each year.
(b) The first annual fee shall be paid not later than 30 days after the building becomes a
vacant building. Any subsequent annual fee shall be due upon renewal of the vacant building
registration. If the fee is not paid within 30 days of being due, the owner shall be in violation of
this subchapter.
(c) The fee shall be paid in full prior to the issuance of any building permits, with the
exception of a demolition permit
I kind of wondered and have been questioning whether or not snowbirds would be required. I have always encouraged people to have home sitters when they go to the South for the winter. The city can evaluate your water usage to determine if a property is occupied or not. So while they may not be required to register, they may get a friendly letter from the city about the status.
There’s what’s termed the ‘Bundle of Rights’ associated with real estate. The law doesn’t allow the city to infringe upon habitation, only use and improvements. This will be interesting when it gets to SD Supreme Court. Is there a reverse AirBNB? You pay someone to occupy your residence? Put a sign out front ‘Welcome Squatters and Dope Customers’?
Interesting topic. I’ve noticed some homes in my neighborhood use no snow removal service (driveway and sidewalks never get touched) as they go south for the winter. Always made me wonder how code enforcement considers a cracked sidewalk a major issue but never acknowledges or responds to unshoveled walkways all winter
It’s called ‘selective enforcement’.
A few of the questions I have about the vacant property ordinance being voted on July 5, 2023.
1. Will the City be using monthly water usage to determine if someone is living in their property? Has this information ever been shared with developers, real estate/ house buying companies or individuals?
2. Will Snow birds , people on vacation,truck drivers on the road or individuals not sleeping in their property ,need to register with the city that their home will be vacant for more than 30 days and will these people need to pay any kind of vacancy fee?
Will this information be available for the public?
3. Will a landlord who has a building permit to do work on property have to register with the city as well that their property is vacant?
What about a landlord /owner doing maintenance on their property?
4. Will a landlord who can’t rent a property out for more than 30 days, need to list it with the city as a vacant property after 30 days? How many days does a landlord have to rent a property before they must register as a vacant property?
5. Will people in the hospital or rehab for more than 30 days have to register with the city that they won’t be home?
How many days will the City allow people in those medical situations before they must register as a vacant property?
6. Will the vacant property fine notification be delivered by proper service, mailed or personal delivery?
7. If a family wants to keep the family home so they can come back to visit their ailing relatives, will they need to list the house as a vacant property with the City?
8. Will the City absorb the losses and the costs associated with law suits caused by vandalism/property loss resulting from the release of the vacant property list?
What if we turned snowbird homes into seasonal AirBnBs? That could make for a real complicated mess.