Birmingham leaders are backing legislation they say would shift millions of dollars in annual blight-related costs from taxpayers to negligent property owners.

Mayor Randall Woodfin and city officials are advocating for what they describe as the Blighted Property Registration Act, a proposal that would give the city stronger authority to address vacant and neglected properties.

City leaders say blight remains a widespread issue across Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods, where abandoned homes and overgrown lots continue to impact safety, property values, and overall quality of life.

“We’re somewhere between 10 and 15 million dollars every year,” Woodfin said, referring to the city’s cost to manage blighted properties.

According to officials, taxpayer dollars are routinely used to mow, secure, and demolish privately owned properties that have fallen into disrepair.

The legislation — HB315, sponsored by State Rep. Mary Moore (D-Birmingham)—would authorize Alabama’s only Class 1 municipality, Birmingham, to establish a vacant property registration system and enforce maintenance standards.

Under the bill, property owners would be required to register vacant buildings with the city and could face annual fees and escalating penalties if properties remain neglected. The measure would also allow the city to pursue enforcement actions, including financial penalties and cost recovery measures.

“What this would do would require the people who own property to be responsible,” Birmingham City Councilor Clinton Woods said.

City leaders argue that the current state law limits their ability to hold absentee property owners accountable—even when properties fall into severe disrepair.

“What we’re asking is for people who are responsible to take accountability,” Woods added. “The city has to take responsibility, and we need to be able to hold landowners to that same standard.”

Supporters of HB315 say the goal is to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers while encouraging property owners to maintain or redevelop vacant structures.

The legislation applies only to Class 1 municipalities, meaning Birmingham, and would allow the city to create a centralized database of vacant properties and require out-of-state owners to designate a local agent for accountability.

HB315 is currently under consideration in the Alabama Legislature as lawmakers wind down the 2026 regular session in the weeks to come.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].