In its continuing effort to address neglected properties that don’t meet the Minimum Housing Code, the Franklin Town Council voted on March 2 to demolish a house on Womack Street.
The town began addressing the issues at 574 Womack Street in 2023, then in 2025 gave the owner a 90-day notice to bring it back up to code or have it removed.
“So we have had a good long runway to try to get it up to snuff, and it just hasn’t happened,” said Town Attorney John Henning.
Henning said unless the town ends up needing to file a lawsuit due to ownership issues, the next step would be to have the house demolished. As with other houses the town has demolished within the last couple of years, the cost of the demolition will be placed as a lien against the property and if it ever sells, the town would be reimbursed the cost from the sale.
The ordinance approved on March 2 orders that the house be vacated, closed and demolished. The house is listed in the Macon County tax records as being owned by Elmer Roten in care of Eric Roten. Henning said the property has been inherited a couple of times, but the deed was never updated to show a change in ownership.
According to town records, the owner was notified and attended a hearing on April 29, 2025, then a letter dated May 1, 2025, ordered that the building be demolished within 90 days.
“Can you reiterate that this is not a ‘taking,’” said Vice Mayor Mike Lewis.
“That is correct. It’s more in the vein of nuisance,” said Henning. “We’re saying that the way that this is being kept is now harmful to the surrounding property because it emits vermin, and it could be dangerous. There are parts of it that are ready to fall down. It’s oriented to public health, safety and welfare.”
According to the Minimum Housing Code if a house cannot be repaired for less than 50% of its value then it is considered dilapidated and should be demolished. During the demolition the town must preserve anything of value that remains.
“Except for the cost of doing business here, the public’s business of trying to not have this property diminish the value of all the surrounding properties, nothing comes to the town,” Henning said.
“It is absolutely terrible,” said Council Member Rita Salain. “Nobody could think they could do anything with it other than tear it down.”
Salain commended Code Enforcement Officer Angela Green for her work.
“We’ve heard a lot of things from community members in various communities about how these kinds of actions improve their communities,” she said.
Mayor Stacy Guffey said, “Hillside Street is probably the best example we have of something this board did and our staff did.”
In 2024, the Town of Franklin condemned a house on Hillside Street with the town and Macon County foreclosing on the property for back taxes; it was sold in 2025, remodeled and is now up for sale.
The next Town Council meeting will be Monday, April 6, at 6 p.m. in the board room on the lower level of Town Hall. The council will hold a special meeting on April 20 at 6 p.m. to begin budget discussions for the 2026-27 fiscal year.