Board affirms demolition order for long‑vacant house at 512 Holiday Street

The Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety on July 6 affirmed a demolition order for a long‑vacant house at 512 Holiday Street after a code enforcement manager presented photos and a history of code violations.

Demarcus Brisco, the city’s code enforcement manager, testified that the property has been on the city’s radar for nearly a decade and that the structure shows extensive exterior deterioration, including a gaping roof hole and incomplete accessory construction. Brisco said city inspectors had found signs that people had entered the house and that rodents and other hazards were present. He described repeated attempts to contact the owner and said certified notice of the demolition proceeding was mailed on May 22; the owner, Robert Hawk, did not appear.

"I figured it was time to go ahead and issue this notice to demolish," Brisco told the board, explaining the combination of prolonged vacancy, ongoing violations and an unsecured structure posed a public‑safety risk.

The board heard the city’s evidence, admitted the affidavit of service and the photo packet into the record, and voted to affirm the demolition order under Indiana’s unsafe‑building procedures. Board members recorded unanimous votes in favor of the city’s requested action.

What happens next: Staff will proceed with the steps required under the demolition order and will notify the property owner about administrative costs and timelines set by ordinance and state procedure.