The Ocoee City Commission supported updates to the city’s code enforcement and foreclosure policies for residential properties during the Tuesday, Feb. 3, meeting.
Ocoee Police Chief Vincent Ogburn presented a proposed framework that would strengthen enforcement, establish clearer timelines for foreclosure and reduce long-standing inconsistencies in how violations are handled.
Under the proposed policy, the city would follow Chapter 162 of the Florida Statutes, which allows the city to implement a fine of up to $250 per day per violation and increase the fines to a maximum of $500 per day per violation, Richard Geller, Ocoee city attorney, said. Implementing the fine threshold is to encourage early compliance and prevent excessive lien accumulation. Ogburn also recommended beginning a foreclosure review six months after a lien is recorded if fines exceed $15,000 and the owner has failed to respond to repeated notices. Any homestead property would not be targeted for foreclosure, he added, but rental and other non-homestead properties are subject to the process.
The steps for the proposed framework include: issuance of a lien, a settlement conference with the property owner, review by a magistrate or code enforcement authority, commission authorization and a public foreclosure hearing.
“We are taking a more active role in public to talk to people that we see violations and say, ‘Hey, you can get cited for this, why don’t you do ahead and think about cleaning it up?’” City Manager Craig Shadrix said. “Our goal is to bring about compliance and also equity and fairness to neighbors of places that are being allowed to fall into a very neglected state.”
Commissioners voiced their concerns about lenient fines and delays that allow violations to continue for years. They shared examples of complaints they’ve received from residents or seen themselves, such as long-term parked junk vehicles, illegal parking and abandoned homes that decrease neighborhood property values.
“We’ve been kicking this can down the road here for a while,” District 4 Commissioner George Oliver III said. “Until we can actually pull the trigger and hold these owners accountable at the high standard then nothing’s going to happen. … We need to adopt a plan that’s going to put some bite into the bark and hold these guys accountable for these properties that have been abandoned or not kept up.”
Ogburn also proposed establishing a foreclosure and cost-recovery fund to cover upfront legal expenses. The fund would be reimbursed through lien settlements or property sales, reducing the financial burden on the city’s general budget.
Ocoee city commissioners unanimously motioned to move forward with the policy changes and directed Ogburn and the code board staff to prepare the necessary ordinances for the Tuesday, Feb. 17 meeting.