Questions remain after building collapse in city
The rubble had barely settled following the July 12 collapse of the three-story “Montgomery Building” on North Main Street in Washington when the questions started.
Could the failure of the structure have been foreseen? Was enough done beforehand to prevent it? Are there any other buildings in Washington – or in other communities in the region, for that matter – that are poised to cave in?
About six weeks after the collapse, answers remain elusive on some fronts. As the Observer-Reporter outlined in a story in the Sunday edition, city officials were aware of problems with the building, after having been contacted by one resident about a sizable crack in one of its walls, and concerns that the foundation was in a state described as “severe” and “dangerous.”
After the collapse, other apartment buildings owned by Mark Russo and his sister, Melissa, were inspected by city officials, shuttered and their residents removed for the sake of their own safety.
Buildings owned by other landlords met with a similar fate. Seeing what transpired at 15 N. Main St., spurred city officials to prioritize code violations at rental properties and take action.
But the city’s funds are not bottomless, and there is only one code enforcment officer for a city that has more than 4,000 buildings within its boundaries. Washington, and other cities like it, needs more help with funding to identify and clear away blighted properties.
Doing so would not only prevent other calamities like the one at 15 N. Main St., from happening again, but also reduce crime, and make the area a more attractive one in which to live and invest.
And city officials were aware of problems at 15 N. Main St., citing the Russos in March. However, their first appearance in court was not due until just days after the building collapsed. That all individuals receive due process is obviously important, and it’s a rare court docket that’s ever empty, but there must be some way to expedite the process and intervene more directly when a structure could pose a threat to its occupants.
Scott Putnam, the mayor of Washington, explained that “I don’t know if we missed the mark. It’s the timeframe given by the magistrates, given by the law, that kind of holds us back. We cited (Russo). And it takes that long to get a hearing in front of the magistrate.”
Putnam emphasized that, “if code enforcement finds a situation, that’s what you can do. Other than going out and condemning and getting everybody out…”
Fortunately, some laws have recently been enacted at the state level that can help communities get a handle on abandoned or dilapidated properties. Land banks allow communities to purchase abandoned or tax delinquent properties and make them usable again.
The number of housing code convictions needed for a criminal prosecution has fallen from four to two, and municipalities have the power to collect costs associated with structures that have violated local codes.
Much has been done. Nevertheless, it’s clear that more needs to be done.