The outsides of houses in Bowling Green seem to have improved over the past five years.

Council on Monday received the results of the five-year Bowling Green Exterior Housing Evaluation Survey conducted in 2021 by the Wood County Health Department.

The results were presented by Kendra Wise, environmental health specialist with the health department, who conducted the survey.

According to the EHES report, the health department has been conducting these surveys at the city’s request since 1985. Since 2016, the city has been divided into four neighborhoods for the evaluation, corresponding with Bowling Green’s four wards.

Wise said in her presentation that each home in the city is surveyed based on 14 primary and 10 non-primary categories. The gathered information is then put into a database.

The primary categories include roofs, chimneys, siding conditions, porches, stairs and railings, doors, windows, accessory structures, foundations, soffits and roof edges, off-street parking, private walks, public walks and exterior sanitation.

The non-primary categories include paint, gutters and downspouts, attached garage, garage condition, grading and drainage of the yard, dumpsters, yard maintenance, starlings and pigeons, siding type and if the address is present on the home or mailbox.

Wise said that homes found to be substandard in two or three primary categories are classified as “deficient.” Those found to be substandard in four or more primary categories are classified as “neglected.”

A total of 5,875 homes were surveyed in 2021, up from 5,546 in 2016.

A total of 366 primary deficiencies were found citywide – a nearly 54% decrease from the 795 primary deficiencies found in the 2016 survey.

The number of properties with primary deficiencies declined just over 51% from 627 to 307 in the past five years.

A total of 129 homes, or 2.2%, were found to be deficient – down slightly from 130 in 2016.

Only four homes in the city were found to qualify as “neglected,” down from seven in 2016.

More than 5,290 homes, or just over 90%, had no deficiencies at all – up over 13% from 4,919 in 2016.

Looking at primary deficiencies across the wards, Ward 1 had 94 primary deficiencies, with 478 homes surveyed; Ward 2 had 143 deficiencies, with 1,005 homes surveyed; Ward 3 had 58 deficiencies, with 1,621 homes surveyed; and Ward 4 had 71 deficiencies, with 2,771 homes surveyed.

The seven highest areas of primary deficiency were exterior sanitation, accessory structures, soffits, siding conditions, chimneys, public walks and porches.

Ward 2 had the highest total number of deficient homes with 46. Ward 1 had 29 deficient homes, Ward 3 had 17, and Ward 4 had 37. Of the four neglected homes, two were in Ward 1, none were in Ward 2, and there was one each in Wards 3 and 4.

Councilman Nick Rubando asked what the data from the EHES has historically been used for.

Wise said that, at this point, it will determine where the WCHD will start with their mini housing surveys. She said that, based on the results, they will start in Ward 2 this year, because it had the most deficiencies numerically.

Rubando asked if fines would be assessed for the deficiencies. Wise said that could potentially occur, but that process begins with a three-letter notification process, and then if the issue is not taken care of, it is forwarded to the prosecutor.

Rubando asked what would happen if homeowners can’t afford to fix the deficient issues.

Lana Glore, environmental health director with the WCHD, said they work with various agencies, and there are resources available, including certain grants.

“This survey is really just a contractual thing and it’s really just about property maintenance in Bowling Green,” Glore said. “The rest of the year when we’re doing these mini surveys, we’re probably sending out more notices of violation.

“We always kind of take pride in recognizing situations for what they are. Based on what we’re seeing we do try to find assistance.”

Bowling Green Housing Director Martha Woelke said her office will get addresses of the properties and if the property owners qualify for certain programs, then they will be on their radar to see if they can assist them.

“We do have those options available,” she said.

“I’m the Ward 1 representative,” Rubando said. “It looks like, percentage-wise … the greatest percentage is coming from Ward 1 and I’m just wondering if that’s more of an issue of individuals can’t afford to fix up their houses, or what the issue is there. I guess that’s more research I have to do on my end.”