A house on Ditman Street in Tacony that's been sealed by L&I. Photo/Matthew Flowers
It’s been an ongoing issue for the past several years, but Northeast residents and politicians alike are ready to continue fighting the absentee landlords and property owners that have been blighting various neighborhoods with their poorly maintained homes.
Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-172nd, called a hearing with the House Democratic Policy Committee Feb. 21 to develop new ways of dealing with the problem.
“I think for far too many years the city of Philadelphia has not tended to this issue,” Boyle said. “I felt the responsibility was on me to make sure that they know that this is as big of an issue affecting the Northeast as it is.”
The problem began in the last decade when properties in the Northeast were being advertised in New York, prompting New York residents to buy several of the houses to rent out. The owners then return to New York, leaving the property unmaintained. These houses can subsequently become stomping grounds for anything from vermin to kids to drug addicts.
“Crime has gone up significantly,” said Barbara Dooley-Rup, chairperson of the Northeast Quality of Life Coalition. “In the last 10 years, we’ve had an increase of drug use. We’ve had an increase of prostitution. If you live on a block that has an abandoned house, it becomes a crime house.”
Dooley-Rup, a resident of Tacony, was also present at the hearing. “There were some really good ideas put forth,” she said. “One of the things that was discussed was having an actual certified manager, so it’s not your first floor tenant or your second floor tenant.”
Philadelphia’s current law says that all properties must have managers, but the manager can be a tenant of the building. With new legislation, the city could require that owners who live a certain distance from their properties have certified managers or run the fines or loss of their driver’s licenses. continue reading »
