Residents voiced their concerns at July 9 council meeting
by David Kilby, Special Writer
ALLENTOWN — A few abandoned houses in the borough have raised concerns among residents regarding upkeep at the various properties.
Rachel Cotrino of Hamilton Street voiced her concerns about 23 Hamilton St. at the Allentown Council meeting on July 9.
”Twenty-three Hamilton St. has been abandoned for I don’t know how long,” she said to Mayor Stuart Fierstein and the council. “The ivy is growing up into the electric wires. You can’t even walk on the sidewalk. You almost have to walk into the street to walk around the house. It’s really a safety issue.”
She requested a maintenance crew to come to the property at least once a year.
”That property has been under foreclosure,” Mayor Fierstein responded. “The state courts are extremely slow. They’re not moving forward. Public works is aware of it, and we’re going to basically get some sort of pest control service to deal with the problem. There’s no one we can put a tax lien on. The property has little or no value.”
He added that the borough tried to sell the property in the past, but has been unable to do so because of what is owed in back taxes.
Carolyn Scholer of Quinn Road was concerned about another house, 98 Lakeview Drive, on the other side of town.
The mayor said the family of the deceased owner, Elsie Lambeau, had offered to pay a lien on the property and take it over.
”That opportunity was afforded by the court,” he said, adding that the process of the liens is moving forward. “We’re aware of the condition that it is deteriorating. The construction official has been notified.
”We’re well aware of what you put up with,” Mayor Fierstein told Ms. Scholer, reiterating that the tax courts are moving slowly on the Lakeview property as well. “We’re well aware of what the people on Hamilton Street (and) the people on Church Street (are going through). There are plenty of houses that have been left in bad condition.
”It’s a matter now of putting more pressure on the lienholders because of the property’s condition,” he added regarding 98 Lakeview Drive.
He told Ms. Scholer that taxpayers pay for the borough to maintain the lawn every two weeks.
”I certainly appreciate the fact that (the grass) is not waist high, but I don’t like paying for it,” Ms. Scholer replied.
”Everything that we’re paying for to maintain other people’s property goes to the tax collector and becomes a tax lien,” the mayor said. “Sometimes tax liens don’t sell though.”
Ms. Scholer said snakes and rats from the property come onto her property, and cause problems with her dogs.
”If the property is deemed unsafe by the building official, we will have to bond or declare an emergency and come up with the cost to remove the building,” Council President Michael Schumacher said in response.
Ms. Cotrino then asked if it was the residents’ responsibility to contact the construction official and ask him to deem these properties unsafe.
”The situation at 98 Lakeview is different than the situation on Hamilton Street,” the mayor answered, explaining that 23 Hamilton Street has no lienholder.
Mayor Fierstein explained further that there is at least one other abandoned house in the borough, and just about every abandoned property is in a different situation, so each one has to be dealt with individually.

