Palm Bay, Fla. — The City of Palm Bay is stepping up efforts to address the growing problem of abandoned and unfinished construction sites across its neighborhoods. City leaders unanimously approved a $500,000 initiative at the August 7 council meeting to fund the demolition and cleanup of stalled projects that have raised safety, crime, and storm preparedness concerns for residents.

For months, FOX 35 has reported on the nuisance properties, which many neighbors say not only drag down community appearance but also pose dangerous risks. These half-built or abandoned structures often sit untouched after permits expire, leaving open shells vulnerable to trespassers, vandalism, and hurricane-season debris.

The city plans to use money from its building department fund to hire third-party contractors who will clear debris and demolish unsafe remnants of construction projects. Once the cleanup is complete, Palm Bay’s legal department will move forward with liens on the properties to recover costs directly from owners.

The focus will be on projects with permits that have expired for more than 180 days.

Homeowners have welcomed the city’s action.
“Who wants a brick flying through their house? Hurricane season is coming, storms, a lot can happen,” said Palm Bay homeowner Olajuwon Postell, who lives near one such abandoned home.

City officials emphasized that the crackdown comes in direct response to one of the most frequent complaints they’ve heard from residents.
“Other than being an eyesore, a construction site is nowhere where good things are going to happen when the sun is down,” said City Council member Mike Hammer, who spearheaded the initiative.

Real estate experts point out that broader housing market volatility is often behind the stalled projects.
“Most developers don’t carry a deep enough reserve to handle the drought in the real estate marketplace, and because of that those projects get abandoned,” said Scott Widerman, a real estate attorney with Widerman Malek law firm.

Palm Bay officials expect cleanup work to begin as early as October, with the first wave of properties already identified for enforcement. These include more than two dozen addresses, such as 1261 Platt Ave. SW, 1760 Ashcroft St. NW, 2182 Wagonwheel Ave. SE, 398 Silver Frost St. SE, and several along Pinewood Drive NE.

City leaders say the program is about more than neighborhood appearance—it’s about safety and accountability. By holding property owners responsible through liens, the city hopes to discourage future neglect while restoring livability for affected communities.

“This is something our residents have been asking for over and over again,” Hammer said. “Now, we’re finally in a position to act.”

Originally reported by Esther Bower in Fox 35 Orlando.