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| My Nazareth Estate |
None of that made any difference to Allentown housing inspectors, who scheduled it for one of their "systematic home inspections," something never done in Bethlehem or Easton. In order to accommodate them, she was required to take a day off from work. She also was required to produce her latest bank statement and mortgage payment, although that has nothing to do with her home.
Now, Allentown would never dare try a "systematic home inspection" on the West end. Too many campaign contributors. So they pretty much target the downtown peasants, who never vote. They certainly conducted no inspection when King Edwin installed his mancave last Summer. And Molovinsky has just published the second installment of a three-part series about the uneven enforcement of housing code violations in the Queen City.
In Part One, City Hall Insults the Neighborhood, Molovinsky chronicles a housing inspector's refusal to do anything about a squatter (the bank foreclosed on the property) whose south side property is plagued by noise, police calls and garbage. Instead, the City cleaned the property and cut the grass.
In his second installment, Molovinsky identifies the housing inspector who is playing favorites - Lonnie Glase. Ironically, Glase is considered one of the City's toughest housing inspectors.
Molovinsky promises a Part 3, in which he'll include his correspondence with what he calls the "chain of command."
don't say bethlum won't do it. if they can find a way to screw the public they will
ReplyDeletewait a minute.....you mean Allentown just inspects owner occupied properties without reason? There's no reason for that and it's uunconscionable if it's true.
ReplyDeleteDoes that happen anywhere else?
That is absurd and I have never heard of such a thing. Rentals, sure, but never owner-ocuppied
That's exactly what I mean. They target the peasants. But saty away from affluent areas and, as MM has established, play favorites.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but what on earth gives the government the right to go into a private residence to "inspect?"
ReplyDeleteWhat an abuse of authority.
Next thing you know they'll be randomly stopping cars to check for DUI's and imposing restrictions on firearms......
Living in Allentown really sucks.
ReplyDeleteYours,
Everyone who lives here
It's a slippery slope. One day, they call an area an historic district and dictate colors of paint. The next, some power hungry career goldbrick who's going to repay the world for being picked on in high school barges into your residence with jackboots and a clipboard.
ReplyDeleteThis is completely unconstitutional and violates the 4th Amendment. The government has no right to enter your property without a search warrant (subject to exigent circumstances) unless the residents give them permission. To give them bank statements and mortgage statements further violates the 4th Amendment against search and seizure. All these residents have to do is tell them no. And the lawyers should be lining up for the class action lawsuit filed against the City.
ReplyDeleteentering a property for cause is one thing but making someone show their mortgage payments is unconstitutional.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the City is exempting the West End property owners because they doante money to campaigns. Ed Pawlowski gets up to 90% of his campaign money from outside the City and the days of big shot campaign donors living in the West End are pretty much history anyway.
ReplyDelete