Foreclosures and abandoned homes cause blight, lower property values and pose significant health risks to the community. Virtually all municipalities are faced with code enforcement problems and property maintenance issues on a constant basis. With the recent bursting of the housing bubble and the sunsetting of temporary state legislation, foreclosures are back on the rise and property maintence is once again an issue which elected officials simply cannot ignore. The law firm of Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin is not only aware of these issues, but specializes in providing cities with creative and effective solutions.
The March edition of Western Cities Magazine features an article by AGC Associate Richard H. Lam titled “Clean It or Lien It.” Mr. Lam’s article addresses on the recent foreclosure meltdown and housing crisis which served as a harbinger of the current economic downturn. Specifically, Mr. Lam’s article closely examines local legislation which takes a creative and aggressive stance regarding local code enforcement problems. These ordinances, which have swept across California and most of Southern California’s Inland Empire, have caused intense debate and from a legal standpoint, sit at the forefront of municipal law. In writing the article, Mr. Lam has tracked developments in housing, land use and urban development over the past year.
For link to the March edition of Western Cities Magazine, click here.
For link to Mr. Lam’s article “Clean It or Lien It,” click here.
Western City magazine is a self-supporting monthly publication provided by the League of California Cities to elected city officials and city department heads as a complimentary service. The magazine is also mailed to California state legislators, key policy-makers and opinion leaders. The magazine also offers paid subscriptions to individuals or organizations interested in local government.
Western City provides lively, interdisciplinary analyses of issues affecting local governance in a form and format suited for busy people. Western City’s goal is to provide both immediately practical ideas, information and bigger-picture policy issues and trends.
