The City’s Neighborhood Action Team (NAT) will be conducting neighborhood inspections throughout the summer. Our first sweep will occur this Friday in the area of Church Street. The NAT is one component of the City’s Neighborhood Housing Initiative and represent the elected officials commitment to revitalize the neighborhoods. The NAT is a team represented by every City Department which includes Code Enforcement, Police, Fire, Community Development, and the Street Department. Each department has their own focus during the sweep. Code Enforcement will be inspecting properties for any property maintenance issues or obvious code deficiencies. The Police Department will focus inspecting vehicles and any suspicious activity. The Fire Department will be inspecting hydrants and looking for any concerns for fire related issues. The Office of Community Development will proudly provide information on the sweep and how to seek funding from their office for home repairs. The Street Department completes street sweeping, maintenance of City owned property or vacant/abandoned property and related activities.
No actual fines are given during these sweeps unless there is a serious, life threatening issue. Property owners receiving notices are required to contact Code Enforcement within 24 hours of a notice to develop a plan of action. They are given up to 24 hours to correct violations such as high grass and up to 30 days (or more) to address more substantial issues. The purpose of the sweeps are to improve the neighborhoods and quality of life of our residents, and to remind homeowners of their obligation to maintain their properties in a safe and code compliant manner. The City utilizes the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) as published by the International Code Council for these standards. The International Code Council is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes. More information about the IPMC may be found at https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/collections/I-Codes.
Homeowners that have code-deficient properties are encouraged to contact the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Pittston at 570-654-4601 or visit www.pittstonrda.com. Income eligible residents may qualify for programs to help make required repairs to their home. Rules and regulations apply and funds are limited.
An abandoned vehicle is one that does not have a current inspection. Vehicle owners are given 7 days to obtain an inspection before further enforcement action occurs.