Minutes 04/22/1969 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Due to the few inspectors availMole for this work, more obvious problems receivelthe ~=a~b~e~attention, and where a problem is borderline, no time has been avait~61e to recheck this dwelling so as to determine when it dropped below the standards. We have been faced with a pmoblem from two different t~es of homeowners -- the landlord who rents and the o%~er/occupant. Each type presents a different problem. ~ith the landlord who rents the ~roperty~ it appears that in many cases the repairs required would equal the value of the house and he is u~willing to mak~ reoairs~ and, therefore, the tenants have to be displaced. Tley are then forced to find other lodging which they can afford and may have to mov~ into an already over-crowded and ~nnhealthful dwelling, unit which multi- plies problems of health. There should be some provision made for relocation of these displaced citizens and suitable housing at prices which they can afford. ~oving people out of the house because it does not meet the Minimu%m Code requirements does not rid the area of the blight. Unless this building is structurally unsound, we have no means of requiring that the building be removed -- only that it be vacated. The owners of sub-standard dwellings, as a rule, have allowed their dwellings to become s~o-standard because of lack of funds and these people need financial assistance in order to avoid condemnation and dis- possession~ This points out a needfor assisted Code enforcement programs. Pr~olems have arisen in the past where it was necessary to take court action to enforce the Minimum Hous- ing standards. It has been our experience that because of pressure in the Commonwealth Atto~%ey's office~ it is difficult for him to prosecute these cases when his calendar is already over-crowded. In some recent court cases, there was no penalty assessed against tko defendaut but he was granted an extension of time to clean up properties which constituted a health menace. Without strong backing from the courts, it is very difficult to get voluntary oompiiances. Obtaining a conviction and having the defendant serve a jail sentence does not solve any problems since the violation remains and the neighborhood is still faced with the blight from a sub- standard building. To do a proper job of Code enforcement, the progrmm should be revised, instead of going from area to area and providing temporary enforcement, we should have personnel allocated to areas with the responsibility of maintenance for that entire area and upgrading of that area. I feel that the City shni~d~e divided into a minimum of four sectors, and that a Sanitarian be assigned to each sector with aides to assist him in inspec- tion, reinspection; and ~ode enforcement. Under this type of program, all the buildings in a sector would be under constant surveillance by the Sanitarian and/or his ai~s, and a proper inspection of buildings could be made in conjm~ction with the Fire Department and Building Inspector's office, and then proper fo!low-~ could be made to ensure that deficiencies found were corrected and that nam deficiencies did not occur, or if they did, that they were corrected immediately. This progrmm would require that we hire several Sanitarian Aides and, also, some additional personnel in the Building Inspector's office and the Fire Prevention Bureau. A special training program would be nec- essary for these inspectors to ensure that they w~e able to make a thorough inspection and follow up to see that deficiencies noted were corrected. The inspectors in each sector would have to have the full coopera- tion of the citizens in their sector through their neigl~borhood civic leagues. It is envisioned that the inspectors in a sector would become well-known to the residents thereof and would be ~ole to work closelM with these people in maintaining the Minimum. Standards for their residents as well as keeping their yards and ad- joining property free of debris, weeds, trash and so many other items that cause blight in any area. I would suggest that ~e try this program on a pilot basis by moving all of our Sanitarians into a single area and tm/ to upgrade this particular area as a demonstration proart. We would hope to have very meticulous records kept to strictly enforce the Housing Code and to make regular reinspect~ons in this area. B~M buildin~ found to be borderline, but in essential comntiance, would be r~vi_ited at ~egular short inte~vals~ and _ho~ta it fall below standard~ the Code would be enforced here immediately. It is felt that regular revisits by the inspection temn could result in upgrading prior to a unit dropping to a minim~r~ standard. Should we elect to try this pilotprogram, there would be no enforcement elsewhere except for the time that could be spared to answer~,complaints, tt is expected that such a demonstration would show marked improvement in the selected com- munity by focusing all City services in one area and we could better show the need to apply this kind of pro- gram to the remainder of the City. The present method of systematic enforcement is not doing the job as it should. We can see the effects of our present system in South Mt. He~on which was inspected approximately one year ago. Inspectors moved into this area~ working for a short while~ and moved on, hoping to make revisits to the worse places. They also relied heavily on area residents to bring dwellings, which had deteriorated, to our attention. Some dwellings were not inspected because, at the time inspectors were there, no one was at home and sufficient time was not available to continue to go back to these residents mnti! someone was found at home. As a result, these homes were not adequa.tety inspected. With someonein the area all of the time, there would be no excuse for a home not being inspected. A specific person would be responsible for the inspection in the area and he would see to it that all buildings received a proper inspection and proper inspection. ~e members of the civic league would be familiar with their inspector and would refer their pro- blems to this man. I feel that a good demonstration area, because of the interest sho~m by the civic leaders in these areas, would be the whole of Mt. Harmon, north and south of High S~r~et. It is felt that ~his entire area is of the size needed to properly test this program. I suggest that we keep inspectors in this area full-time for a period of one year. In s~m~nary, I make the following recommendations: that our present method of systematic enforcement is inadequate. ~2) that complete quality inspections and reinspections are a necessity. (3) that a pilot program be set up in the Mt. Harmon area and that inspectors remain in that area until '~ ii,is reRabilitated. (4) if this pilot program works, then this program be extended to the rest of the City.