Speaker: Danny Barrett 7/14/2017 Texas Communities Group, LLC Texas Communities Group LLC is an independent municipal service and consulting firm designed to assist and provide cities solutions to problem properties. TCG provides an affordable formula to extend city services amid budget constraints and overburdened staff. The TCG program makes a positive impact on taxable value and effectively manages problem properties. Texas Communities Group LLC benefits its clients by focusing on these (4) areas: 1. TRUST PROPERTY 2. CODES ENFORCEMENT 3. ABANDONED PROPERTY 4. PROPERTY DATABASE 1
TCG maintains an inventory of all Trust Property and the details for each. Provides an on-line, locally targeted, fully automated bidding system. Posted Real Estate signage. Property catalogues placed in the community. Automated Deed Process (ADP). Innovative Interlocal Agreements. Screen Shot of Property Listing INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TCG proposes a new Interlocal Agreement between entities that redistributes resale proceeds to the TCG City. Cities are unfairly burdened with Trust Property. The cities are the only entities that bear actual costs with Trust Property. Without help from other entities, the cities absorb all costs of maintenance, securing the property, and ultimately, the costs of demolition. Redistributing the dollars that do come in from sale proceeds does more good offsetting the maintenance costs of the city and improving the overall community. *Initial introductions of this idea has been met enthusiastically by each entity! 2
Tulia, TX Before Tulia, TX After (view from rear) Tulia Property ID 18502 Structure was demolished and then posted for sale. Neighbor has placed bid for property. Dilapidated property demolished, new buyer, and back on the tax roll! When Codes Enforcement is determined to be the Best Process for a property, TCG can provide assistance and experience to city codes enforcement on a contract labor basis. 3
TCG can provide consulting and oversight on current procedures, documents, and strategies for an effective Codes Enforcement Program. TCG can provide full service Codes Enforcement to those cities without an existing Codes Program. The TCG Codes Division can assist our cities in adopting and maintaining current and updated Codes and Ordinances. The TCG can provide cost-effective and creative disposal tactics for abandoned vehicles and motor homes. TCG can assist the city as a 3 rd party negotiator between the property owner and the city. TCG assists our cities in identifying properties that meet the Real Property Seizure requirements by a municipality Section 33.91 Texas Property Tax Code The property must be: (A) in a municipality; and (B) less than one acre; and (C) has been abandoned for at least one year; and (D) the taxes on the property are delinquent for: (1) each of the preceding five years; or (2) each of the preceding three years if a lien on the property has been created on the property in favor of the municipality for the cost of remedying a health or safety hazard on the property; Section 33.91 Texas Property Tax Code 4
TCG management provides a simple and effective format for reporting and maintaining a database of problem properties. The data is formatted to provide concise direction and follow-up. Screen Shot Sample Property Data Sheet Smart Phone App A smart phone app is available that will allow city and community staff to upload problem properties to the TCG database with the snap of a picture. 5
Best Process TCG management analyzes reported problem properties to determine the Best Process for handling each property. Ownership, tax rolls, codes enforcement, and court information are studied. Each property is then categorized as to its best determined process for resolution: 1. Tax Foreclosure 2. Abandoned Property Tactics 3. Codes Enforcement 6