Latest News

July 11, 2024

WGRZ: "Lawsuit filed vs. City of Buffalo over rental inspections"

Claudine Ewing | July 11, 2024 Several organizations have filed a lawsuit against the City of Buffalo. They want the city to implement the proactive rental inspection law.  Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, executive director of Partnership for the Public Good,  cited a …

July 11, 2024

WBFO: "Lawsuit against City of Buffalo seeks full implementation of Proactive Rental Inspections Law"

Thomas O'Neil-White | July 11, 2024 Eight plaintiffs including four City of Buffalo residents and four community organizations filed a lawsuit to compel the city to fully implement the Proactive Rental Inspections Law. The law is intended to protect residents living in rental properties from health …

July 11, 2024

Buffalo News: "Community groups, residents ask judge to order Buffalo to do more lead paint inspections"

Deidre Williams | July 11, 2024 Dorothy Oatmeyer says the Duerstein Street house where she and her family reside feels as though it is falling apart. There are holes between bricks and in the corners of windowsills. Bricks are falling off the back of the house. The kitchen floor is missing in large …

July 11, 2024

Investigative Post: "Buffalo sued over inner-city lead poisoning"

I'Jaz Ja'ciel | July 11, 2024 Tenants and community organizations are taking the City of Buffalo to court, contending it is failing to enforce rental inspection laws aimed at reducing lead paint in the city’s aging housing stock. The inspection law, enacted in 2020, was in response to the …

July 10, 2024

Read the Proactive Rental Inspections Lawsuit Filed Today

Today, Partnership for the Public Good, People United for Sustainable Housing, the Center for Elder Law and Justice, and Housing Opportunities Made Equal filed a lawsuit against the City of Buffalo for failing to implement its proactive rental inspection program. 

July 1, 2024

80 Local Physicians and Medical Professionals Call on City of Buffalo to Implement the Proactive Rental Inspections (PRI) Law to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning

Today, 80 local physicians and other medical professionals, along with the New York State Chapter 1 of the American Academy of Pediatrics, joined together with one voice to urge City of Buffalo leaders to protect Buffalo’s children and fully implement the Proactive Rental Inspections law …

May 15, 2024

Buffalo News: "Housing inspection program is hot topic at rally, Buffalo Common Council budget hearing"

Harold McNeil | May 15, 2024 Housing Opportunities Made Equal, or HOME, is a local nonprofit agency that helps tenants deal with housing issues, among the most prevalent of which is unsafe housing conditions, according to Steven Haagsma, education manager for the agency. It's why he and a …

May 3, 2024

WGRZ: "What should be done with the 7,000 vacant properties the City of Buffalo owns?"

Nate Benson | May 3, 2024 The City of Buffalo owns roughly 7,000 vacant properties, according to Mayor Byron Brown's State of the City address. There are an additional 9,000 privately owned vacant properties in the city as well.  There are 15,000 vacant properties in total.  "That's …

April 27, 2024

Buffalo News Editorial Board: "City priorities should include housing, infrastructure and key amenities"

Buffalo News Editorial Board | April 27, 2024 It’s time to look forward. We’re expecting ideas and projects that will move Buffalo in a robust, innovative direction, as well as discussion of improvements in services and infrastructure when Mayor Byron W. Brown presents his State of the …

April 14, 2024

Buffalo News Editorial Board: "Buffalo's Proactive Rental Inspection program should be fully funded"

Buffalo News Editorial Board | April 14, 2024 Finding and fixing problems in aging rental units before it’s necessary to use punitive enforcement is a great idea. Making that policy a law? Even better. But laws need to be implemented and the city of Buffalo’s reluctance to fully …

April 13, 2024

Registration Open for Uniting on the High Road: A Conference on Economic Justice at the Local Level

In cities across the United States, everyday people are working to transform our democracy by strengthening their voices in local government, shaping an economy that works for all, and reimagining public safety and health. They are organizing locally to imagine and build a new future where people …

April 9, 2024

Buffalo News: "Buffalo's lead paint inspection program is unsustainable, commissioner say"

Deidre Williams | April 9, 2024 Three years ago when Buffalo launched a Proactive Rental Inspections program, it was the city’s latest attempt to solve a lead poisoning problem that has plagued Buffalo’s old housing stock for decades. Mayor Byron W. Brown said it would help the city …