Minneapolis city, community leaders speak on hazardous vacant building ordinance

MINNEAPOLIS — City and community leaders in Minneapolis on Monday detailed an ordinance that addresses hazardous vacant buildings .

Last week, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously passed the ordinance that places a time limit on the eligibility for a building to be on the vacant building registry.

At a late morning news conference held outside a former Burger King restaurant, City Council members Robin Wonsley and Jeremiah Ellison, along with community leaders, spoke on the ordinance.

"Vacant buildings — inactive buildings — they're a hazard. They're a health hazard, they're a safety hazard to the communities that we live in," Ellison said.

Ellison says that, traditionally, there's been a flat fine for these vacant buildings, which many property owners have been paying. Ellison says it's helped encourage some property owners to make their buildings active, but problems persist.

"Some folks just take the fee as the cost of doing business," Ellison said, noting the condition of the former Burger King restaurant behind him.

Ellison says the City Council has looked into ways to "fairly and adequately" increase the fees for vacant buildings and "creating a pathway" to getting these vacant buildings back to an active status.

This is a developing story, check back here for updates.