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Staff recommends demolition after inspection of 714 North Junata Street; council approves enforcement process
Summary
Inspectors reported structural shifting, animal waste and water damage at 714 North Junata Street; staff advised demolition as the practical remedy, and council authorized staff to proceed under borough code if owners do not act.
At a show-cause hearing for 714 North Junata Street, borough staff described a home with poor air quality, widespread animal feces, a shifted two‑story addition with gaps estimated at three to four inches, a collapsed accessory-structure roof and plumbing that allowed sewage and gray water to back up into living areas. Andrew Holodnik testified the addition was not properly cross‑braced and that structural shifting created floor and ceiling gaps; he advised family members and staff not to enter the unstable addition during inspection.
Holodnik said demolition was his professional recommendation given the scope of damage, though he acknowledged large investments could theoretically make the building habitable. He estimated demolition permitting could be completed in about one week and full demolition or repairs could reasonably take 60–90 days depending on contractor availability. Council moved, seconded and voted to follow the staff recommendation and retain the borough’s enforcement options, including pursuing liens and judicial sale to recoup costs if owners fail to proceed.
