CLINTON — Clinton resident Jim Moberly complimented the city council Monday for their quick action dealing with a derelict property on his block.

In June, Moberly addressed the council about a house across the street from his residence in the 600 block of N. Quincy Street.  Moberly expressed his frustration about the home, which was occupied but had overgrown grass and weeds, an unlicensed, undrivable car in the yard, damage to the structure and was generally dilapidated.  He said the property also had become a magnet for nuisance animals, and the occupant allowed garbage to accumulate.

The city recently posted the property, and Moberly inquired Monday what the posting meant.

City administrator Tim Followell said the code violations cited on the sign posted at the property were from the Illinois Property Maintenance Code.  He said the codes cited covered overgrown vegetation, lack of proper siding, lack of a solid roof among others.

“It basically hits the structure from top to bottom,” Followell said.  “So, the only way to truly make it habitable, is to go in and fix everything.”

Followell said the reason the occupant was still living in the house was because the city was not yet at the point at which the court would grant the authority to evict the person.

“But, it’s posted, ‘unfit for human habitation’,” he said.

• See the complete story in the Friday, July 23 print edition of the Clinton Journal or now in the Journal E-Edition for subscribers.