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Frequently Asked Questions

The material in this question and answer series is for your information only. It is not legal advice and is not designed to be used in place of legal advice. You should consult your own attorney for legal advice. The St. Joseph Legal Department provides this series to provide a general summary of procedures concerning violations of city ordinances in the City of St. Joseph, Missouri. It is issued to inform generally, not to advise of specific rights. As with any general information, the answers given here may not specifically apply to you.
What are the billing and abatement procedures?
In Code Enforcement, the objective is abatement of the code violation. If the property owner fails to abate a code violation, the City may elect to abate the violation.

When the city expends any funds in the abatement of any nuisance, the director of finance, or his or her designee, shall notify, by certified mail, the person against whose property the costs were incurred of said costs. The director of Planning and Community Development shall certify the costs incurred in abating the nuisance and administratively processing the nuisance to the director of finance, together with the description of the property. The cost of administratively processing the abatement to the director of finance shall be $75.00 per regular abatement action, $200.00 for large special bids and $600.00 for railroad bids. The person notified shall have 30 days from the mailing of said notice within which to pay the costs of the abatement to the director of finance. If the person so notified fails to pay the costs of the abatement within 30 days, the director of finance shall immediately, upon the receipt of this information, enter an assessment in the appropriate books of the city to be kept for that purpose; and upon the entry of this assessment a lien will attach to the property.

Show All Answers

1. What do I do if my neighbor has a code violation?
2. What are the inspection and notification procedures?
3. What are the billing and abatement procedures?
4. What are your summons procedures?