Thousands of homeowners in St. Petersburg are dealing with pending code violation cases, which the city says are not violations yet. The city initiated these cases to ensure that permits for storm damage repairs are in place, that proper inspections occur, and to safeguard potential buyers of homes affected by hurricanes, according to city spokesperson Samantha Bequer.

However, the manner in which this was done has caused significant concern among residents.

“Right now, no one knows about this,” Matt Weidner, a homeowner impacted by flooding, president of the Eden Isle Civic Association, and a real estate attorney, told WTSP. “When you look at the map, you see entire neighborhoods covered with open cases. The problem is, neighbors are completely caught off guard.”

Checking for code violations is a standard part of local government operations, with St. Pete typically opening around two thousand cases monthly. However, this month saw an unprecedented increase to nearly 11,000 new cases, predominantly aimed at monitoring renovations in flooded homes.

Kevin Batdorf, a realtor and president of the Shore Acres Civic Association, learned of the issue only when a title agent flagged a case during a property sale search for liens.

“Adding another layer of bureaucracy on top of what people are already dealing with just doesn’t make sense,” he comments.

Bequer explains that the aim is to ensure compliance with both city and FEMA regulations by confirming that necessary repair permits are obtained. She notes that an active codes case does not legally prevent the sale of a property.

However, both Weidner and Batdorf argue that these cases could negatively affect an already struggling real estate market for owners facing financial difficulties.

“It’s going to spook buyers,” Batdorf says. “People are people; they don’t want additional trouble or problems with a property when they purchase it.”

Bequer also mentioned that over the past two weeks, inspections have uncovered more than 60 instances where work was done without the proper permits.

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(Image credit: City of St. Pete/WTSP)