Owners get more time to fix properties
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on November 21, 2006 1:46 PM
Goldsboro City Council members condemned three dwellings and a dilapidated commercial building Monday at their final meeting of the month.
Chief Building Inspector Ed Cianfarra said all four structures have been deteriorating for more than a year now and owners have made little attempt to rehabilitate the properties.
Broderick Poole of Virginia currently owes $78.67 in back taxes on his property at 927 Greenleaf St. The building was originally inspected in September 2005 and was cited for several violations of the Minimum Building and Construction Code, Cianfarra said.
"As you can see, the structure is in dilapidated condition," he said as he showed council members photographs.
Rotten wood, broken and boarded windows and cracks in the walls and siding were among the most visible problems.
"It's deteriorating to a point where the building is bowed in the middle," Cianfarra said.
The council voted unanimously for condemnation and demolition.
The three dwellings were addressed after the vote.
The first, located at 413 A St., is owned by Paul Bridgers Jr.
Cianfarra said the house was originally inspected in April 2004 and found in violation of Minimum Housing Code. Additionally, more than $650 in back taxes is owed on the property.
Broken windows, holes in the wall and rotten floors were among the most severe violations.
"The stairs are deteriorating and unsafe," Cianfarra added.
The house at 509 Hickory St. wasn't much better, he said. Broken steps, failing porch supports and rotten wood were cited by inspectors in October 2005.
The owners, Jimmy, Willie, Claude and Paul Greenfield currently owe close to $200 in back taxes on the property Cinafarra called "deteriorating."
The final dwelling, located at 1108 Slaughter St., was characterized as "dilapidated and not feasible for repair."
But council members disagreed with Cianfarra. Despite officially condemning the properties, they granted six-month extensions to the owners.
To receive the extra time, however, all back taxes must be paid on the properties, bonds must be posted in the amount of asbestos inspections and demolition costs and 50 percent of the repairs must be completed in 90 days.
"We make the recommendations to the council and wait for our orders," Cianfarra said.