Birmingham's New Vacant Property Rule: Register, Maintain, or Pay

0:00It's April 9th. Welcome in. This is Birmingham News Today, where local news meets AI. Alabama lawmakers just dropped a new rule hitting vacant property owners in Birmingham hard. If your building's been empty for more than three months, you got to register it, keep it up, and cough up fees. This vacant property registry is all about making owners step up and clear out the blight faster. The fees started $250, then jumped 150% each year until they maxed out at $1,000. It's designed to push folks to fix up, remodel, or sell these eyesores instead of letting them drag down neighborhoods. Rep Patrick Sellers, who reps District 57, pointed out how older Birmingham spots are choked with rundown buildings. City officials are on board too, saying it'll cut taxpayer costs by sticking owners with a bill and boost quality of life. Locals like Veronica Edwards Johnson from Powderly are fed up after decades of empty houses nearby. Enforcement ramps up with surprise inspections, fines for slip-ups, and leans on properties if you don't pay.

1:05The cities are already eyeing the final bill to weave it into their blight fighting plans. All this kicks in October 1st, so Birmingham owners better get moving to revive those communities before the fees stack up.