Topeka — If the City Council approves an ordinance making changes to the city's hearing process, night court could become a reality for those refusing to clean up their properties. The City Council will look at the ordinance at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

Dan Kingman says the property at 615 SW Tyler has looked like that for at least ten years.

"It's frustrating. We've known that city's known about it," Kingman said.

Now the city is proposing two major changes to the code enforcement process they say will go a long way to getting owners to clean up their acts. One will force those refusing to clean up their properties to schedule a hearing with a hearing officer. Right now that's optional.

"It's not clear why this modification to the current ordinance is an additional hoop or maybe it will make it more streamline," Kingman said.

Right now, housing issues such as a bad roof or a falling porch are handled through municipal court. Violators are rarely sent to jail. Often they get fines that they can't pay. The cases are then closed, but the problems aren't fixed. City officials hope this new plan will do more to clean up our city, rather than focus on punishment.

The other change would create a type of night court. City officials hope this will result in more people showing up for court, instead of just being closed.

"It's important the city and it's process be accessible by all it's citizens. I think evening hours are great," Kingman said.