2118_Cedar_Avenue_Demo_letter.pdf

PDF 307 KB Posted

Attached to
Demolition Projects 2025
Solicitation number
2025-ITB-057
Issued by
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

About this file

This document is a demolition notice issued by the City of Scranton's Department of Licensing, Inspections and Permits for the property located at 2118 Cedar Avenue in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The notice, dated February 3, 2025, orders the demolition of a hazardous structure due to its dilapidated condition, repeated Quality-of-Life violations, and potential safety risks. The property is deemed unsafe for human occupancy, presenting dangers such as being an attractive nuisance to children, a potential fire hazard, and a potential harboring site for rodents, insects, and vagrants.

The demolition project is part of the City of Scranton's Office of Economic Community Development (OECD) Demolition of Hazardous Structures program, which is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant Program. After demolition, the city will record a lien at the Lackawanna County Courthouse for all demolition costs. The property owner has the option to appeal the demolition order within 20 days by filing an application with the Board of Appeals and paying a non-refundable $300 fee. If no action is taken, the structure is scheduled for demolition 30 days from the date of the letter, with potential additional citations for non-compliance.

View the file

Other files

Show all 16

On GovTribe

Work with this file

  • Download the original file
  • Contacts named in this file
  • Similar government files
  • Ask GovTribe AI about this file

Text version

2/3/25

Sent Via U.S. Certified & Regular Mail and Personally posted on Premises

Re: Demolition of Hazardous Structures Pin Number-16710010002

2118 Cedar Avenue Scranton, PA 18505

To Whom It May Concern, PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND ITS

CONTENTS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT THE CITY OF

SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA IMMEDIATELY. MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS

NOTED ABOVE.

After review of the above-mentioned property, it is determined that the property shall be demolished due to the dilapidated condition of the structure. The property has been cited numerous times with Quality-of-Life tickets and complaints, and to date nothing has been done to rehabilitate the structure. As time goes on, the structure has not been maintained, is deteriorated and unsanitary, nor is it kept at a regulated temperature. The building constitutes a danger to the life, health, and safety to the public and surrounding structures.

You are well aware that vacant structures are an attractive nuisance to children, a potential fire hazard and a harborage for rodents and insects along with being a potential home for vagrants.

Vacant buildings also create a blighting influence within the community and devalue surrounding properties.

The City of Scranton’s Office of Economic Community Development (OECD) implements a program entitled Demolition of Hazardous Structures to eliminate hazardous structures. This program is federally funded through the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program. Following the demolition of this property the City of Scranton’s Office of Economic Community Development (OECD) records a lien at the Lackawanna County Courthouse on the property for all costs incurred for demolition of the above-mentioned structure.

Please accept this Notice as an Order of Demolition. The above-captioned property will be scheduled to be demolished on or after Thirty (30) days from the date of this letter . This Order is standing and continuous until the date of demolition. In addition, a citation may be issued at the magistrate’s office for non-compliance.

Walter Thomas Anderson Jr.

2118 Cedar Avenue Scranton, PA 18505 grounds for the appeal. The applications can be obtained in the Licensing, Inspections and Permits Department at City Hall. Please be advised that a non-refundable check for Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) is required to file an appeal within twenty (20) days upon receipt of this letter.

If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (570) 348-4169.

Sincerely, Thomas Oleski Director/ BCO of Code Enforcement Licensing, Inspections and Permits requesting a hearing before the Board of Appeals by filing an appeals application and stating If you have any objections to the determination of this office, you may appeal this matter by

International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) 2009

110.1 General: The code official shall order the owner of any premises upon which is located any structure, which in the code official judgment after review is so deteriorated or dilapidated or has become so out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, insanitary or otherwise unfit for human habitation or occupancy, and such that it is unreasonable to repair the structure, to demolish and remove such structure; or if such structure is capable of being safe by repairs, to repair and make safe and sanitary, or to board up and hold for future repair or to demolish and remove at the owner’s option; or where there has been a cessation of normal construction of any structure for period of more than two years, the code official shall order the owner to demolish and remove such structure, or board up until future repair. Boarding the building up for future repair shall not extend beyond one year, unless approved by the building official.

Section 108 Unsafe Structures and Equipment

PM- 108.1General:

When a structure or equipment is found by the code official or code official’s agent to be unsafe, or when a structure is found unfit for human occupancy, or is found unlawful, such structure shall be condemned pursuant to the provisions of this code.

PM-108.1.3 Structure unfit for human occupancy:

A structure is unfit for human occupancy whenever the code official finds that such structure is unsafe, unlawful or, because of the degree to which the structure is in disrepair or lacks maintenance, is unsanitary, vermin or rat infested, contains filth and contamination, or lacks ventilation, illumination, sanitary or heating facilities or other essential equipment required by this code, or because the location of the structure constitutes a hazard to the occupants of the structure or to the public.

Section 106 Violations

106.3 Prosecution of violation: Any person failing to comply with a notice of violation or order served in accordance with Section 107 shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor or civil infraction as determined by the local municipality, and the violation shall be deemed a strict liability offense. If the notice of violation is not complied with, the code official shall institute the appropriate proceeding at law or in equity to restrain, correct, or abate such violation, or to require the removal or termination of the unlawful occupancy of the structure in violation of the provisions of this code or of the order or direction made pursuant thereof. Any action taken by the authority having jurisdiction on such premises shall be charged against the real estate upon which the structure is located and shall be a lien upon such real estate.

Demolition Section 110

Section 107.6 who has received a compliance order or upon whom a notice of violation has been served to sell, transfer, mortgage, lease or otherwise dispose of such dwelling unit or structure to another until the provisions of the compliance order or notice of violation have been complied with, or until such owner or the owner’s authorized agent shall first furnace the grantee, transferee, mortgagee or lessee a true copy of any compliance order or notice of violation issued by the Code Official and shall furnish to the Code Official a signed and notarized statement from the grantee, transferee, mortgagee or lessee, acknowledging the receipt of such compliance order or notice of violation and fully accepting the responsibility without condition for making the corrections or repairs required by such compliance order or notice of violation.

106.3 Transfer of Ownership: It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dwelling unit or structure

Transfer of Ownership

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .