"Strike 1"... a catastrophe in the making

NEWER NEWS FLASH
1) Note how the apartment inspection came after the police went through. After it was ransacked. The police have aided and abetted Leighton's corruption for years... what makes us think they stopped? How can you do an inspection after the apartment has been police contaminated? And do we know that somebody tampered with the alarms to give Leighton the opportunity to condemn?

2)  How many other buildings have been condemned for dead batteries in batteries (smoke detectors)? Do you think a Leighton property would be condemned for "chirping" smoke alarms? SO PREPOSTEROUS. Selective enforcement needs to be applied here.

NEWS FLASH (Sat AM)  I spoke with the Landlord Adam Peters regarding the shutting down of his apartment.

Photo by Mark Robbins    WB Independent Gazette

1)    (From Times Leader) The ordinance will allow officials to shut down a property for six months if landlords and tenants know of criminal activity on the premises and fail to alert authorities. It will take effect Sept. 1.  Peters told me he was NOT notified by anyone at any time and had absolutely no idea that any mischief was taking place.

2)    When the city did inform Peters... Peters asked, "What can I do to help the situation?" They gave him no answer. This is the complete opposite of what City solicitor Vinsko stated: "We will work with people."

3)    (From Times Leader) “The intent is not to penalize landlords, but to increase dialogue,” said assistant city solicitor William E. Vinsko Jr.     Vinsko stated this yet Peters stated there was no dialogue with whatsoever.

4)    (From Times Leader)  City Solicitor Vinsko replied that the city wants to “keep the duty on the occupant,” but that no property will be closed without due process.   Obviously there is no due process here. Peters, who rents this second floor apt in WB for $650 (hardly a slum lord)… was stunned to learn that his property was condemned over AA batteries (smoke detectors).

5)    “We still have to prove it,” Vinsko said of evidence required to close a building. So what is the evidence you are looking for here? Batteries needed for a couple of smoke detectors? A drug bust? Knowledge of Peters knowing about this activity (which he didn’t)

We are contacting the ACLU and civil rights attorneys. No Mayor, especially a drug/alcohol addict himself, should ever have this ridiculous kind of power.  CONDEMNING A BUILDING BECAUSE THE SMOKE DETECTORS NEED BATTERIES? INSANITY.

TL:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/news/830135/WBs-one-strike-ordinance-enforced

CV: http://citizensvoice.com/news/city-invokes-one-strike-ordinance-on-rental-unit-1.1551873

Let us not forget at some of the very sick ironies of the “Strike One” Ordinance:

A)   The ordinance is to go after addicts… yet Leighton and Dessoye are active addicts themselves. They suffer from a progressive brain disease. Both refuse to get an evaluation (which would shut me up if they passed)

B)  This apartment was officially condemned because of lack of fresh AA batteries in the smoke detectors. I KID YOU NOT. 

C)   The landlord was NEVER TOLD ANYTHING which is a main tenant of this illegally designed ordinance.

D)   The landlord has been slandered because it is obvious in his comments to the Times Leader that he was a fastidious landlord.

E)    Drugs were brought in by people who weren't tenants. Given it was a second floor apartment... how can any landlord reasonably watch over this activity without violating the rights of the tenant? He is not omniscient and omnipresent.

F) Bullets were whizzing at Sherman Hills as Leighton was closing this tiny apt down. Any chance Sherman Hills will be cited (or even inspected?). They've gotten away with murder (literally and figuratively).

G) When was the landlord told that it was the police who had to shut it down (per ordinance)? This is a gaping hole in this case. It sure makes it look like condemning it for smoke detectors is nothing but fraud - a fabrication. 

Other notes:

… The city does not have the right to evict people. They are not landlords.

… Landlord/tenant laws are state laws that cities cannot violate.

… You cannot hold a landlord liable for actions of tenant.

… Since when did it become a property owner’s obligation to do police work?

… A landlord can only use the courts to evict someone.

… The “word of the police” can have a tenant evicted? How is this documented?

… Bill Vinsko said the city would work with the landlord… OK – how was that accomplished here?

Is this just a big ruse for WB attorneys (Leighton cronies) to collect more money?

This make no legal sense… which is how WB attorneys can enrich themselves.

Leighton has a brain disease (alcoholism) that is progressive and 
impedes one's faculties and judgments.

Someone need to get him out of there.