Chester officials push rental-registry inspections and court action after Benjamin Banneker scores 8 on HUD review

Receiver Vijay Kapoor told the Municipal Financial Recovery Advisory Committee on Aug. 26 that the City of Chester is expanding its rental-registry inspections and pursuing court action to address severe health and safety conditions at the Benjamin Banneker apartments.

Kapoor said the six-story, privately owned complex, which houses about 70 subsidized units and roughly 180 people, scored "an 8 out of a 100" on a HUD INSPIRE inspection earlier this year (the minimum passing score is 60). He said city inspections found raw sewage in the basement, two out-of-service elevators, widespread black mold, mice and roaches, intermittent heat or hot water in some units, a nonfunctional sprinkler system and expired fire extinguishers.

"We filed an emergency legal action'an emergency petition that was seeking a court order requiring the building owner to make these life-safety improvements and to pay to temporarily relocate residents while the problems with the Banneker are fixed," Kapoor said, describing an Aug. 14 filing authorized by the mayor and brought by the city solicitor with outside counsel. The city said it has since exchanged a proposed settlement with the owner and is negotiating terms; more information for residents is forthcoming.

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