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Residents urge city to address vacant, fire‑damaged rental at 151 West C Street and strengthen code enforcement
Summary
Property owner and neighbors told the council a rental at 151 West C Street was abandoned in 2020, repeatedly occupied by transients, and burned in June; they urged an ordinance requiring owners to report vacancies and secure properties and asked the incoming city manager for follow up.
Two residents told the council on July 1 that a rental property at 151 West C Street had been abandoned in 2020, repeatedly reoccupied by transients, and caught fire in late June, and they asked the city to take stronger action on vacant and nuisance properties.
Maria Pinaldo, an owner of property with family ties to Brawley, said she first reported the property to code enforcement in November 2020 and described an initial responsive cleanup by officers Oscar Escalante and David Trevino in January 2021. Pinaldo told council she later learned those officers had left code enforcement and she said follow‑up was not completed. She said she contacted code enforcement, the city manager and a council member in December and received only a “still working on it” reply. On June 20 she said the house caught fire in the early morning; a nearby elderly relative was awakened by flames. Pinaldo praised the Brawley Fire Department’s rapid response and asked the council to consider an ordinance requiring property owners to notify the city when a property is vacant and to impose fines if owners do not maintain and secure their properties.
Neighbor Christina Diaz, who lives at 159 West C Street, thanked firefighters who responded to the blaze and described the scene: she said fire personnel knocked on doors, opened gates as needed and remained until the fire was fully extinguished. Fire staff in the meeting confirmed the quick, coordinated response and thanked the crews involved.
Interim city staff told the council they received an email from code enforcement and were exploring options including a health‑and‑safety receivership and a possible demolition of burned remains this year. Council members and the public asked the city to ensure code enforcement is resourced and responsive; Pinaldo offered to help staff draft an ordinance at no charge. No ordinance or formal action was taken at the July 1 meeting; staff said they would investigate immediate cleanup and legal remedies and return with options for council consideration.
