Commission recommends one‑year pause on vacant‑storefront registration fee, with caveats

The Building Inspection Commission voted 5–1 to recommend an ordinance pausing the vacant/abandoned commercial storefront registration requirement, annual report and registration fee for calendar year 2024. DBI staff presented the substitute ordinance, describing it as an across‑the‑board suspension intended to be more equitable than a discretionary waiver policy previously considered by the mayor’s office.

Under the proposed pause (01/01/2024–12/31/2024), DBI would not add newly identified properties to its vacant storefront registry or require property owners to pay the registration fee or file the annual report for that year. Staff emphasized that several obligations would remain in effect — exterior and interior maintenance, conspicuous owner signposting, securing the property against unauthorized entry and maintaining fire and liability insurance — and DBI would retain the ability to issue NOVs for those non‑suspended requirements.

DBI staff estimated the suspension could reduce vacant‑storefront registration fee revenue by up to $300,000 over the calendar year. The Code Advisory Committee (CAC) recommended rescinding prior NOVs for failure to register, but DBI staff opposed rescission “out of fairness” to owners who had previously complied.

Commissioners expressed concerns about data continuity, the registry’s longitudinal quality and coordination with the Treasurer & Tax Collector’s recently introduced tax on vacant storefronts. Several commissioners asked for a plan to re‑roll out the program and recommended DBI return with a rollout plan toward the end of the pause to ensure property owners are not blindsided when the program resumes. Commissioner Williams cast the lone no vote; the motion otherwise passed 5–1 on roll call.

Next steps: DBI staff said it would bring a rollout plan and a report to the commission near the end of 2024 to explain how the registry will be reactivated and to coordinate cross‑departmental data sharing.