Crews on Monday started demolishing two houses in the 100 block of South Willow Avenue that were gutted by a fire nine months ago.

The May 19 fires gutted the homes being demolished, destroyed two outbuildings, and threatened an adjoining auto body and paint shop.

The location is just southwest of downtown at Oak Street and Willow Avenue.

Residents over the ensuing months lodged complaints with the city seeking to have the property abated.

The lengthy process to get the houses torn down was the result of the city code enforcement division addressing Health & Safety violations the buildings poised when the owners did not clean up the property after the fire.

The city followed the state required legal notification process with all responsible parties. Once that somewhat lengthy process was completed, the abatement and demolition process started Monday morning.

The code enforcement and abatement require a structured legal process that includes:

*Property owner notification.

*Compliance opportunities, meaning owners have to be allowed a certain amount of time to address the nuisance on their own.

*Documentation of violations are needed for the city to take lead in abatement and then place a lien against the property if the city isn’t reimbursed for the costs.

*Coordination with contractors and environmental safety requirements.

*Final authorization for abatement

The steps are part of California’s legal process to ensure due process, protect property rights, and allow the City of Manteca to take lawful action that prioritizes community safety.

Crews on Monday started demolishing two houses in the 100 block of South Willow Avenue that were gutted by a fire nine months ago.

The May 19 fires gutted the homes being demolished, destroyed two outbuildings, and threatened an adjoining auto body and paint shop.

The location is just southwest of downtown at Oak Street and Willow Avenue.

Residents over the ensuing months lodged complaints with the city seeking to have the property abated.

The lengthy process to get the houses torn down was the result of the city code enforcement division addressing Health & Safety violations the buildings poised when the owners did not clean up the property after the fire.

The city followed the state required legal notification process with all responsible parties. Once that somewhat lengthy process was completed, the abatement and demolition process started Monday morning.

The code enforcement and abatement require a structured legal process that includes:

*Property owner notification.

*Compliance opportunities, meaning owners have to be allowed a certain amount of time to address the nuisance on their own.

*Documentation of violations are needed for the city to take lead in abatement and then place a lien against the property if the city isn’t reimbursed for the costs.

*Coordination with contractors and environmental safety requirements.

*Final authorization for abatement

The steps are part of California’s legal process to ensure due process, protect property rights, and allow the City of Manteca to take lawful action that prioritizes community safety.