BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
Last month, a 71-year-old woman appeared before the town council in Brooker with a plea for assistance. Caught up in a code enforcement complaint initiated by the town, she had neither the money to fully clean up her property and nowhere to live other than a camper since her previous home burned down.
Mayor Gene Melvin did offer his own hand in assistance, but even if the town had the funding, it couldn’t justify helping her without helping everyone else, he said.
While volunteers might help an overwhelmed senior comply with codes requiring cleanly kept properties, providing safe and permanent housing goes beyond chores.
Facing a code enforcement hearing before a judge, the Brooker woman, who lives with her disabled son, asked if they could remain in the camper. That is a matter she was told she would have to take up with someone else.
It is a matter Corp. Glen Ward of the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office has dealt with more than once. As the sheriff’s code enforcement officer, his job is not just about seeking compliance, but sometimes helping people get there.
The housing issue is a big one. He estimates 700 cases of people living in sheds, campers or RVs throughout Bradford County.
In the Brooker case, Ward said no fines have been assessed as gradual progress has been made. He said the case began more than a year ago when the original home burned down. The county allowed a year to clean-up the property and make other living arrangements. The time expired, and the property was one of several the town of Brooker asked code enforcement to address.
Ward said the electrical wiring is a particular safety concern with this case, with extension cords running from a telephone pole for power. When it comes to hurricanes and other disasters there is a general lack of safety if someone is living in such a structure.
The county’s land development regulations prohibit living in recreational equipment or accessory structures such as sheds. Recreation equipment includes boats, travel trailers, motorized dwellings, etc.
The regulation states:
“No major recreational equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a lot in a residential district, or in any other location not approved for such use.”
An approved location would include a campground or RV park. The regulations also restrict parking in residential districts for an extended time to the rear or side yard of a home.
As for accessory structures:
“Accessory structures should constitute a minimal investment, may not be used for human habitation, and be designed to have minimal flood damage potential. Examples of accessory structures are detached garages, carports, storage sheds, pole barns, and hay sheds.”
“We’re not here to make things difficult for people, especially ones that are having issues right now monetarily,” Ward said. “The sheriff’s philosophy is as long as they’re making slow progress, we’re not going to fine them.”
Ward said he is monitoring this Brooker case and met face-to-face with the woman, telling her she didn’t need to appear before the magistrate.
He said the county is also implementing a service for extreme cleanups that would provide a dumpster at a much lower cost for the disposal of garbage and debris. If they cannot afford the lower price, then the county can attach a lien against the property and allow the owner to pay it back in installments like a loan.
As for permanent housing, Ward said he spoke with someone involved in the cleanup. They are looking for options.
“We don’t want to go in there and start fining this lady and take their land. They got nowhere to go,” he said, “We are trying, and we’re actually going above and beyond other counties. I really would like to find something, to have something there that is legal, affordable for her to get. That’s what we’re trying to find, some kind of a solution for that. And to be honest with you, it’s hard.”
Even if a suitable mobile home were available, there is a cost to acquire, transport and install it.
“Are we going to put her out on the street? Yeah, we’re not going to do that. But we’ve got to have some kind of a cut off. Because there’s probably a good 700 people living in sheds or RVs in the county,” he said.
The question of fairness is raised if only some of those cases are facing code enforcement action.
Ward said the sheriff’s office only responds to complaints, and per the sheriff, that does not include anonymous complaints. And if the subject of the complaint is responsive and trying to comply, they won’t face fines.
“We’re actively looking for a solution, rather than just dropping the hammer on them,” he said. “Another gentleman who’s in the same position that she’s in, he’s elderly, he’s low income, and his house is structurally unsafe. But we haven’t put it in front of magistrate yet. We’re looking at options to help without the county footing the bill. So, you can only imagine how hard that is.”
There isn’t a blanket solution, and cases are dealt with individually. Some housing cases have gone before the judge, including one Ward said involved dumping raw sewage on the ground. In another case, the property owner was unresponsive, so a lot depends how residents work with the sheriff’s office.
“I can go to 50 different cases involving these campers, and I can have 50 different outcomes and 50 different scenarios,” he said, adding they want to be fair.
“We don’t put these people out in the street, but we got to come to some kind of conclusion to keep the area safe.”
