Residents press council to address long-running nuisance at 26 Leonard Street

Several residents used the public-comment period at the June 10 Glens Falls City Council meeting to press the council to address what they described as a long-running nuisance at 26 Leonard Street.

Charles Randall, who said he lives at 24 Leonard Street, told the council the property is “getting out of control,” that people had moved in and that the property had generated “200 police calls over the past 4 years.” He said tenants at the house include someone he identified as having been involved in a prior stabbing; he said his 13-year-old son had been threatened and had been caught carrying a knife for his protection.

Kim Wright, who said she lives at 19 Leonard Street and is raising an 18-year-old, said the condition of the house affects neighbors along a bike trail and described the situation as unfair to families who pay taxes. “It's just not fair,” Wright said.

Council and staff responded during the meeting that building and code enforcement and the police department had been involved. A city official told residents, “We take every action that we can within the legal law. We're bringing them to court and again and again, and we will address the problem,” and said staff would meet with residents and buildings and codes officials to follow up.

Residents asked the council to consider nuisance-abatement steps and to return the issue to council agenda for additional discussion. One resident requested the council place the matter on the next meeting’s agenda specifically as a nuisance-abatement item. Councilors encouraged in-person follow-up with staff to share photographs and other evidence and said they would continue enforcement actions already in progress.

The meeting transcript shows the council acknowledged prior communications with building and codes staff about the property and promised further meetings with residents and department staff; it does not show an immediate new formal motion or vote on nuisance abatement.