In Deerfield Beach, Florida, there is an inn that was once well known and regularly used. Unfortunately, over time, the building of the Village Inn has been left to crumble, making it unsafe for those who want to stay or visit the hotel. Now, the facility is not only in bankruptcy and has liens, but it has also become dangerous to the public.
According to the news report on May 11, the facility has been through two turnovers in ownership and has over $500,000 in liens levied against it. The inn, located on Hillsboro Boulevard, is covered in graffiti and vines and has collapsing floors, could be looking at demolition.
The Broward County’s Unsafe Structures Board has a meeting on May 18 to decide if the structure is unsafe; if so, it could be subject to demolition. The owners, in the meantime, could be liable for any injuries that could take place there, because they have been requested to take care of the property and have not.
The property was purchased for $45,100 in November 2014, but the cost of repairs and cleaning up the area would be around twice that. The city has now taken steps to keep people out of the property, hoping to prevent injuries and further damage. The city has spent around $11,000 on that effort, but the property remains a hazard.
In situations like this one, it can be hard to hold anyone accountable for injuries that you could have if you step onto the property. Even if you trespass, you could have a right to compensation for injuries caused by the building’s lack of repair, though.
Source: Sun-Sentinel, “Deerfield Beach’s epic code enforcement case coming to a climax,” Anne Geggis, May. 11, 2015
