I am looking to see if a city or county is currently using a Blight Tax program. To my knowledge, Guyton and Effingham County don't have anything like this in place. I am trying to address the number of vacant buildings that may qualify for blight throughout the city. I've had decent luck with getting property owners to demo a couple of the buildings but there are several others that are becoming a nightmare to address due to out of date property owner info or inability to contact rightful owners of some of these properties. Any advice would be extremely grateful!!

Thank you!

Do y'all have a Vacant Property registry?

Here in LaGrange, my officers start an Nuisance Abatement case on the property. We start off with 72 hr certified letters to the last known addresses of the owners and/or family that we find associated with our investigations. Our city attorney then sends off for a title search of said property. If the certified letters returned unsigned or the property owner does not comply with the 72 hr contact, we then get an administrative search warrant signed by our municipal judge to make entry into the property for documentation and photos. Once the title search comes back, our City attorney completes a summons for court that is mailed to the last address of the owners or interested parties and is posted on the front of the structure. Then we just go through the court proceedings and the judge rules how much time shall be allowed for permits to be pulled, be it full renovation or demolition. After the court ordered deadline, if no permits have been attained, my office condemns and placards the structure for demolition. Usually within 2 weeks its a seeded lot and a lien is placed on the property for the amount of the demo cost. That's pretty standard here in LaGrange. We performed around 15-16 blighted structure demo's this year. Not being able to find or contact the owner or interested parties shouldn't hinder your dept from moving forward with abating a blighted property. Hope this insight helps....

Chris, we currently don't have a registry. I am looking to possibly start one. Currently, I'm trying to get some fines finalized for some smaller violations that can be paid to City Hall instead of having to go directly through court and deal with the extended timeframe that requires.

Ja_Webb, Thank you for the information. Could you possibly send me the codes y'all have that establishes that? david.lyon@cityofguyton.com

The City of Albany has a Blight Tax Ordinance.

• ARTICLE VII. - BLIGHTED PROPERTY

• Sec. 36-203. - Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Blighted as applied to a piece of property, means that property is being maintained in a blighted condition.

Public officer means the building inspector, code enforcement director, city manager, police officer or any other city official who is authorized by law and this Code to exercise the powers prescribed by this section, or any agent of such officer or officers, or any other employee, officer or officers designated by the city manager for purposes of this section.

(Ord. No. 08-140, § 1(16-15(a)), 10-28-2008; Ord. No. 20-106, § 1, 5-26-2020)

Sec. 36-204. - Blighted condition designation.

In order for the property in question to be subject to official identification as blighted and subject to increased taxation, the property must be determined to be:
(1)Unfit for human habitation or unfit for commercial, industrial, or business use and not in compliance with applicable codes; or
(2)Vacant and being used in connection with the commission of drug crimes; or
(3)Constituting an endangerment to the public health or safety as a result of unsanitary or unsafe conditions; and
(4)Not a dwelling house, which is being used as the primary residence of one or more persons.

(Ord. No. 08-140, § 1(16-15(b)), 10-28-2008; Ord. No. 20-106, § 1, 5-26-2020)

Sec. 36-205. - Procedure for identification of property as blighted.

The procedure for official identification of real property as blighted includes:

(1)A request from a public officer or at least five residents of the city charging that any building, structure or property meets criteria described in section 36-204.
(2)An investigation or inspection by a public officer and determination that the property in question meets the criteria described in section 36-204.
(3)A public officer's issuance of a complaint in rem against the property. The complaint shall state which condition(s) under subsection (2) of this section exist on the property and what steps should be taken to remediate the property.
(4)A public officer's causing a summons and a copy of the complaint to be mailed via certified to the owner of the property. The latter is anyone revealed by a certification of title to the real property conducted in accordance with the title standards of the State Bar of Georgia. The summons shall notify the interested parties that a hearing will be held before the municipal court of the city (hereinafter "municipal court") at a date and time certain. Such hearing shall be held not less than 15 days nor more than 45 days after the filing of said complaint. The interested parties shall have the right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person or by attorney and offer testimony at the time and place fixed for hearing.
(5)If after such notice and hearing, the municipal court determines that the dwelling, building or structure in question meets the criteria in section 36-204, the court shall state in writing findings of fact in support of such determination and shall issue and cause its written findings to be served upon the interested parties that have answered the complaint or appeared at the hearing an order.
(6)No property shall be designated as blighted unless the municipal court of Albany enters an order that finds the property in question meets the criteria described in section 36-204(1), (2) or (3). This order constitutes official identification of real property as maintained in a blighted condition.
(7)If the municipal court finds that the property is blighted, it shall, in the same order, list what must be done to remove the blighted condition designation, and give the owner a deadline in which to finish the work.

(Ord. No. 08-140, § 1(16-15(c)), 10-28-2008; Ord. No. 20-106, § 1, 5-26-2020)

Sec. 36-206. - Imposition of increased tax rate.

Property, which has been officially designated as blighted, shall be subject to an increased rate of city ad valorem taxation equivalent to six times the normal millage rate applied to the property, applied at the time of the issuance of the subsequent tax bill, as provided in Article IX, Section II, Paragraph VII(d). The increased rate continues to be applied to all subsequent tax bills until the property's designation as maintained in a blighted condition is removed as provided in this section. This increased rate of taxation and the official identification of the property as blighted remain with the property if transferred to another owner.

(Ord. No. 08-140, § 1(16-15(d)), 10-28-2008; Ord. No. 20-106, § 1, 5-26-2020)

Sec. 36-207. - Revenue segregated.

Revenue collected from increases in rate of ad valorem taxation may be used for community redevelopment purposes.

(Ord. No. 08-140, § 1(16-15(e)), 10-28-2008; Ord. No. 20-106, § 1, 5-26-2020)

Sec. 36-208. - Remediation.

The property in question may be rehabilitated at any time through remedial actions or redevelopment that conforms with the municipal court order setting forth what must be done to remove the identification of the property as maintained in a blighted condition. Owner may request removal of the property's designation as blighted from the city manager or from the municipal court upon proper proof, including an inspection by a public officer, that the property has been remediated and now conforms with the court order listing what must be done to remove the identification of the property as blighted. The city manager shall be notified in writing ten days before any hearing in the municipal court.

(Ord. No. 08-140, § 1(16-15(f)), 10-28-2008; Ord. No. 20-106, § 1, 5-26-2020)

Sec. 36-209. - Remediation property tax rate.

Property which has had its designation as maintained in a blighted condition removed as provided in this section will become eligible for a decrease in the rate of city ad valorem taxation equivalent to one-half (50 percent) of the millage rate applied to the property, applied at the time of issuance of the subsequent tax bill, as provided by general law. This decreased rate is applied to two years tax bills.

(Ord. No. 08-140, § 1(16-15(g)), 10-28-2008; Ord. No. 20-106, § 1, 5-26-2020)

Albany is working to update our Vacant Property Registration Ordinances as well. I will be interested the ones other Jurisdictions have on the books now.

Edited January 8, 2026 at 01:42 AMJan 8, 2026 by Angel Gray
formatting issues

The City of Grovetown has a blighted property ordinance.City of Grovetown Blighted Property Ordinance.docx

City of Grovetown does have a vacant and foreclosed property registry.Vacant and Foreclosed Property Registry.docx

Mark,

On paper it looks solid, but I’m trying to wrap my head around how y'all actually run it day to day.

Do you know, or have you heard, how they handle the real world side of it? Things like the timeline from inspection to designation, who makes the call internally, and how much of that process is driven by Code Enforcement versus administration or legal? I’m also curious how involved you Municipal Court and tax office are once a property is officially designated, and whether this is something they apply selectively or as part of a larger program.

Not trying to reinvent the wheel here. I'm just trying to understand the chain of command and resources it actually takes to make something like that work so it’s enforceable and defensible. I am highly interested in this. We do not have this in our ordinance.

Let me know your thoughts when you get a chance.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris,

I have handled the Blight Tax in our community. It takes the coordination of multiple departments. Code, Attorney's office, Municipal Court, and the Tax Commissioner's office. Time-frames vary from case to case due to the responsiveness of the owners, and how the Court sets its hand by Order.

Thank y'all for what you provided. Does anyone have a copy of an Administrative Search Warrant, if so would you please forward me a copy of what you use. chrislack1905@yahoo.com

Chris,

Are you or any member of your Department sworn? I've been in contact with a friend of mine who is the Code supervisor in Dalton, who taught Search and seizure at the police academy for years, stated that only a sworn officer can execute the Administrative search warrant. I fortunately have a sworn code officer that is mandated, that handles those for me. I can send you a copy of our warrant, and the return that is signed by the judge to be filed by our municipal court clerk afterwards.

Regards,

Jason

Thank you I would definitely love to have a copy. Luckily I am a sworn Officer. If you could email it to chrislack1905@yahoo.com that would be great.

Good morning Hunter

We are currently using the Blighted tax here in Millen. The Ad valorem tax increase on blighted property must present two or more qualifying conditions. I have had some luck with getting the owners to cooperate, but it's a slow process.

I agree, it's an extremely slow process...