BUFFALO, NY - Housing court cases happen everyday, but when the president of Buffalo Common Council is leading the way against one property owner that takes things to a different level.
At 71 Orange Street in Buffalo there are boarded up windows, paint that's peeling away, and grass that hasn't been cut in who knows how long. At 35 Peach Street — the same story — and the house doesn't even have steps to the front porch.
Both homes are in the Fruitbelt.
Residents have to see these homes everyday.
And both homes are owned by Julian Russotto of Rochester.
"The owner has failed to do anything with these properties and I think we've taken every step that we can and so now the City of Buffalo is pushing or I have requested for jail time for the property owner," said Common Council president Darius Pridgen.
According to court documents, Russotto has five housing court cases with 42 violations against him. Thursday's court hearing was on the homes on Peach and Orange Streets. According to Russotto's attorney, Paul Cercone both were bought at auction several years ago.
REPORTER: How come he hasn't kept up with the maintenance of it?
"The maintenance has been addressed from time to time," Cercone said.
REPORTER: Why did he buy them in the first place if he knew that he really couldn't care for them?
"I can't answer that, I think we're good for now," Cercone said.
Pridgen has targeted poor property management at Towne Gardens, which resulted in housing improvements; and an old church on Sherman Street — a majority of it has been demolished, in hopes of something else going here.
"The worst properties in our area, I try to target, so we make sure that something happens," Pridgen said.
On Peach and Orange Streets, Russotto's attorney says they're trying to resolve the issues. Both homes were auctioned two weeks ago. But, it's unclear if the homes will really be in better hands.
Russotto owns at least eight other homes — all of them are on the East Side. Judge Patrick Carney wants an update on the auction of the two homes in the Fruitbelt in August.