Contractors must be registered as a demolition contractor and have a demolition bond.
Also required is a registration from License and Assessments as a Sewer Builder.
Demolition Bureau
The Demolition Bureau sits within the Department of Building and Housing and is a part of the City’s broader nuisance abatement strategy. Properties that are vacant, abandoned, unsecured, neglected, or otherwise blighted pose a threat to public health and safety. They also discourage upkeep and reinvestment in surrounding properties. Taken together, these forces can spur disinvestment, population loss, and neighborhood decline. In these cases, demolition can be an appropriate strategy. Other interventions on blighted properties include rehabilitation, board-up, and exterior maintenance.
Nearly all of the structures that the City demolishes are on privately owned property. The City is only able to demolish these properties if it first condemns them. Except in cases of emergency, the owner of a condemned property has an opportunity to repair the issues that caused the property to be condemned. For this reason, it can take extended periods of time before the City is able to move forward with a particular demolition project.
If you have questions about the City’s demolition process, please call 216-664-2935. For questions or concerns about a blighted Property in your neighborhood, please call 216-664-2000.