DeKalb County unveils strategy to confront commercial blight, negligent property owners

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County has a new tool for confronting severely blighted properties: a Blight Tax Ordinance paired with a dedicated Blight Task Force, aimed at holding negligent owners accountable and returning neglected buildings to productive use.

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson announced the rollout on Tuesday, July 21, at the Manuel J. Maloof Center. She was joined by Code Compliance Director Tonza Clark, Interim County Attorney Terry Phillips, and Tara Smith, chief of staff for Commissioner Robert Patrick, whose office sponsored the legislation.

“Every resident deserves to live in a neighborhood that is safe, healthy, and thriving,” CEO Cochran-Johnson said. “This ordinance is not about raising taxes. It is about encouraging property owners to address dangerous, severely blighted properties that negatively affect entire neighborhoods.”

Severely blighted properties create public safety hazards, affect surrounding property values, discourage investment, and consume county resources. The ordinance gives DeKalb another way to press for redevelopment.

Enforcement is carried out by the Blight Task Force, led by Deputy Director Tim Hardy. The specialized team identifies, investigates, and coordinates enforcement on severely blighted commercial properties, working with county partners to move qualifying cases through the legal process.

“We have established a dedicated Blight Task Force, with 10 cases currently under review and approximately 50 additional properties being evaluated,” CEO Cochran-Johnson said.

Interim County Attorney Phillips walked through the judicial process and emphasized that due process is built into the ordinance. Every case must move through the courts before a property can be designated blighted or become subject to the tax provisions authorized under Georgia law.

Smith said the ordinance balances accountability with fairness, giving the county another means of addressing long-neglected properties that affect the neighborhoods around them.

County leaders stressed that voluntary compliance remains the preferred outcome. Owners who correct blighted conditions may petition the court to remove the designation once repairs are complete.

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