Jail Time For Housing Violations

[AllanY2525]

I own property on the North Side (more than one).  The city sent me a violation notices
for a whole bunch of idiotic things, including FLAKING EXTERIOR PAINT, and threatened a
ONE THOUSAND dollar fine if I failed to correct the problem.

This is ludicris [sp??] - there was a house around the corner from mine that had people living
in it, and the front porch roof was literally laying on the porch FLOOR - they received no
notice about it.

I have since spoken with the building inspections division and we've worked out an
agreement on the things they cited regarding my properties.  I spent almost $3,000
having the property cited about the paint problem completely scraped and repainted.
and it looks really nice now.

I am NOT a slum lord, but the city needs to UNIFORMLY enforce the building code,
instead of picking on out of town property owners.  I get the impression that the
city thinks that property owners who live outside of Youngstown are all rich.
Well, wake up - we aren't.

Before the city cites people for a PAINT JOB, they need to be fair and cite properties
that have MUCH more severe problems, like the ones that are literally falling down.
The ones that have no windows and doors, overgrown with weeds, have squatters
and drug dealers using them as hang-out spots, etc, etc - ad nauseum.

I keep my properties cleaned up, keep the grass cut, keep lights on (DAY AND NIGHT)
in them to help eliminate the dark corners where the criminal element likes to hide
at night, etc and have even installed active alarm systems to keep out house strippers,
vandals, etc.

Now, on the issue of JAILING someone for failing to comply with a CIVIL citation?  I
don't know how well that would stand up in court.  Housing code violations (other than
those that endanger the lives or health of others) are not a criminal matter, they are
a civil matter - and if the city tries to jail someone for something as stupid as a minor
housing code violation, then they are in for a BIG surprise when that individual gets
himself (or herself) a high-powered lawyer, and HITS BACK WHEN HIT.

That said, the city DOES seem to be quite reasonable for those of us who are struggling
and doing our best to fix up our properties - and are showing any reasonable signs of
progress.  They agreed to suspend the $1,000 fine this past summer, when I informed
them that the house was scheduled to get an exterior make-over by the end of August.
(We got it done before July was even over).

I received a notice on one property for "Lead Hazards" - this is a property that has not
had a living soul in it for over ten years.  Like I would actually rent the property this
way?  It has no utilities.  it's 100 years old.  It's going to be totally GUTTED on the
inside (which renders the whole "Lead paint issue" a moot point).

No one mentions the fact that most of the plaster in the walls of these old Youngstown
home contains quite a bit of ASBESTOS ( greater than 5% in many of them).  I know because
I've actually PAID to have laboratory tests done on the plaster from some of them.  Asbestos
poses a MUCH higher health risk than peeling paint (that is, if you don't have any babies
crawling around in your home eating paint chips).

FYI,

Allan

[john r. swierz]

   In regards to  the old Jolly Joes restaurant, The  former owner is still listed as owner and the note is held by Cortland Bank.  It is in forclosure and they tried to sell it for $125K,there were no takers. I have had it boarded up several times.  I have also tried to get it sold  several times.  I certainly do not like it as it is right now . I can assure you , the city will not buy it, and I personally believe that the city must stop assuming the costs of tearing down structures, it mus be  paid by the owners.

[jay]

One talk show host who lives on the south side was recently cited by the Housing Department for flaking paint.

This isn't exactly the best time of the year to paint outdoors.

[Elmo-Ytown]

What can be done about abandoned boarded up houses on my street? There are only one or two, but that probably won't last long.

Is Jolly Joes on the South side on the list to be demolished? The place looks terrible. Why doesn't the the city buy the land and use it for a new Station 9 for the YFD?

[Mary]

Our side of town (east) also was just given a bunch of tickets for almost anything.

[our2cents]

I don't know if that is true unless they've been given many warnings.  The housing department just went through our neighborhood (west) and gave notices for the slightest issue.  The notice we received states non-compliance will result in a 100.00 fine.  I'm sure after that you'll be required to appear in court when they give you another notice.  My opinion from what I've heard, is to work out realistic time frames with the housing department and stick to it.

[jay]

Some people calling a local talk radio program have indicated that residents of Youngstown are being sent to jail for not correcting housing vialations.  Is this true?

The program host is trying to interview a woman who had been sentenced to jail.