Columbus Board of Works members approved an emergency condemnation for a home at 312 S. Mapleton St., a home where six people were arrested last week on drug-related charges and methamphetamine worth more than $30,000 was confiscated.
Fred Barnett, city code enforcement officer, said Tuesday he had been working with the home’s owner since last March with various inspections and needed improvements for the property. The owner had until Jan. 19 to complete the renovations, but Barnett said he decided to issue the emergency condemnation as a result of the arrests and that the owner is seeking to have the tenants evicted in an emergency action.
Barnett said while the property is under emergency condemnation, it may not be rented to any other individuals until the deficiencies are corrected and the property is re-inspected and determined to be safe. He emphasized the order was not a demolition order.
In addition to the condemnation, the board learned that a bank-owned property at 921 Jackson St. that had been previously condemned was being demolished this week.
