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Dealing with a surge of out-of-town owners and an increase in vacant property is an ongoing challenge for many older communities. Charleroi Borough has been taking numerous steps to enhance the tools available with enforcement of property maintenance.

Recently, Code Officer Michele Mackey revoked the rental license of the owner of eleven houses for repeated violations. Tenants are being forced to leave and the units will not be able to be occupied unless the owner appeals or sells the homes. Council adopted the rental licensing ordinance, which includes a license fee for rental units and clauses for repeated violations that may result in revocation of the owner’s ability to rent. “Council has made it clear that landlords need to be more responsible and we will not tolerate this level of violation any longer,” said Mackey.

Borough Council also added a part-time code officer in 2015 and enacted other code enforcement ordinances thereafter. The Borough has a rental rate of roughly 53% with more than 750 rental units in the Borough. The Borough has demolished nearly 20 blighted properties in the last three years.

Charleroi is also an active participant the “Fight Blight” efforts being lead by the Mon Valley Progress Council. Joe Kirk, Director of the Progress Council, says Charleroi is not alone in this fight. “The Progress Council started this initiative because it is a problem in the Mon Valley and across the country,” said Kirk.

Additionally the Borough is working on a Code Violation Ticketing Ordinance. The code officers would be able to write tickets upon viewing a violation like tall grass, rubbish, etc. Both the tenant and/or landlord could be issued a ticket. The tickets would work like a parking ticket. They would have to be paid and the violation remedied or the Borough would proceed with further prosecution. Borough Manager Donn Henderson is hopeful that, upon approval, this will speed up the enforcement. “Now we have to send letters and give a period of time for compliance. If enacted, you will immediately be cited for violations and if you don’t comply you will pay more fines,” said Henderson. Council is slated to consider this ordinance in the coming months.

A vacancy ordinance is also being considered by Council, which would charge and additional annual assessment to properties that sit vacant. The ordinance is based on a premise that vacant properties are a public nuisance and decrease the value of adjacent properties. Henderson says that some properties are bought and owners just hold on to them to see if they can flip quickly for an increased price. “We also have commercial properties that the owners express no interest in doing anything with them and we hope this additional cost will force some of them into action,” he stated. The Council will review the pros and cons of this proposed ordinance sometime in August or September.

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