Tenant Notified/Landlord Shut-Down

That’s the way it goes in Wilkes Barre, well unless you’re a buddy, or campaign contributor.

For those of you who still think I’m just being facetious, I have two names for you.

Betsy Summers: Citied, RIGHT after running for mayor, (being the only candidate who truly took the King to task). Oh sure she let folks move into her apt over the weekend (with verbal authorization from an inspector) and when another inspector came on Monday, folks were living there (With NO code violations found, the Apt PASSED).

• Betsy Cited $1,000.00 One Thousand Dollars.

Sherman Hills: Blatantly Violated the Rental Inspection Ordinance for YEARS, while citizens screamed for inspections, complained about lost revenue, and pointed to numerous health code violations.

• Sherman Hills Cited $0.00 ZERO Dollars.

Frank Sorick, president of the Wilkes-Barre Taxpayers Association, said he favors the concept, but expressed concerns about the details and implementation — particularly a provision holding that any notice “given to the agent, property manager or occupant shall be deemed as notice given to the owner,” and that “a claimed lack of knowledge by the owner, property manager or agent” will not stand as defense against closure of a rental unit.

• So in other words, your either knew, or should have known, but in either case, You're Guilty. WOW should like any landlord shut down, could be promoted from District Attorney to Judge.  

City Attorney Bill Vinsko replied that the city wants to “keep the duty on the occupant,”
Yet the ordinance only has consequences for the land owner????

“This is not going to be applied in a vacuum,” Vinsko said. “We’re confident the correct application of this will succeed.”

Hum, I wonder if Mr. Vinsko feels "correct application" of the Rental Ordinance was applied in the cases of Sherman Hill (campaign supporter), and Betsy Summers (Critic)?

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

• W-B council OKs ‘one-strike’ rental ordinance
• W-B council approves 'one-strike' ordinance