Neighbors of Villa Town Motel told EverythingLubbock.com the building is in bad condition and it isn’t livable. They’re hoping the city steps in.
“I think if the city would come down on them and tear it down, I know the crime’s going to move wherever…but you’ve got to control it at some point,” R&R Automotive Owner Tawny Taylor said, “Not saying it’s all the city’s fault, or the police’s fault, but maybe stricter control? I don’t know.”
Code Administration Director Stuart Walker said his office has cited violations at the property before.
“It’s just an ongoing situation, especially with a property of that age. Violations are cited and violations are fixed, more violations occur.”
When violations are cited, Walker said property owners are responsible for putting up the money to fix what’s broken.
“We go in and do an inspection, we cite the violations we can find, we provide property owner or property manager; interested parties with a citation of violation and they’ll be given a time frame for those violations to be completed or complied.”
Court records show the City of Lubbock brought suit against owners of the Villa Town Motel in 2014 with allegations of unpaid taxes. That suit was settled out of court.
“That’s the type of property that’s in its end stages,” Walker said, “It either needs to be remodeled or rebuilt, and that’s typically what we see in a property like that.”
