One of the most interesting speakers at the Springfield conference was Dr. Catherine Karr, who is a pediatric environmental health specialist. She reviewed a wide variety of home […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Court cases / Fire Prevention / property maintenance / rental inspections
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Illegal basement bedroom leads to tragedy
Persons who do work without a permit or allow bedrooms in basements that are in violation of the building code risk more than fines. In a tragic case […]
Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / Foreclosure / Ordinances / Politics and building codes / property maintenance
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Banks Leave Property in Limbo
The Chicago Tribune has taken on lenders over the devastation that has befallen neighborhoods while they sit back and let property deteriorate. I’ve noticed a phenomenon in my […]
Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / Liability / property maintenance
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Insurance company denies coverage in fire
Insurance companies can be allies in the fight for life/safety compliance. They have considerable power over property. If persons insured by the companies don’t live up to the […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / Foreclosure / Law Enforcement and Codes / property maintenance / training
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Reflections on Midwest tour
I recently completed a 2 month period of travel all over the Midwest doing trainings for building officials, fire inspectors, property maintenance and housing inspectors and law enforcement […]
Fire Prevention / Law Enforcement and Codes
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Firefighters discover marijuana in building on fire
It’s not unusual for one agency to stumble upon evidence that would interest another department in the local jurisdiction. Firefighters in Columbia, Pennsylvania recently found a marijuana growing […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / Foreclosure / property maintenance
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Foreclosure and legal limbo
One of the most difficult situations I deal with as a prosecutor is trying to find someone to take responsibility for a property where it is in foreclosure, […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / Foreclosure / property maintenance
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Condo Blues
I was recently contacted by someone who is gathering data on the housing market with a special interest in the health of condominium associations. He was concerned that […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / property maintenance / rental inspections
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The need for rental inspections
No better case can be made for rental inspections than when a terrible fire happens. In San Bernadino, California, 26 dwelling units were destroyed in a fire. When […]
Court cases / Fire Prevention / Liability / training
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Region III conference in Minnesota
I actually escaped the snow in Chicago this week by heading up to the Region III ICC conference in Minnesota where the weather was sunny. I always have […]