New state legislation would address property neglect

The fight over Albany’s Central Warehouse is now concerning state leaders.

Lawmakers are using the eyesore as an example to address property neglect and abandonment.

At a news conference Monday morning, local and state elected officials say there are three bills that would inevitably make something like this never happen again.

The bills would allow the following:

• A city — either themselves or through a housing non-profit — to take over a problem property if the original owner is not addressing the issues that were filed against them.

• Local governments could repossess abandoned properties.

• Require landlords to send a city a copy of their permit showing that a rental unit passed inspection before someone lives in it. Clearly, the Central Warehouse never got to that point.

The legislation has passed both the state Assembly and the state Senate. Then it goes to Gov. Hochul.