Elizabeth Council votes to have house torn down

By Christine Haines

chaines@yourmvi.com

Elizabeth Borough Council is taking steps to improve the quality of life in the borough by addressing blight and other issues.

Council held a demolition hearing Tuesday for a dilapidated house at 507 Third St. Police Chief William Sombo and Fire Chief Chad Rager, who is also council president, testified that the house presents a health and safety risk to the community and is an unattractive nuisance. 

The next-door neighbor, Winona Dobrich, said she has been trying to have something done with the property for a number of years. It had been occupied by her brother and sister-in-law, both of whom are now deceased, and she has tried to keep up with outside maintenance, but the roof on the house has partially collapsed and the structure has become unsafe. 

“At one point I was always  calling the police because I thought people were getting inside,” she said.

Dobrich said the house has been vacant since her brother moved out eight years ago. He has been dead for the past five years.

Solicitor Krisha DiMascio said now that council has voted to demolish the structure, the situation will be turned over to Allegheny County.

“The county has its own team of people that will come in, check for asbestos and demolish the property,” DiMascio said. 

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