STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — The City of Steubenville is expanding its efforts to address property maintenance and building code violations, with officials saying a recent round of notices is only the beginning of a citywide enforcement initiative.
City Manager Mike Johnson said notices were mailed last month to the owners of 54 properties, primarily in the North End of downtown, as part of a systematic review of buildings throughout the city.
According to Johnson, the next phase of inspections will focus on the South End of downtown before moving to the city’s hilltop neighborhoods and the West End. He added that complaints about individual properties will continue to be investigated regardless of location.
Johnson said the goal is to ensure compliance with existing building codes and improve the condition of properties throughout Steubenville, rather than launch what he described as a “crackdown.”
Inspectors identified a variety of maintenance concerns during the initial inspections, including damaged roofs and drainage systems, deteriorating stairways, porches, decks and balconies, overgrown vegetation, deteriorating exterior walls, chimneys and skylights, as well as buildings needing protective maintenance on doors, windows, trim and fencing.
The certified notices were mailed June 17, giving property owners until July 24 to correct the violations or request additional time if needed. City officials said reasonable extension requests have been approved for owners actively working to complete repairs.
If certified notices are refused, the city plans to post violation notices on the affected properties after the deadline. Officials said buildings that remain out of compliance could eventually be added to the city’s demolition list.
Properties whose owners accepted the notices will be reinspected after the compliance deadline or the expiration of any approved extension. If violations remain uncorrected, the city said legal action through the courts may follow.
The renewed enforcement effort comes as city officials continue to monitor aging structures throughout Steubenville, including the Sinclair Building and other buildings that have raised recent public safety concerns.
