Mayor: Landlords with repeated crime problems targeted

Landlords with tenants who repeatedly end up behind bars may soon find themselves in court pleading with a judge not to approve forfeiture of their properties.

Copies of a new nuisance ordinance were circulated Thursday night during a special night meeting of City Council's public safety committee.

According to Joseph Gerardi, city building official, the ordinance is getting a final review by the city solicitor and could be on the agenda of next Thursday's City Council meeting.

This ordinance would amend an existing law and impose potential fines of $600 or more should landlords be convicted of repeatedly violating city codes and failing to keep their properties safe and sanitary.

Missing from the proposed ordinance, however, are references to properties in which criminal activity regularly occurs.

Earlier versions included criminal activity as one of the conditions that could be deemed a nuisance, but Police Chief Gregory Foresman said crime-related nuisances are not included in the current version because the state crime code gives county district attorneys power to take action against such properties and their owners.

He said district attorneys can take landlords to court if they allow properties to become havens for drug dealers and other criminals or if regularly the scene of criminal activity.

The potential penalties, he added, include forfeiture of properties from landlords.

The police chief said information about several properties in the city has been provided to District Attorney Eric Linhardt.

"The penalties are going to be quite severe," he predicted.

"I hope that before too long you're going to see some swift action," added Mayor Gabriel J. Campana.

The district attorney was contacted earlier this week about the issue and indicated an announcement would be forthcoming.

The safety meeting also dealt with other public safety issues and was attended by about 20 people, including members of the Williamsport Landlords Association and representatives from four Neighborhood Watch groups.

Council members present were Jonathan Williamson and committee members J. Michael Wiley and chairman Gerry Fausnaught.

One of the main reasons for the session was to encourage neighborhood watch groups to send representatives to the Williamsport Citizens Corps Council's monthly meetings.

The volunteer council meets at 7:30 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month in council chambers at City Hall and is open to the public.

Assistant Fire Chief Tom Swigart is city emergency management coordinator and the contact person for those wishing to participate in the corps' training and volunteer programs. Those programs include the community emergency response team, which has about 70 volunteers trained to help their neighborhoods deal with major incidents such as severe storms.

The city Citizens Corps Council is the only such council in the state, Swigart said, and is able to seek funding to provide equipment and training to neighborhood groups.