Latest news with #propertyviolations
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi authorities crack down on illegal housing splits, fines up to $50,000
RIYADH — The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing has affirmed the continued efforts of local municipalities and secretariats to monitor and penalize unauthorized residential property divisions intended for investment purposes. Offenders may face fines of up to SR200,000. In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry highlighted key violations including subdividing housing units into smaller sections, creating internal doors, and modifying exits through building setbacks — all without obtaining necessary permits. These actions, it said, compromise public safety, strain infrastructure and municipal services, and disrupt social and economic balance in urban areas. Supported by the ministry, local authorities are intensifying on-ground inspections and leveraging reports submitted through the 'Balady' app, part of an integrated monitoring system aimed at efficiently identifying and addressing violations. The ministry stressed that all parties involved — whether property advertisers, owners, investors, or tenants — will be held accountable under current municipal regulations. Unauthorized housing modifications are considered a clear violation and carry penalties reaching SR200,000. It also warned against marketing or renting subdivided units on digital platforms without official licenses from municipal authorities, emphasizing the negative impact such practices have on residential quality standards. The ministry urged the public to report violations through the 'Balady' app or by calling the unified hotline (940). © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
CBS News
16-07-2025
- CBS News
Denver city council approves increase in penalties for owners of abandoned properties
Denver City Councilman Paul Kashmann has served in his role for a decade and says complaints about neglected and abandoned buildings have consistently been an issue throughout that time. That prompted him to team up with his colleagues to make changes. Boarded up walls, garbage and graffiti are rarely a welcomed sight. "It really degrades quality of life in the community," said Kashmann. Yet hundreds of these abandoned buildings exist throughout Denver. "A neighborhood nuisance ranging from 'Gee, it just looks terrible,' to we had an abandoned bank on East Evans Avenue where a murder took place," Kashmann said. In an effort to hold the owners of these property accountable for issues, Kashmann and Councilwomen Jamie Torres and Amanda Sawyer co-sponsored an amendment to update the city's neglected and derelict buildings ordinance. "One of the first things that I put forward was a suggestion that we raised the fines applicable," he said. The update passed with unanimous support and increases fines for violations from $999 to up to $5,000 per day and also creates a service response fee of up to $5,000 per response by first responders when three or more calls for service occur within six months. "We've come up with a system that's going to put much more pressure on property owners to be good neighbors when we're not asking them to jump through hoops, just asking for them to be good neighbors," Kashmann Kashmann hopes this will also bring change to a problem property in his neighborhood. "I'm actually losing my patience on that particular property," said Kashmann. "The weeds are four feet high, and there's graffiti, and, you know, junk's piling up on the property. And it's not just me, every council member will tell you the same story about properties in their district." The new ordinance won't take effect until February, which gives the owners of roughly 300 of these properties in Denver to act. Meanwhile the councilman says he's already receiving thanks for work the city council has done to tackle the issue.
