West Virginia City to Require Registration of Vacant Properties

Owners of vacant properties in Parkersburg, W. Va., soon will have to register the structures with the city.

City officials are implementing a new registry for vacant properties. The Parkersburg News and Sentinel reports that owners will have to register buildings that have been vacant for at least 45 days, are in violation of building, health or sanitation codes and don’t have active utility service.

Owners will face a $100-a-month fee for buildings that remain vacant a year after they are registered.

City officials are expected to announce the registration deadline soon.

The city says the goal is to recover some expenses it faces in securing and maintaining vacant properties. The city also wants to encourage owners to not allow such structures to continue to deteriorate.