Evansville Building Commission Hearing Addresses Dozens of Unsafe Structures on August 27, 2026
Evansville Building Commission Hearing - August 27, 2026
The Evansville Building Commission, presided over by Hearing Officer Ryan Schultz, held a session on August 27, 2026, to address approximately 50 cases involving unsafe buildings across the city. Cases ranged from emergency vacate orders for properties without utilities to repair orders for structural deficiencies. Many property owners appeared, and the commission imposed civil penalties, ordered inspections, and set compliance deadlines.
Discussion Items
- Emergency Vacates: Several properties were ordered vacated due to lack of water, gas, or electric service, including 1403 Cedar St., 221 E. Louisiana St., 709 Ridgeway Ave., and 507 S. Linwood Ave. (where the tenant's caregiver testified about unsafe bathroom flooring). At 1415 N. Elliott St., the occupant claimed water was on, but records showed it inactive; an on-site inspection was ordered.
- Repair Orders: Many properties received affirmed repair orders with compliance deadlines. At 1633 S. Grand Ave., the owner cited fixed income and difficulty hiring contractors; the commission connected him with community resources and set an October 2026 deadline. At 2911 W. Franklin St., a retaining wall repair was delayed due to contractor licensing issues; a $1,000 penalty was threatened for non-compliance by October.
- Demolition Orders: For 1621 Jackson Ave. (fire-damaged) and 915 N. Fourth Ave. (severely deteriorated and flea-infested), the commission affirmed demolition orders, noting budget constraints for city-funded demolitions.
- Civil Penalties: Multiple property owners faced civil penalties for non-compliance. A $1,000 penalty was issued for 1770 Edson St. (no progress after prior $500 penalty). Other properties, like 1307 Cumberland Ave. and 2610 Helmuth Ave., received conditional penalties pending inspections or permit pulls.
- Modifications: One case (1303 MacArthur Dr.) was modified from a demolition to a repair order after the owner began renovations.
Key Outcomes
- Over 20 cases were continued to future hearing dates (September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17, 2026) for progress reports.
- Four properties were released from commission oversight due to completed repairs or acquisition by the Evansville Land Bank.
- The hearing officer emphasized the importance of hiring licensed contractors and warned of escalating penalties for continued non-compliance.
- Several on-site inspections were ordered to verify conditions, particularly regarding water service and structural integrity.
Meeting Transcript
The hearings for the uh Vandenberg County Evansville Building Commission for August 27, 2026. My name is Ryan Schultz. I've been appointed as your hearing officer by uh Mayor Stephanie Terry. My authority is derived from any ANECO 36-7-9, the unsafe building laws and ordinances enacted by the City Council of Evansville. I have authority to issue civil buildings up to $5,000. I can require performance bonds to be posted, and I can affirm ordinance violation fines. Today the city is requesting that you repair, vacate, or raise buildings or other structures on your property. I can affirm, modify or deny those requests. If you wish to appeal my decision, you may do so by filing an appeal with the Vandenberg County Superior Court within 10 days of the decision. If you do not, you may waive your right to an appeal. A magistrate judge and housing court will hear your appeal. Now that I've advised you of your rights, and my authority, anyone that expects to testify today or give evidence, please stand and raise your right hand. I do. Thank you. The building commission may present their first case. Thank you, Honor. We're going to do some of these routine cases first. Um starting for Inspector Allen on pages 33 and 34. This is an affirmed repair order for a house located at 2600 West Illinois Street. The owners are Edgar A. and Gloria Simmons. They are both deceased. We do have a Mr. Vellata here for this property. Yes, okay. You go up that table, sir. Thank you. Report by the department, the house is vacant and not secure. The yards are not acceptable due to high weeds and grass. The property's been inspected ten times. There's been no progress on the repairs. There are no permits on file, and there's been no contact. Um I will let Inspector Allen give her report and recommendation. Um again, there's been no progress on the repairs. The property's not being maintained. It's uh has extremely high weeds and weeds in the uh all around the uh house. Uh there is evidence of someone living there. Uh when I went by to take pictures, uh the front door was open. There was a dog on the porch um kind of tied to the post. Uh so we did put uh we checked utilities and uh those have been uh inactive. Well, the water has been active since December 12th of 2023, so we did post a vacate order. Um so my recommendation since there's been no contact, uh I'd like to impose the $500 civil penalty uh previously under um what's the word sorry advisement, thank you. And return the matter on September 24th, 2026 for compliance. So what is your name? My name is Rick Richard Vellata, V E L O T T A. Richard, and where do you live, Richard? I live in Evansville, Indiana. Address is 7112 Arden Court 47712. Are you the owner of this house? No, I am not.
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