Syracuse Monitoring and Enforcement Actions at Skyline Apartment

Published on January 24, 2022

Jan. 24, 2022

Under the coordination of the HOME Unit (High Occupancy Monitoring and Enforcement), multiple City of Syracuse Departments work together to hold Green Skyline accountable to the requirements of the Nuisance Abatement order issued in June 2021 regarding the Skyline Apartments at 753 James Street.

Actions this Week

• Code Enforcement conducted a spot check on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. As a result of that inspection, the common areas of the property have again been declared unfit.
• Inspections are being increased to weekly until further notice.
• SPD will add additional directed patrols at the property until further notice, which will increase presence by SPD officers when available at all times of day.

Syracuse Police Department

• Syracuse Police Department (SPD) stations officers at the property several days a week, in addition to the 24/7 private security required by the order.  SPD is reimbursed by the owner for officers assigned working off-duty
• Citizen generated calls for assistance have declined during the past ten months:
• During the eight week period between Mar. 1 and April 24, the average calls per week were 25. 
• In the last eight weeks, the average calls per week were eight.  SPD continues to maintain a regular presence at the property.

Code Enforcement

• Code Enforcement conducts unannounced spot checks in common spaces, at least, two times per month. 
• Code Enforcement also inspects the common areas whenever it comes to the building to respond to a resident complaint for any reason. Such an inspection occurred Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.
• There have been 79 violations issued since Mar. 1, 2021 and 11 are currently open.
• A full Certificate of Compliance (CofC) inspection was completed in August 2021. The CofC will not be issued until all violations are closed.

Law Department

• The Law Department has two cases that remain pending against Green Skyline Apartments in State Supreme Court.
• The City was awarded a judgment of $4,113 on April 28, 2021, due to the owner’s failure to maintain functioning elevators.
• Green Skyline provides reports to the Law Department regarding compliance with Nuisance Abatement terms:
• Entrances: A monitored entrance at the main entrance of the facility. Key fob security at each entrance is required and the rear entrance door is locked. This door automatically shuts down at 10:00 p.m. (even for fobs) and is actively monitored by security.
• Cameras: Cameras exist in each hallway looking in opposite directions, at every building entrance, and in the parking lots, allowing continuous real-time imaging of the facility to be monitored at the security command center located in the lobby.
• Security Guards: 24/7 staffing of security guards who actively monitor and patrol the property. The security guards serving at Skyline are licensed by New York State (unless an off-duty police officer), and operate from a lobby-based command desk.
• Reports, Management and Trespassers: information reported to or observed by security personnel is noted in a log and provided to management, which has actively reviewed all incidents at the facility and taken action where warranted including the retention of outside counsel to take legal action to evict problem tenants. These steps further include management contact over trespassers who are provided with a trespasser affidavit and reported to the police if they return to Skyline.

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