Zoning Officer: Foreclosed Houses Aren't Being Shoveled Out

Foreclosed houses may be a sign of the times, but in Hellertown they're becoming a wintertime nuisance as a result of snow-covered sidewalks, the borough's zoning and codes enforcement officer told borough council Tuesday.

"I did have a lot of complaints--maybe about six or seven--about people that didn't remove snow" following the most recent winter storm, Joe Chernaskey told councilors.

A number of the homes with sidewalks which hadn't been cleared are unoccupied because they have been foreclosed upon and are bank-owned, he elaborated.

As a result, "it's hard to get a hold of somebody," he stated. "We're trying. It's not like we're just ignoring it."

Chernaskey said in response to the spate of complaints he took photos of the sidewalks which had not been cleared and will mail them, along with letters explaining the borough's policy for snow removal, to the homeowners his department has identified.

The policy is that sidewalks must be cleared of snow and/or ice within 24 hours of a winter storm, and the letters will serve as a kind of warning, Chernaskey said.

Homeowners who do not clear their sidewalks may be subject to citation, but "I wanted to give them a heads up," he indicated.

Chernaskey encouraged anyone who sees an uncleared sidewalk to contact the zoning office so that the issue may be addressed promptly.

Chernaskey, whose office is in Borough Hall, can be contacted at 610-838-7041, ext. 224.