VIOLATIONS: Affordable Housing buildings had dozens of code problems

August 08, 2006

By Pat Litowitz
New Castle News


The price of the repair was cheap — a pack of cigarettes.

However, a Frank Avenue family was left without answers and heat as it waited several weeks to have a furnace repaired last winter.

It was just one of the problems Jennifer Twaddle and Jason Smith faced as a rental property changed ownership in December from a New Castle Area School District administrator, now retired, to a nonprofit housing agency.

“(Nick DeRosa) told us to call a furnace man to come in and fix it,” Twaddle said.

Although he indicated he would reimburse her, Twaddle said, “he expected me to pay for it.” She didn’t have the money.

When Twaddle’s problems started in mid-December, she believed DeRosa owned the duplex. However, it had been sold Dec. 7 to Affordable Housing of Lawrence County, a group created by the Lawrence County Housing Authority.

“Me, my girlfriend and three kids have to live in a house with no heat,” Smith added.

Eventually, a friend helped Smith make repairs. During that time, he sent his family to live with relatives.

“All (he) charged us was a pack of cigarettes to get it up and running,” she said.

Attempts to reach DeRosa were unsuccessful.

As part of the sales process, the city of New Castle is required to inspect the property. The New Castle News requested and received the city’s code enforcement reports on the properties bought by Affordable Housing.

Anthony Cioffi, code enforcement officer, noted 149 violations involving the seven structures the nonprofit group had purchased for a total of $327,000.

The Frank Avenue duplex had 45 violations, including problems with a foundation wall, rodents, the electrical system and garbage inside.

“Frank Avenue was bad,” said Tony Carbone, who was hired by Affordable Housing to oversee the cleanup. “The basement was so full of stuff you wouldn’t believe it.”

“It took two truckloads to clear out basement,” Smith added.

Carbone said his workers needed 10 trucks to clean out six of the seven properties.

“These places were bad,” Carbone said. “They weren’t livable.

“Dewey was probably the cleanest of all.”

Previously owned by Harry DeRosa, the Dewey Avenue property had the fewest violations — five. The infractions were minor, such as electric outlet cover plates and porch roof shingles needing to be replaced and a damaged ceiling tile.

Harry DeRosa and Nick DeRosa are cousins.

Before declaring itself insolvent in March, Affordable Housing officials planned to rehabilitate the homes. Once repaired, the structures were to be rented to low-income and handicapped individuals. That never materialized.

Today, the group is nearly $500,000 in debt. The group’s two remaining officials, Bill Bonner and Deno DeLorenzo, are looking to sell off the properties, either privately or via auction.

Smith and Twaddle, who had lived at the Frank Avenue duplex since last year, paid $350 a month in rent. Affordable Housing officials stopped collecting payments in March.

They previously lived at 217 E. Wallace Ave., which Nick DeRosa and his business partner, John Orlando, owned before selling to Affordable.

“One day there was a storm with heavy rain,” Smith said. “Something came down through the roof and created a hole the size of a football.

“I tell Nick DeRosa. He doesn’t do nothing. All he does is say, ‘Do you want to move to a different house?’

Smith and Twaddle agreed to relocate to Frank Avenue.

“The best thing to do is tear these houses down.” Smith said.


BY THE NUMBERS

The city inspected seven properties prior to their purchase by and transfer to Affordable Housing of Lawrence County.

Anthony Cioffi, New Castle code enforcement officer, recorded 149 violations.

Listed below are the addresses of the houses he inspected and the number of code violations, along with the sale price and the names of the former owners:

•857-859 Frank Ave., 45 violations, bought for $49,000, formerly owned by Nick DeRosa

•502 Florence Ave., 30, $48,000, Nick DeRosa and John Orlando

•445-445 1/2 N. Cascade St., 28, $40,000, Harry DeRosa

•217 E. Wallace Ave., 18, $45,000 Nick DeRosa and John Orlando

•1806 Highland Ave., 15, $72,000, Nick DeRosa and John Orlando

•446 Croton Ave., eight, $28,000, David L. Defibaugh

•1123-1125 Dewey Ave., five, $45,000 Harry DeRosa

(Source: New Castle code enforcement department.)