(WSBT) Landlords could soon be forced to keep their homes up to code. South Bend's Common Council is considering a bill to reduce the number of vacant homes by requiring homeowners to register their homes and get them up to code within a specific amount of time.

Council members say it's hard to reduce the number of vacant homes without knowing who owns them. They say many home owners don't live in the area, which is a problem they hope to solve immediately.

Twelve vacant homes were set on fire in just two months this summer posing a huge safety risk.

"The biggest amount of arsons are those that are vacant and abandoned," said Kathy Cekamski-Farrand, South Bend Common Council's attorney.

City officials say it's a complicated problem that has to be fixed now.

"It's more that just going by and seeing a vacant house. Sometimes these houses are owned by people who are land speculators who don't even love the area, so you have a multitude of issues that need to be addressed," said Timothy Rouse, South Bend Common Council president.

South Bend wants to require landlords to register vacant homes with the city and get those buildings up to code within a specific amount of time.

"The way the bill is drafted is to put the burden back on the property owner and take the burden off the neighborhoods and take burden off the city officials because it shouldn't be a drain on the community," said Cekamski-Farrand.

Right now, there are more than 600 vacant homes. The city knows where they are and says it will be closely monitoring them beginning January 1 if the bill is passed.

"It would be a much more proactive policy," said Cekamski-Farrand.

And hopefully, the bill is the answer the city has been looking for.

"Anything is solvable when you are working together," said Rouse.

The council attorney says this bill is a good compliment to Mayor Luecke's vacant home plan, which would sell homes for $1 and require the homeowner to invest $75,000 to bring the home up to code.

The Common Council will take public comment on this bill later this month.