LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Louisville Metro’s Code Enforcement officers' and building inspectors' hands are tied when it comes to some of the city’s most dangerous properties.
Right now, they can’t enter vacant or abandoned buildings unless there’s a criminal issue, even when those buildings are clearly unsafe. But that could soon change under an ordinance being considered by Metro Council.
On Oct. 10, 2024, WDRB stood on Broadway as flames tore through the St. Paul’s German Evangelical Church — a historic building burning from the inside out.
The Louisville Fire Department said the church was vacant, but people had been seen hanging from windows as smoke poured from the roof.
For years, the building had served as a refuge for the homeless. In 2021, the property owner was fined for failing to secure a gated area between two buildings and for not keeping the site clean inspectors cited debris, feces, needles, bedding and other unsafe materials.
Under current law, inspectors can’t go inside such buildings unless there’s a criminal investigation. The proposed ordinance would change that.
“And investigate anything that requires them to go in the premises,” Metro Councilmember Dan Seum said. “This just allows them to do it with the legal right to do so.”
Another vacant church at 37th and Broadway also caught fire, drawing 50 firefighters to bring the flames under control.
“It’s a disaster,” said neighbor Clark. “Who would do something like this? It’s been an abandoned building. It’s an eyesore to me. I haven’t seen any movement or anything.”
The problem isn’t isolated. During January’s snowstorm, firefighters responded to another vacant house fire. Last summer, yet another empty building went up in flames — and in each case, inspectors were legally barred from entering beforehand.
“There’s issues with them getting in and out of these buildings," Seum said. “They’re already going in, but they just have to codify the rule that makes it legal to get the search warrants.”
A year after the blaze, the city issued a demolition order for parts of St. Paul’s German Evangelical Church.
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