Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/03/2011

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PLANNING COMMISSION Topic Report: Foreclosures By: Amber G. Miller, Planning Manager Background: As Staff did last year around this time, Staff is bringing information forward regarding the number of foreclosures in the City for the calendar year 2010, now that we have the end of the year final tally from Anoka County. Observations: Along with the rest of the metropolitan area, over the past five years we have seen some significant increases in the number of foreclosed properties within the City. However, in 2010 there was a decrease which seems to be an exception to the rest of the area. While some areas of the City are more impacted than others, no area has proven immune to the problem. Records reflect the following for Ramsey: Year # of Foreclosures 2006 60 2007 141 2008 271 2009 357 2010 205 400 - 350- 300- 250." 200 150 100 50- 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 ❑ Foreclosures As you may be aware, in November 2008 the City Council adopted an ordinance allowing the disconnection of water service in vacant and foreclosed properties. Staff also receive lists of properties from Connexus and CenterPoint Energy on service disconnections. Staff then take the list of foreclosed properties and other utility disconnections and develop a list of properties that are on City water. In 2009 there were 121 properties that were on City water that were also on the foreclosure list. In 2010 that number was 134. These properties are tagged and a letter is also sent to the owner of record. If no response is received within five days the property is scheduled for water service disconnection by the Utility division. Of those 134 properties on City water, only 46 were confirmed vacant and able to have the water shut -off. In some residential properties, they have joint services so the unit must be heated because shutting the water off would shut water off to the entire building.