Sec. 18-20. - Authority of director of public safety.

(a)

The director of public safety shall have the authority to declare any building or property, be it real or personal, in the city as a public nuisance.

(b)

The director of public safety shall issue a public nuisance declaration via regular and certified mail to the building or property owner and shall send a copy to the Central Falls Nuisance Property Task Force.

(c)

The director of public safety shall issue a public nuisance declaration based upon a recommendation of the Central Falls nuisance property task force.

(1)

Establishment. The Central Falls Nuisance Property Task Force is hereby established as a cross departmental effort designed to create collaboration among city officials in identifying and abating nuisance properties. The mission of the nuisance task force is to address, in a holistic and systematic way, properties identified as nuisances that negatively impact city neighborhoods, the quality of housing available, and the health and life of city residents, businesses and visitors.

(2)

Purpose. The Central Falls nuisance property task force shall create a system to document, track and report on nuisance properties; research and document best practices to address nuisance properties; develop and implement strategies for nuisance abatement that are individually tailored to targeted nuisance property; meet with and assist owners, neighbors and interested parties of nuisance properties in abating the nuisances; request prosecution for those liable for nuisance properties who fail or refuse to abate nuisances; facilitate the transfer of abandoned or otherwise severely neglected properties to responsible owners; identify potential urban redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization opportunities and to facilitate the coordinated and efficient realization of these opportunities; provide multilingual community education and awareness with respect to foreclosure, nuisance avoidance and abatement, responsible ownership, and landlord-tenant relations; complete a comprehensive review, identify improvements and propose revisions of city ordinances; and improve the overall quality of housing stock and quality of life in the neighborhoods in the city.

(3)

Membership. The director of public safety shall appoint without the necessity of any approval or confirmation by any other person or body. the following members and officers to the Central Falls nuisance property task force. who shall serve at the pleasure of the director:

a.

The city solicitor or his or her designee to serve as chair;

b.

The director of the department of public works and code enforcement or his or her designee to serve as vice-chair;

c.

The city clerk or his or her designee to serve as secretary;

d.

The director of planning and economic development or his or her designee;

e.

The chief of the fire department or his or her designee;

f.

The chief of the police department or his or her designee;

g.

The president of the city council or his or her designee;

h.

The housing inspector or his or her designee;

i.

The housing prosecutor or his or her designee;

j.

The Attorney General or his or her designee;

k.

The executive director of Progreso Latino or his or her designee;

l.

The executive director of Pawtucket Central Falls Development or his or her designee;

m.

The executive director of Central Falls Housing Authority or his or her designee.

(4)

Meetings. Regular meetings of the Central Falls nuisance property task force shall be held at least once each month at a date fixed by the chairperson. Special meetings shall be held as often as the chairperson determines is necessary. A quorum for purposes of voting shall be seven while a quorum for purposes of nonvoting matters shall be five.

(Code 1994, § 18-53; Ord. of 6-1-2005(3); Ord. of 7-10-2017(1), § 2; Ord. of 7-10-2023(2), § 1)