Fed up with chronic negligent property owners , San José is substantially raising the penalties for violations — up to $500,000 — hoping it will force the offenders into compliance as the city seeks to reduce blight.

Although a majority of violators have voluntarily complied, there are still multiple instances of high-profile blight that underscore the limitations of the city’s current fine structure and the need for stiffer enforcement to compel the existing scofflaws to take action.

“Residents live every day with the consequences of absentee property owners who refuse to maintain their problems,” District 5 City Councilmember Peter Ortiz said. “These sites have ultimately become magnets for overgrown vegetation, illegal dumping, encampments, trespassing (and) most recently, fires, g

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