Local government: nuisance abatement.

Senator Richardson's nuisance abatement legislation expands local governments' authority to collect fines through liens and special assessments for specific health and safety violations, while establishing new protections for property owners and directing recovered funds toward housing initiatives.

The bill authorizes cities and counties to impose fines, collectible through nuisance abatement liens or special assessments, for electrical, plumbing, and structural violations that create health or safety hazards. These recovered funds must be used either to streamline housing development permits or establish revolving loan funds for rehabilitating substandard housing.

Local governments must provide property owners 60 days to remedy continuing violations before imposing fines, except when violations pose immediate dangers. The legislation requires cities and counties to create hardship waiver processes, with automatic full waivers for individuals with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. Other property owners may qualify for reduced fines by demonstrating good faith compliance efforts and undue financial burden.

The expanded fine collection authority expires January 1, 2035, after which local governments revert to traditional nuisance abatement procedures. Throughout both periods, property owners retain existing rights to notice and hearings before abatement actions, and local governments maintain their ability to recover costs and attorney fees through liens and special assessments following established municipal tax collection processes.