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Sentence delayed so man can make repairs
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
The owner of two vacant buildings on South Avenue who was in municipal court Monday to be sentenced after being found guilty of nine building-code violations was told that when he comes back, he’d better pack for a trip if the work is not completed.
Musa Alhamid, however, will not be leaving the city. Instead, Judge Elizabeth Kobly said he would be placed in the Mahoning County jail after she granted him an extension to demolish one building and repair another.
“If this property isn’t up to code in two weeks, bring a toothbrush, because if you don’t have the work done, you will need it where you are going,” Judge Kobly said.
Alhamid faces up to 60 days in jail for each of the nine charges he pleaded no contest to June 3 for buildings he owns at 2310 and 2316 South Ave. He was to have the 2316 South Ave. building demolished and have repairs done at the other building before he was sentenced, but most of the work, including the demolition, had not been completed by Monday.
Alhamid said he did have a contractor lined up to demolish the building, but the contractor was not approved to work in the city. He has since hired another contractor and paid for the work up front. He also said he has done some repairs on the other building, but Abigail Beniston, head of the city’s code-enforcement office, said a majority of the work had not been completed.
Judge Kobly was not pleased.
“Too little, too late,” Judge Kobly said.
His attorney, J. Gerald Ingram, agreed.
“He has tried, but he hasn’t tried hard enough,” Ingram said.
Alhamid was brought into court because of excessive weeds at both properties, as well as bad roofing and unsecured windows. One of the buildings was boarded up by the city.
The citations were filed April 22 only after several attempts by the city to get the properties cleaned up were not successful.
Alhamid said he has tried to get the work done but the judge said he had more than enough time to do it, especially since he has owned the two properties since 2015.
“You’re not trying,” Judge Kobly said. “If you were trying your property would be up to code by now.”
Judge Kobly gave Alhamid until Aug. 16 to have the necessary repairs completed. She said if they are not, he will be going to jail. The question is for how long.
Ingram assured the judge the necessary work will be completed.
“I can assure you I am going there myself, so he will be in compliance,” Ingram said.