Hope Park Association

Detroit Anti-Blight/Code Enforcement

Jan 20, 2005

The City of Detroit Department of administrative Hearings (DAH), created on January 1, 2005, is an innovative approach to enforcing the Detroit City code as it applies to property management and blight prevention. The department is an independent agency that handles blight violations.
Along with the advent of the DAH, the city is launching a more aggressive code enforcement strategy. Police Officers, city inspectors and neighborhood city hall managers will be issuing blight violation notices to those who blatantly disregard city ordinances that are in place to keep Detroit clean and healthy.
Cases that come before the department include violations of property maintenance, zoning, solid waste, and illegal dumping ordinances.
Blight violations are civil cases. Formerly processed as criminal misdemeanors, they were, until recently adjudicated at the 36th district court. Such violations often became part of a large back log at that court and many cases were not effectively prosecuted. The new method of handling blight violations, under the DAH, is designed to be more effective
Property Maintenance violations:
*Failure to obtain certificates of compliance
*Failure to register a rental property
*Rat infestation or problems with rodents
*Inoperable vehicles
*Failure to maintain exterior of property
*Failure to comply with emergency orders
Zoning:
*Violations of special land use grants
*Change of land use without a permit
*Change of building use without a permit
*Failure to obtain the required certificate of
maintenance of grant conditions
Illegal Dumping and Solid Waste:
*Early bulk refuse placement at curb
*early or late placement of courville at the curb
*improper storage of solid waste
*animal and foul excrement violation
*illegal dumping
A complete informative guide can be downloaded at www.detroitmi.gov/dah or you may pick up a booklet from the Neighborhood City Hall.