City Controller report finds violation by multiple-property owners

Philadelphia’s City Controller is calling for a crackdown on multiple-property owners who are racking up violations.

A sample study of some of the city’s multiple-property owners found unresolved violations for property maintenance, fire code and licensing-related offenses.

“It’s important that the Licenses & Inspections Department enforce all regulations and maintain follow-up procedures to find out if any violations have been corrected,” Controller Alan Butkovitz said of the report.

Here’s some of what the report found:

36 properties owned by 23 different owners combined for 135 unresolved violations
A combined $356,999 is owed for delinquent real estate and water receivables for all property owners included in the sample
Three properties owned by one individual were being used as rentals without the owner obtaining the required rental licensing

Butkovitz says a resolution can be sought buy encouraging other city agencies like the Revenue Department to work with the Department of Licenses & Inspections to cite violators and follow up.