Authorities are working to prevent people from occupying unsafe structures by enforcing city codes and citing or demolishing unsafe buildings.
Hopkinsville Fire Department Spokesman Captain Payton Rogers says code enforcement investigators have had over 1000 investigations in 2025 and have condemned over 20 structures due to code violations.
Rogers says they condemned a home on North McPherson Street on Thursday with the help of Hopkinsville Police and an administrative search warrant, due to the home not being structurally safe and because feces was found in several rooms; the home also has no running water.
The enforcement of city codes has led to over 25 structures being torn down in 2025.
Rogers says not every structure is torn down when it is condemned; some owners choose to clean up and fix the violations, but if they do not, the city will sometimes step in and demolish the structure.
Code enforcement, which is part of the Hopkinsville Fire Department, has 3 investigators.
Investigators have found many violations in Hopkinsville with dilapidated roofs, crumbling foundations, no running water or electricity, rotten floor joists, and unsanitary living conditions, hazardous to health and safety.
Rogers says when a building is being investigated, it goes before the code enforcement board for an official hearing. In extreme cases, homes are sometimes condemned and deemed an immediate fire and life safety hazard, and are demolished immediately.
The investigators also investigate basic property maintenance, both interior and exterior, junked vehicles, and overall unsafe structures.
Anyone who knows of a structure that may be violating some of the city codes can remain anonymous and call 270-985-1234 or submit complaints on the city’s Hoptown311 app.
