Fire doors chained shut, windows missing, a failing roof, a bedbug infestation — these were a few of the reasons City of Bradford officials gave on Thursday for shutting down the OYO Hotel at 153 Main St.
A call to the hotel by The Era Thursday evening was unanswered.
A statement from city administrator Chris Lucco’s office Thursday evening said the suspension of the rooming house license at the five-story, 120-year old building was due to extensive code violations and the management’s refusal to remedy them.
The city’s board of health was forced to take action. The issues were not only building maintenance, but were also sanitary conditions and life safety.
“The hotel had persistently engaged in a hazardous practice of barricading, screwing, and chaining shut the emergency exits,” Lucco wrote. “Despite multiple warnings spanning over a year, the establishment continued to obstruct these crucial fire exits.”
Local ordinances are clear that violations must be rectified right away. Yet, Lucco said, “After each warning, the hotel would briefly make the exits accessible, only to find them sealed off during subsequent inspections.”
The 50 to 80 residents, some of whom are homeless and are staying there on vouchers from charity while others are there on Section 8 for very low-income people, would not be able to escape the building in the event of an emergency.
Lucco said on Oct. 5, the exits were again found to be unusable.
“Documentation was provided to both the property owner and management, detailing the exit issue, alongside numerous other building, health, and safety violations that needed to be addressed within a 5-day period,” he explained. “A follow-up inspection on October 19th revealed that the majority of these issues remained unremedied, including the continued inaccessibility of emergency exits.”
Health Director Mike Cleveland and health officer John Peterson determined the continued disregard for the safety and health of the residents, as well as the law, had to be addressed.
“Coupled with the plethora of ongoing code violations, bedbug infestations, a deteriorating roof, missing windows, and electrical and heating problems throughout the building, along with the absence of any effort to rectify these concerns, it was determined that the license had to be suspended immediately on grounds of life safety and health concerns,” the statement read.
Lucco said Cleveland made “strong efforts” to work with the management at the hotel, giving them opportunities to rectify the issues that were identified. It just didn’t happen.
“This left no recourse but to act in accordance with the established laws aimed at safeguarding public safety,” Lucco said.
While the action was necessary to protect those who were living or staying at the facility, those same people may be displaced by the license suspension.
Lucco said city officials acknowledge that.
“In response, the city has been working closely with the McKean County Housing Authority, McKean County Health and Human Services, the Guidance Center, the Bradford YWCA, and the McKean County Emergency Management Agency,” he explained. “Plans are underway to identify a location in close proximity to the OYO Hotel for setting up a temporary intake center.
“This facility will offer essential services to those affected, including counseling, housing alternatives, food, and other critical needs,” Lucco said. “Details regarding the location and operating hours of the intake center will be forthcoming.”
No information was available on how long residents might have to vacate the premises. Signs were posted on the doors of the facility by late in the afternoon on Thursday, stating the rooming house license was suspended.
