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Blight Data Dashboard

Blighted property -- property that is out of compliance with city codes or dangerous to the safety and welfare of the general public -- is a common cause of concern among citizens.

Such properties can cause long-term problems for the community, including:

• Decreased property values;
• An increase in crime;
• Lost tax revenue;
• Nuisance abatement costs;
• Sanitation issues;
• Safety concerns, including being an attractive nuisance for children and putting the safety of the general public at risk.

To improve the quality of life and well-being of its residents, the City of Knoxville has begun an effort to quantify our blight reduction efforts and reduce the number of blighted properties within the City. Using data from the Neighborhood Codes Enforcement Office, Department of Community Development, and Public Service Department, the City can establish a count of the number of blighted properties, set goals aimed at reducing the number of blighted structures and the overall appearance of blight, and track the progress toward these goals, with all information being readily available to the public through an online dashboard.

Number of Blighted Properties
Number of Chronic Problem Properties Remedied
Number of Properties Taken to the Public Officer Hearing
Number of Demolitions Completed
Number of Inspectons Performed
Number of Violation Inquiries
Number of Violations Found
Percentage of Violations Corrected
Percentage of Proactive Enforcement


NUMBER OF BLIGHTED PROPERTIES

Number of Blighted Properties
What are we measuring?
For our purposes, we are defining "blighted property" as any property in the city in violation of the City's structural codes or designated by the City's Department of Community Development as being a chronic problem property to the neighborhoods.

What is our goal?
Our goal is to reduce the number of blighted properties by 2% from the previous year, from 1,243 to 1,218.

How are we measuring?
The data is measured annually at the end of the calendar year.



NUMBER OF CHRONIC PROBLEM PROPERTIES REMEDIED

Number Chronic Problems Remedied
What are we measuring?
A "chronic problem property" is a property designated by the Department of Community Development as being a continual problem within the neighborhood, including continuous Codes Enforcement violations, tax deliquency, concentrated blight, and location in redevelopment areas, historic districts, or proximity to community facilities. A property is considered remedied when either Community Development has acquired and disposed of a property through the Homemakers Program or the owner has remedied the violations.

What is our goal? 
Our goal is to keep the number of remedied properties between 16-20 annually, as most remedies are accomplished through acquisition which has limited resources.

What is the importance?
A remedied chronic problem property will directly reduce the number of blighted properties as tracked above, because they are included directly into the count of blighted properties.

How are we measuring?
The data is measured quarterly as it progresses throughout the year, meaning each quarter includes the count from the previous quarters.



NUMBER OF PROPERTIES TAKEN TO THE PUBLIC OFFICER HEARING

Number Properties Taken to POH
What are we measuring?
The "Public Officer Hearing" is a monthly meeting where the Public Officer (designated by the Mayor) hears property cases and may issue orders requiring owners to make repairs to or demolish unsafe structures. We are counting the number of properties taken before this hearing.

What is our goal? 
Our goal is to stay within a manageable range of cases annually, between 135-145.

What is the importance?
Issuing a repair or demolition order is one of the tools used to compel owners to correct Codes issues on blighted structures, because failure to comply with an order may result in the City designating a house as unfit for habitation or demolishing it and billing for the costs. A steady number of orders issued may reduce the number of blighted properties as tracked above.

How are we measuring?
The data is measured quarterly as it progresses throughout the year, meaning each quarter includes the count from the previous quarters.



NUMBER OF DEMOLITIONS COMPLETED

Demolitions CompletedWhat are we measuring?
A "demolition" is any time the City's Public Service crew demolishes an unsafe structure.

What is our goal? 
There is no goal for the number of demolitions to complete, as demolition is a tool only used when necessary. 
What is the importance?
Tracking the number of demolitions performed tells us how many blighted structures have been neglected to the extent that the City has to demolish them. Demolishing properties will directly reduce the number of blighted properties as tracked above.

How are we measuring?
The data is measured quarterly as it progresses through the year, meaning each quarter includes the count from the previous quarters.



NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS PERFORMED

Number of Inspections PerformedWhat are we measuring?
An "inspection" is counted any time an inspector visits a property to evaluate it for possible codes violations or to check progress on existing violations.

What is our goal? 
We aim to keep our inspections consistent with last year's goal, which was an increase in 10% from the 2018 year.

What is the importance?
More inspections mean we are focusing our energies on directly addressing and evaluating Codes issues that may contribute to the appearance of blight.

How are we measuring?

The data is measured quarterly as it progresses through the year, meaning each quarter includes the count from the previous quarters.



NUMBER OF VIOLATION INQUIRIES

Number of Violation InquiriesWhat are we measuring?
A "violation inquiry" is any time a concern is called in by a citizen to have an inspector evaluate a property OR any time an inspector proactively records a violation noted in the field.

What is our goal? 
We aim to keep our inspections consistent with last year's goal, which was a decrease in 2% from the 2018 year.

What is the importance?

Fewer violation inquiries mean fewer properties have Codes issues that may contribute to the appearance of blight.

How are we measuring?

The data is measured quarterly as it progresses through the year, meaning each quarter includes the count from the previous quarters.



NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS FOUND

Number Violations FoundWhat are we measuring?
A "violation" is any time an inspector find a property in violation of the city code when responding to a violation inquiry.

What is our goal? 
We aim to keep our inspections consistent with last year's goal, which was a decrease in 2% from the 2018 year.

What is the importance?
Fewer violation inquiries mean fewer properties have Codes issues that may contribute to the appearance of blight.

How are we measuring?

The data is measured quarterly as it progresses through the year, meaning each quarter includes the count from the previous quarters.



PERCENTAGE OF VIOLATIONS CORRECTED

Number Violations Corrected
What are we measuring?
A violation is considered corrected when the property is brought into compliance with City code, either by the property owner or by a City crew.

What is our goal?
Our goal is to maintain a rate of 80-100% corrected at any given time.

What is the importance?
A higher percentage of corrected violations means properties have been remedied of issues that contribute to the appearance of blight.

How are we measuring?
The data is measured by counting the number of violations quarterly as it progresses throughout the year (meaning each quarter includes the count from the previous quarters), divided into the total number of those violations that have been corrected. 



PERCENTAGE OF PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT

% Proactive EnforcementWhat are we measuring?
Proactive enforcement is any time a codes inspector discovers a violation while patrolling the inspector's assigned area, as opposed to being called in by a citizen.

What is our goal? 
Our goal is to maintain at least 70% proactive enforcement. 

What is the importance?

Steady proactive enforcement means citizens are not having to take the time to make calls about Codes issues, and issues may be addressed in a quicker manner. Proactive enforcement also increases both education of ordinances and awareness of enforcement, which leads to fewer Codes issues that may contribute to the appearance of blight.

How are we measuring?

The data is measured each individual quarter.




The data on this web site was prepared and/or compiled by the City of Knoxville for its internal purposes only, and was not designed or intended for general use by members of the public. The City of Knoxville, including its officers, employees and agents, makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy or its fitness of use for a particular purpose.  Any user of this information accepts the same as is, with all faults or discrepancies, and assumes all responsibility for the use thereof, and further covenants and agrees to hold the City of Knoxville, its officers, employees and agents, harmless from and against any damage, loss or liability arising from any use of the information.  The City of Knoxville disclaims and accepts no responsibility for any and all damage, loss or liability, whether direct, indirect or consequential, which arises or may arise from the data on this web site or the use thereof by any person or entity.