RALPH FIGY
WESTFIELD – A City Council member presented an ordinance that would require property owners, including mortgage banks, to maintain vacant homes in the city.
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Fig presented a motion “to establish a city ordinance pertaining to acceptable property maintenance” at the City Council’s meeting Thursday. The motion was referred to the council’s Legislative & Ordinance committee.
Figy said the ordinance was requested by several city departments, including the Building, Health and Police departments to deal with situation in which residents just abandon property under foreclosure.
“I’m presenting this motion on behalf of several city departments and Community Policing to require proper maintenance of property, particularly lawn care,” Figy said.
JOSEPH A. ROUSE
“There are several unattended properties under bank control that are in severe disrepair,” Figy said. “Some of those abandoned properties have swimming pools with water in them and covers.”
The swimming pools on those abandoned property are a threat to neighborhood children and animals.
Figy said the problem was brought to his attention by Community Police Officer Harry Sienkiewicz, Zoning Enforcement Officer Anthony Paroline of the Building Department, and Stephen Cipriani, Code Enforcement Officer of the Health Department.
Health Director Joe Rouse reported to the Board of Health a year ago that there were 13 abandoned properties in the city that have become not only eyesores, but an environment which shelters wildlife that may carry disease, such as rabies, and which pose a potential human health risk.
“These properties are mostly in foreclosure,” Rouse said in September. “So they’re vacant and not being maintained. They’re all pretty much in the same condition because of a lack of landscaping and exterior maintenance.”
Typically the property owner is notified by city inspectors to bring the neglected property into compliance with building and health requirements, but property in foreclosure may be owned by an out-of-state bank.
“Sometimes it’s hard to determine who owns the property because the banks flip them so much,” Rouse said.
The Health Department is working in coordination with the Law Department to determine ownership and how to contact those owners.
Figy said this morning that the intent of his proposed ordinance is to give city officials a city law “with some teeth, given the inspectors the ability to get things done.”
“I have to talk to the Law Department, but I wouldn’t mind adopting an ordinance to authorize the city to put a lien on property if we have to clean it up,” Figy said. “I don’t want to see our neighborhoods become run down because a family was unfortunate and lost their property. I know in one neighborhood neighbors are mowing the lawn, but they shouldn’t have to be doing that.”
