News Release
For Release: August 11, 2010
Contact: Frank Baraff 914-469-3775

Mayor Eldridge Hawkins’ Quality of Life Task Force Begins Third Year With Surprise Nighttime Code Inspections, Street Arrests, and Demolition of Abandoned Buildings and the Walter G. Washington Public Housing Complex.

This week marks the second anniversary of the creation of Mayor Eldridge Hawkins’ Quality of Life Task Force. As part of its ongoing activity, the Task Force recently conducted surprise code enforcement inspections, issued summonses for public drinking of alcohol, demolished two abandoned and deteriorated buildings, and continued the demolition of the Walter Alexander Public Housing.

On Saturday night, August 8th, the Task Force inspected the Toast of the Town Liquor Store. Led by Mayor Hawkins and Police Director John Rappaport, City police, fire, public works, and health officials inspected several locations. At the Toast of the Town Liquor Store and Tavern, 283 Scotland Road, they found and issued summonses for numerous sanitation, electrical, fire safety and health violations. During the course of the evening, five summonses were issued for open alcohol containers and one arrest was made.

The two demolished buildings were 276 Reock Street and 568 McChesney Street.  276 Reock Street was demolished on August 3, 2010.  The property had been blighted for many years, a location for illegal dumping and squatters were frequently removed from the property.  568 McChesney Street was demolished on August 10, 2010.  The four family property has been vacant and blighted for several years.  The development makes way for the pending redevelopment of the Reock Area. The total number of vacant and abandoned properties that have been demolished by the Hawkins administration is fourteen. 

Meanwhile, demolition continued at the Walter G. Washington Housing Complex, one of the primary goals when the Task Force was created.  The demolition of the Walter G. Alexander Complex is the beginning of a major three phased housing redevelopment project that will bring 166 units of new housing at the site and in the adjacent area.

Statement by Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr.

“Our Quality of Life Task Force has found permanent solutions to properties with chronic fire and maintenance code violations that threaten the health and safety of Orange residents. We have demolished (need number) long-standing blighted properties that were unattractive and hazardous to the surrounding neighborhood with additional properties pending. We have issued numerous fire and code violations resulting in the remediation of serious hazards for tenants involving their health and safety for electrical, plumbing, infestation, and fire exit regulations.

The Task Force has conducted comprehensive enforcement team site inspections of more than 100 local businesses to ensure compliance with relevant business licensing, zoning, fire, and maintenance code requirements and placed liens on private properties that required the use of municipal labor and resources to clean them up.

Finally, the Task Force has worked closely with Housing Authority officials to execute plans for the depopulation of the Walter G. Alexander Public Housing Project and demolition of the buildings leading to future redevelopment of the area.

As the Task Force begins its third year, I look forward to continued progress in enhancing the quality of life in Orange and I invite citizens to contact me with suggestions for conducting future Task Force inspections.”

Statement by Valerie Jackson, Director Planning and Economic Development

“We developed a comprehensive plan for the stabilization of neighborhoods that have experienced a have experienced record number of foreclosures that contribute to declining home values and vacant, blighted properties.  We are meeting our goals for ridding the city of the most of blighted properties, holding property owners accountable for securing and maintaining vacant properties and developing specific plans to rehabilitate vacant properties and construct homes on vacant lots.  I am extremely pleased about our progress to-date.”

About the Quality of Life Task Force

The Task Force began in August 2008 and regularly monitors chronic maintenance, sanitation, fire, and crime prevention targets throughout the city’s neighborhoods.  What makes the Task Force different from previous municipal clean-ups is three-fold: first, the program places a greater emphasis on improving the inter-departmental coordination of the entire code enforcement network, second, the team makes regular field visits to the problem locations, and third, the program uses a “case management” approach to develop a customized solution for each problem site.  Most importantly, Mayor Hawkins plays an active role in the day-to-operation of the task force to oversee its implementation.

The Task Force is comprised of the City’s Administration, Planning, Police, Fire, Public Works, Health, and Community Services departments. The group coordinates its efforts with the Law Department to improve ordinances and the Orange Municipal Court to strengthen prosecution.

Among the goals of the Quality of Life Task Force are to: augment citywide inspection coverage by improving the remediation rate for chronic violations; update code enforcement regulations; and address blighting influences throughout the city.  Some of the specific activities have included: intensifying the Warrant Execution process; escalating the response to illegal dumping and graffiti; improving neighborhoods near current development sites; providing additional training for Code Enforcement inspection staff; clarifying responsibilities issues between Code Enforcement, Police and Public Works departments; and reviewing and amending existing ordinances to support code enforcement enhancement.

 

 

 

 

Demolition of 568 McChesney Street

 

 

 

Violation: open bottles of alcoholic beverages

 

 

 

 

   Violation: debris on sidewalk

 

Demolition of Walter G. Alexander complex continues