Tips and Snippets: Gloucester City is 'Cracking Down' on Property Owners with Code Violations
Friday, March 09, 2012
by Bill Cleary
(cnbnews.net)GOOD RIDANCE-The City of Gloucester City is not messing around with owners of rental properties who continue to violate the community’s housing codes. The City is also stepping up its code enforcement with home owners who violate housing laws. Recently the City updated its housing ordinance listed under Chapter 55 of the Code of the City of Gloucester City. As a result a landlord can now lose their privilege to rent the property if it is determined the rental has become a nuisance.
There are approximately 1900 rental properties in Gloucester City. Many of them are owned by people from out of town.
Within the last month five landlords had their rental license revoked.The resolutions revoking the owner's rental license were passed by mayor and council at the March 5 council meeting. The effective date of the council’s decree is April 18, 2012. They include:
- Augustine Deasis, property- 300 unit block of Jersey Avenue
- George Allen, property- 300 unit block of Middlesex Street
- L&L Holdings, LLC property-unit block of East Thompson Avenue
- Paul and Jean Livore property-500 unit block of Somerset Street
- Michael Kelly property-200 unit block of South Third Street
Asked for further details, John Kearney, City Solicitor said, “The rental registration ordinance was updated and amended by the current administration but the most important change was an increase in the enforcement and inspection staff. This has led to proceedings before Mayor and Council against landlords who have demonstrated, in the eyes of the inspection office, an inability to follow the rules and/or manage rental property. To date this has resulted in Common Council revoking the rental licenses of four landlords.”
Mayor James added, "Mayor and Council in conjunction with the Housing Department, Police Department and Fire Department will continue to monitor not only rental properties but all properties for proper compliance to the Housing and Building codes of the city and will aggressively prosecute offenders who are negatively impacting the quality of life in neighborhoods throughout the community. Sometimes it only takes one bad property and or bad occupants of a property to bring down a whole neighborhood. We've seen it happen over the years and it is not going to continue without consequences."
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