After a call for a possible fire in a laundry room last Wednesday, September 16th, the City of Batavia Department of Public Works Bureau of Inspections has posted an unsafe building notice at 665 Ellicott Street.
Link to Scanner Report
Eight units were condemned. Some occupants are being assisted by DSS with temporary housing. One occupant was transported to the hospital for health reasons. Two residents are still there.
According to Adam Rush, Director of Public Works with the City of Batavia, 8 units behind the main house are not code compliant and not livable. The City of Batavia learned that residents were without water and electricity after an electrical issue and water issue in the laundry room caused both the water and electricity to be turned off for safety reasons.
On Friday, September 18th, the structure was deemed unsafe and occupancy has been restricted by the Code Enforcement Officer as there is a high risk of fire due to an electrical equipment hazard and unsanitary living conditions within dwelling units.
People should not enter the structure, a one story1560 sq. ft. wood framed multiple dwelling unit, except for the purpose of securing, making the required repairs or removing hazardous conditions.
The main house at 665 Ellicott Street was not occupied. The separate units at 667 Ellicott Street are not affected by the notice.
The units at both 665 and 667 are owned by Zendor Properties LLC of Gilroy, California. The company uses a property management company out of West Seneca for 665 and 667 Ellicott Street.
Rush says the violations must be addressed by October 7th and then a reinspection must be completed. The building requires an electrical upgrade, and an inspection as units are not habitable and need to be sanitized.
Places like these should be owner occupied; out of state landlords with no connection to the town or county really don’t have any incentive to care about the condition of their rentals, just the $$$ they make off of them.