On August 16, four Pocomoke City families lost their homes. Why? Because they lived in a structure that was originally built for one single family, but our codes allow property owners to take a large home and turn it into Multi-family dwellings.
So what is the problem with this?
The problem is these (usually older) homes are built using 'balloon construction'. Which means that the perimeter of the structure is where the main strength of the building lies, that is then covered in some sort of sheathing, usually wood, and now to improve looks and to avoid painting they are often covered in highly toxic (when burned) vinyl siding.
Inside the structure there are no solid walls that are solid and keep fire from spreading from one unit to another. Thus when one of these rental properties catches fire, it burns just like a single family home in that the fire follows the path of least resistance and is able to spread from room to room and floor to floor.
Building that are purpose built to be apartments are required to have fire walls in between each unit. This is not only a life saving requirement but also saves property.
This particular home from all outward appearances seems to have been owned by a conscientious person as it has been well maintained and that is great. However, the burden lies on the City to change these laws that dictate how many units your property can be divided into.
Last year at about this same time, a huge home on Market Street went up into flames and Five families lost their homes on that day, as well as other structure over the last year. How many families have been displaced through tragedy instead of through good planning?
How long will this be OK with the people of this city?
With proper zoning and planning our citizens will be safer, while saving tax payer dollars in Emergency Shelter, and relocation. Not to mention the cost of trauma on the lives of our citizens.
8 comments:
wouldnt mandatory sprinklers solve the problem?
Sounds like Salisbury's slumlord problems.
I think that it would certainly help the situation, however, I believe that one of the contributing factors to crime and neighborhood deterioration within our cities has a lot to do with single family homes being turned into multifamily dwellings. But that is a component to a bigger issue all together.
Yes, sprinklers would help to save families from losing everything.
wymzie, you are correct -- this is salisbury, too
pack people in like rats, for the profit
wymzie and grand dad,(the hippi and the cop).
You know what else sucks about those fires?
In Salisbury,Pocomoke and numerous other towns,houses IN town are packed close together on tiny lots,especially in older neighborhoods with tinderbox homes.It would be easy for a fire to spread beyond one house and what a disaster!
it's not tax dollars that pay for those families to have temporary shelter - it's local non-profits who don't get tax money.
Fires are rare.
This is a red herring.
Slumlords don't like competition. Thus they tell stories like this to eliminate new competition. This allows them to up the rent.
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