Vancouver city staff are proposing a bylaw to hold owners of abandoned and vacated buildings responsible for taking care of them so they don’t fall into disrepair and become fire and health hazards.

The recommendation comes a year after council voted to demolish a dilapidated heritage building in downtown owned by a high-profile developer. It had been sitting empty for over a decade and was at risk of collapsing.

After reviewing records for boarded-up properties and the city’s response to 3-1-1 complaints, city staff compiled 15 case studies in support of the proposed regulations and enforcement measures.

They also identified 50 “problematic properties” that they said would benefit from a more coordinated response.

“Some of these buildings pose substantial risks to public safety and he

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