The Columbus Board of Public Works has approved taking ownership of a vacant home at 22 S. Hinman St., which was severely damaged in a fire in October.
On Tuesday, the board approved taking ownership of the property through a quit claim deed from the property’s owner in order to demolish the house, said Fred Barnett, Columbus’ code enforcement officer.
City officials said squatters had been trespassing on the property and the owner agreed to give the city the property if they would demolish the vacant, damaged home.
“The police have run people out of that house three or four times even though it’s a disaster,” Barnett told the board on Tuesday. “There have been people who have been sleeping upstairs. It’s very dangerous.
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Barnett estimates that it could cost up to $12,000 to demolish the house. City officials expect to recoup the demolition costs by selling the ground or through other means.
“The quit claim deed puts (the property) in the city’s name and once it’s in the city’s name, we will then go ahead tear it down and incur that expense,” Barnett said.
