Hayward focuses on neighborhoods

Press Release: Pensacola residents will enjoy a cleaner city and more inviting neighborhoods thanks to a series of initiatives being announced today by Mayor Ashton Hayward. The initiatives are part of Hayward’s effort to make Pensacola’s downtown, neighborhoods, and commercial areas more appealing to existing homeowners and inviting to new residents and businesses.

The measures include increasing the penalty for property owners who do not comply with city standards for maintaining their appearance, and expanding the list of violations, or nuisances, that can be the basis for enforcement action.

Most notably, the new proposals allow the City’s code enforcement arm to take action on mortgage holders who do not maintain vacant properties, which is becoming a nationwide problem for neighborhoods with foreclosed homes that have been vacated but are still bank-owned.

Hayward said these ordinance changes are needed and necessary to preserve quality of life, maintain and enhance property value, improve community aesthetics and attractiveness, as well as create a more competitive environment for potential new businesses and residents.

“One of my top priorities is making Pensacola a more attractive place.  It’s not because we should look good for the sake of looking good, although that is a visible reflection on what sort of community we are,” said Hayward.  “We need to look great as a community because businesses and homebuyers in the 21st century economy can live anywhere they want to live, and if we don’t look like a great place to live and set up a business, then we’re not going to grow,” said the Mayor.

Specifically, the proposed ordinances do the following:

• Increase code fines from $75, $150, and $250 for first, second, and third offenses to $150, $225, and $325 respectively.
• Expand the list of “nuisance” violations to include openly stored items, such as a piles of wood, or stacks of empty paint cans, that are exposed to the elements and are visible to the public.
• Includes abandoned personal property, such as automobiles or household items, and abandoned and neglected swimming pools into the coverage of code violations and cost recovery for cleanup.
• Specifies that mortgage holders or holders of other security interests (mortgage funds)  can be held responsible for the cleanup or cost recovery of abatement of neglected and inadequately maintained properties.

Hayward said that code violations and related complaints were the most common theme he had heard from citizens, and that he hoped these tougher code ordinances would give neighborhoods some relief.

“We all need to take pride in our neighborhoods, regardless of where you live,” said Hayward. “I’m working to make sure that every neighborhood is a place where residents can feel safe, secure, and proud, but citizens and property owners have to do their part too, and this is a way for us to work together to make Pensacola better for all of us.”

In addition to the beautification initiatives, the Mayor also announced the recipients of the 2012 Pensacola Community Initiatives Program, or PCIP, grants.

These neighborhood grants were established in 1996 as a way to provide neighborhood organizations with matching funds for neighborhood-specific projects.  Neighborhood associations apply for up to $10,000 in matching funds, based on a 50% match for improvements to city property, and a 100% match for improvements to association-owned property.

This year, the PCIP grants program was so popular that Hayward is requesting another $8,888 from City Council to fund the eleven grant projects which were received by the City. The City had originally budgeted $50,017 for the PCIP program this year, but the applications totaled $58,905.

“I’m really excited about the participation we’ve had from the neighborhood associations in this year’s PCIP program,” said Hayward.  “Going over budget is usually a bad thing, but I’m happy to request the Council to find the additional money for these neighborhood projects.  These are the type of public-private partnerships that can really make a difference in the lives of our citizens,” Hayward continued.

Most of the projects involved signage for neighborhood entrances, landscaping, or various security or crime deterrent upgrades, such as CrimeWatch signs or security cameras.  A list of the projects is included below.

Hayward called on the Council to support these neighborhood-enhancing initiatives at the next meeting of the Committee of the Whole, on June 20.  The code ordinances will take two readings before going into effect, meaning the Code Enforcement changes would be official no earlier than July 21.
“I ask the Council to take these matters up quickly and join me in helping our citizens build cleaner, safer, more inviting neighborhoods,” said Hayward.

The City Council meets again on Monday, June 20, 2011 at 3:15pm at City Hall’s 2nd Floor Hagler-Mason Conference Room.