City of Dallas v. Stewart

Justice GUZMAN,

joined by Justice WAINWRIGHT, Justice GREEN, and Justice JOHNSON, dissenting.

The upsurge of abandoned buildings caused by the subprime mortgage debacle and the recent recession is well known, as are the difficulties it has caused for cities.1 Abandoned, vandalized, dangerous buildings constitute a major threat to the safety and vitality of entire neighborhoods.2 The Legislature has enacted a comprehensive statutory scheme enabling cities to address this complex problem. Central to that scheme, summary nuisance abatement is a crucial, front-line tool for cities to deal with an…