Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The same folks who are criticizing the city for giving these warning citations are the same folks who claimed the city didn't do its job right inspecting the Jay Street buildings that burned.  So, it is another case that the city officials are damned no matter what they do in the minds of nayboobs.  The nayboobs bray like jackasses no matter what the city or town officials do.
Crumbling fronts steps, stairs without handrails and a chimney in danger of falling are serious issues.  The chimney could fall and kill someone. A person could fall and break a hip on those stairs that don't comply with the code.
The homeowners have received warning citations.  They have time to remedy it.  There are a number of organizations that will help the elderly with home repairs.  

The jay street property was income property and I can only assume it accepted section 8, which makes it regulated by the state.  A private residence is not open to the public, it does not generate income.  The code enforcement scheme on residential property is just a revenue generator.  How does threatening a person with a fine help a homeowner with limited resources up-keep their property?  

What is the root cause of why people aren't maintaining their property?  Lack of financial resources.  If the city really wanted residential property fixed, they would lower taxes and keep the money in homeowners pockets.  No- instead they keep the oppressively high taxes and threaten homeowners with fines.  

I don't know how city residents live under such tyranny, a government forcing homeowners to spend their limited resources on what the GOVERNMENT tells them it should be spent on.

why are there 'crumbling' homes in Schenectady these days?

50 some odd years ago....the city was pristine!

What has changed?

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The same folks who are criticizing the city for giving these warning citations are the same folks who claimed the city didn't do its job right inspecting the Jay Street buildings that burned.  So, it is another case that the city officials are damned no matter what they do in the minds of nayboobs.  The nayboobs bray like jackasses no matter what the city or town officials do.
Crumbling fronts steps, stairs without handrails and a chimney in danger of falling are serious issues.  The chimney could fall and kill someone. A person could fall and break a hip on those stairs that don't comply with the code.
The homeowners have received warning citations.  They have time to remedy it.  There are a number of organizations that will help the elderly with home repairs.  

You are so ignorant DV.

You live in this world of absolutely no financial responsibility to support yourself and a family.  You live with two rich mommies who, as senior citizens are building a brand new house.   Two rich mommies so rich that they do not qualify for even the Senior STAR exemption.

Sorry DV, but as a non-taxpayer yourself who does NOT have t6o survive on SS, and perhaps a small pension, being forced to pay the taxes of millionaires and billionaires downtown, and after paying typical $7,000 in the school and local taxes and (non-tax deductible) fees, these people, DV, simply do NOT have the funds immediately available to spend.  Homeowners, even elderly, have to put money aside and budget for routine maintenance, probably have an idea of the life cycle of their roof, furnace, etc.  Removing a chimney is not a normal -- the code guy did say "REMOVE" the chimney.   After people pay in excess of $7,000, sorry little boy DV, but people just don't have thousands of dollars or more lying around (like your two rich mommies have) to pay to remove a chimney, which not only is "removing the chimney" but it can involve costs for structural issues and in the older houses it may even result in opening up encased asbestos.  But, in DV's dream world, people have money for everything.  

Time for you to grow up, move out on your own, get off the tits, support yourself and learn what real adulthood means.

And DV, remember, the mayor you love so much is making these people pay the taxes of the billionaire Galesi and making these people pay for the demolition of a building that Galesi owns.  So many don't have money to pay for demolition things on their own house.   But then, again, as a 50+ year old man who had not yet left the nest to live as a normal independent self supporting adult, you would not understand.

If people didn't have to pay for the downtown buildings and then the taxes of the mayor's rich political cronies, the taxes would be lower, home values would be increasing, people would have equity in their homes and they could afford to make repairs.  

Good Lord. Two completely separate issues. Most adults realize that, though.

Quoted from CICERO

The jay street property was income property and I can only assume it accepted section 8, which makes it regulated by the state.  A private residence is not open to the public, it does not generate income.  The code enforcement scheme on residential property is just a revenue generator.  How does threatening a person with a fine help a homeowner with limited resources up-keep their property?  

What is the root cause of why people aren't maintaining their property?  Lack of financial resources.  If the city really wanted residential property fixed, they would lower taxes and keep the money in homeowners pockets.  No- instead they keep the oppressively high taxes and threaten homeowners with fines.  

I don't know how city residents live under such tyranny, a government forcing homeowners to spend their limited resources on what the GOVERNMENT tells them it should be spent on.

Every property owner - commercial or residential - is responsible for maintaining his or her property up to code.  The city would be derelict in its responsibility if it did not enforce its codes across the board.  And you know damn well - that you and the he/she nayboob and Madam X-Lax would be the first to attack city officials if that chimney fell down and killed someone or someone fell and broke a hip on those broken stairs.

The FACT is that the citations were warnings -- The FACT is that there are programs available to help people (especially seniors) fix up their property -- and the FACT is that the great majority of those folks who received warning citations in the past were able to fix the issue and were NEVER fined.

Finally -- it comes down to this simple truth -- you nayboobs can not REASONABLY have it both ways.  You can't attack the city .. claiming it is doing nothing to improve conditions -- and then attack them when they enforce the codes in an attempt to improve conditions.   The FACT is that you nayboobs are UNREASONABLE, crave attention to provide fulfillment in your  otherwise boring lives,  will never be satisfied and get your cheap thrills by braying like a bunch of jack asses.  

Once again, predicting the future. I "would be"? Says you.
I think we've stated our positions clearly. Go back, re-read Cicero's post, and this time, try to understand the difference.
BTW, have your buddies with the city complied with those FOIL requests yet? If not, why not?

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Every property owner - commercial or residential - is responsible for maintaining his or her property up to code.  The city would be derelict in its responsibility if it did not enforce its codes across the board.  And you know damn well - that you and the he/she nayboob and Madam X-Lax would be the first to attack city officials if that chimney fell down and killed someone or someone fell and broke a hip on those broken stairs.

The FACT is that the citations were warnings -- The FACT is that there are programs available to help people (especially seniors) fix up their property -- and the FACT is that the great majority of those folks who received warning citations in the past were able to fix the issue and were NEVER fined.

The city would be derelict if they didn't enforce tax law on all properties.  No, they grant property tax exemptions on private commercial property, giving them the financial resources to maintain their property, while residential property is taxed in full to pay for the infrastructure surrounding the exempt commercial properties.

If the city wants to "help" people maintain their property, they don't have to cite them, they can send the property owner a friendly letter informing the owner where they can get the resources to make necessary repairs.

And don't give me this bullshit about broken hips or getting hurt because of lack of handrails.  The elderly can just as well fall down interior staircases that have broken handrails.  There are probably more unsafe conditions that are present INSIDE the property.  This isn't about safety, it's about curb appeal, and squeezing money out of homeowners in an attempt to paper over the dilapidated neighborhoods of Schenectady.

Quoted from Madam X

Once again, predicting the future. I "would be"? Says you.
I think we've stated our positions clearly. Go back, re-read Cicero's post, and this time, try to understand the difference.
BTW, have your buddies with the city complied with those FOIL requests yet? If not, why not?

There is no difference - Now try to understand that simple fact that most property owners are very much aware of: ALL property owners are responsible for maintaining their own property and keeping it compliant with federal and state laws as well as municipal codes.  The city's policy of enforcing all pertinent laws and codes ACROSS THE BOARD in every neighborhood -- is the most reasonable and fair way to resolve the problems and fix up properties all across the city.  (Unless of course, you want special treatment so you can be a Slumlord  .. or in your case a Slumlady.  I know some folks who were major supporters of Mayor Jurzynski who squealed like pigs caught in the briars when his administration tried to do blanket code enforcement -- and these political supporters' properties were cited along with others.  Too many people want everyone else to obey the law - but want excuses to break the law themselves. --- and judging by your response and the other nayboobs' responses .. you want special treatment for your derelict properties.)  

Now also try to understand the simple fact that these citations were warnings - not threats.  Both the Stratton and McCarthy administrations have worked with homeowners to try to resolve these code violations.  There are programs  (Umbrella is one of them) that exist to help seniors and other homeowners make necessary home repairs.

Now try to understand that the reason why most of us reasonable people who love our community think that you and the other nayboobs are irrelevant, shrieking shrews and braying jackasses is that no matter what the city officials do -- you will be whining and complaining.  

Quoted from CICERO

And don't give me this bullshit about broken hips or getting hurt because of lack of handrails.  The elderly can just as well fall down interior staircases that have broken handrails.  There are probably more unsafe conditions that are present INSIDE the property.  This isn't about safety, it's about curb appeal, and squeezing money out of homeowners in an attempt to paper over the dilapidated neighborhoods of Schenectady.

It IS about safety -- and the city is acting properly and responsibly by enforcing the laws and codes ACROSS THE BOARD.  You may want excuses to keep your property derelict and non-compliant --- but you won't get excuses.  Be a responasible property owner -- and fix your place up.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

There is no difference - Now try to understand that simple fact that most property owners are very much aware of: ALL property owners are responsible for maintaining their own property and keeping it compliant with federal and state laws as well as municipal codes.  The city's policy of enforcing all pertinent laws and codes ACROSS THE BOARD in every neighborhood -- is the most reasonable and fair way to resolve the problems and fix up properties all across the city.    

But all properties are not taxed the same.  The city is citing homeowners whose taxes are 20% or more of the value of their home.  While commercial property are exempt from paying property taxes or are negotiated through PILOT programs.  In this case, certain property owners are harassed by the city because the of the city's confiscatory tax policy on residential property.  While other select properties are exempt from that same tax policy.

Don't waste your time, Cicero. You know and I know that making sure people are safe in a multiple dwelling where the owner may not ever have laid eyes on the property, and where the residents have no way of knowing if the whole place is up to code or not, is a whole other kettle of fish. it's a legitimate and necessary action, IMO.
An individual property owner's front steps, on the other hand, I can assess the risk for myself. Did the postman cease to deliver mail to that address? If not, how bad can the steps in question be, and isn't that a matter between the owner, any visitors, and her insurance company?
There is already a store tenant, who didn't bother to have his own insurance, who intends to sue the city after the fire. No one who trips because of a handrail on private property has ever successfully sued the city, to my knowledge.
There is too a threat attached. Comply or pay a fine IS a threat, and it isn't being evenly applied. There's a house in my neighborhood, this has been the 5th winter it has stood vacant, I believe it is bank owned, and it is falling apart. There was a code 'sweep' done during that period of time, why did this house escape repairs? How about the bank-owned house with the smelly swimming pool in the backyard? What is going on here?

Quoted from Madam X

There's a house in my neighborhood, this has been the 5th winter it has stood vacant, I believe it is bank owned, and it is falling apart. There was a code 'sweep' done during that period of time, why did this house escape repairs? How about the bank-owned house with the smelly swimming pool in the backyard? What is going on here?

Another 'FIRE' waiting to happen.
that surely gits 'em down fast.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

It IS about safety -- and the city is acting properly and responsibly by enforcing the laws and codes ACROSS THE BOARD.  You may want excuses to keep your property derelict and non-compliant --- but you won't get excuses.  Be a responasible property owner -- and fix your place up.

Ok - Why are homeowners neglecting the safe repair of their property?  Is it because they like putting themselves and everybody else at risk?  Are they just irresponsible?

Quoted from bumblethru

why are there 'crumbling' homes in Schenectady these days?

50 some odd years ago....the city was pristine!

What has changed?

The city was not pristine - at any point in its history - unless you go back to the pre-stockade era.  There were eyesores and problems 50 years ago and at every stage of the city's history.  The only thing that has changed is that you took off your rose-colored glasses.