Yakima Fails To Maintain Number Of ‘Squatters,’ ‘Dangerous’ Properties

The City of Yakima, in a news release earlier today - is touting the significant drop-off in local properties deemed "dangerous" and number of house "squatters" in town.

Yakima's Code Enforcement Office, headed by Joe Caruso, has made a concerted effort to get abandoned buildings properly secured (i.e., boarded up, etc.) and it is having positive effects in those neighborhoods. In fact, since mid-2015, the number of properties deemed "dangerous" by the city has fallen from 119 to just 47. The number of complaints by citizens, concerned with illegal drugs, car prowls, other property being broken in to, had decreased, anecdotally from half dozen per week to a mere one or two a month.

If you have any questions or concerns, visit https://www.yakimawa.gov/services/codes/ for more information about the City of Yakima’s Code Administration Office.