According to documents obtained by The Batavian through the Freedom of Information Law, the summons lists a court date of 10 a.m. Nov. 18 to address offenses pertaining to ongoing roof, drainage and fire classification violations.

Correspondence dated Sept. 29 from Doug Randall, City of Batavia code enforcement officer, indicates that on June 29, 2021 through Sept. 27, 2021, the following violations did exist:

• Roofs and drainage. The asphalt roof coverings are deteriorated, missing material, and not maintained in a sound and tight condition on the two (center and rear) residential buildings located on this property.

• Fire classification: General. Two of the residential buildings – center and rear buildings – are covered with gray plastic tarps. The tarps are not approved roof covering materials.

The notice states that “since notification of 7/1/21 and 9/10/21 (similar violations), the defendant has failed and/or refused to satisfactorily correct cited violations of the City of Batavia Municipal Code and/or New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.”

Additionally, “… the structures at 335 Bank St., Batavia, continue to be in violation of the Property Maintenance Code and Building Code of NYS. That pursuant to B.M.C. (Batavia Municipal Code) 51-45 B, each day that the violation continues is a separate violation.”

The violation notice sent out on Sept. 10 after a re-inspection of the premises called for Northside Meadows Association to correct the violations by Sept. 27. Should this action result in a conviction, the owner would be subject to a maximum fine of $250 and/or 15 days in jail for each and every day that you remain in violation.

Contacted today, property manager David Renzo of V&V Development Corp. of Batavia, said he was aware of the latest inspection violation notice but did not know about the summons. He said he wants to get the roofs fixed as soon as possible and also to pay more than $160,000 in back taxes owed to the city.

“I’m trying to devise a plan to get them paid and get the roofs done,” he said. “We got the blacktop done, but we still are going back and forth with USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) on trying to figure out a plan on how to get the roofs done and the taxes paid.”

A previous violation notice from the city did reveal that the sidewalks and driveways at Northside Meadows were in violation, but that does not appear on the latest notice.

“We fixed the driveways by funding that out of operations,” he said.

Renzo said he has a roofing contractor lined up to do the work.

“I had to submit a plan of action (to the USDA),” he said. “My first plan was to request additional funding to get it done. And I requested to pay it off in three or four years. However, they’re saying that it would be a burden on the project, and that we have to establish some other kind of financing – either through them or through a third party or bank.”

He said he working on a “Plan B,” so to speak, adding, “We’re going to figure this out one way or another. We can’t let it go any further.”

As far as the tax situation, the City Clerk’s office reported that $167,544.26 is owed to the city in back taxes.

Tax bills have been paid recently at two other subsidized housing sites managed by V&V Development – Le Roy Meadows and Corfu Meadows.

The Genesee County Treasurer’s office confirmed that a payment of $615,851.84 was received on Aug. 26 for taxes on Le Roy Meadows and a payment of $62,195.13 was received on Sept. 27 for taxes at Corfu Meadows.

Renzo said that roof work on three of the 10 buildings at Le Roy Meadows, 16 Genesee St., has been completed, with the remaining seven to be done on an “as needed basis.”

Previously: City inspection violation notices call upon Northside Meadows management to rectify roof, driveway issues

Previously: Le Roy Meadows manager says plan will address $600,000 in back taxes, needed repairs

The project manager of Le Roy Meadows says a solid plan is in place to address more than $600,000 in back taxes owed to Genesee County and necessary roof and driveway repairs at the 10-building, 80-apartment complex at 18 Genesee St.

David Renzo Jr., president of V&V Development Corp., of Batavia, today said a vouchering system to retrieve subsidies owed to the project by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and a commitment of an investment group out of California, which owns 95 percent of the complex, are the keys to getting Le Roy Meadows back on track.

“As soon as we get the subsidy in for all that, the taxes are going to be paid,” Renzo said.
“We’re resubmitting vouchering covering the past three or four years, and we’re thinking that in four to five weeks we will start receiving the HUD subsidy again and the taxes will be paid.”

The Batavian has learned that the county is waiting to receive $605,886.43 in back taxes owed by Le Roy Meadows -- $603,167.33 on the property assessed at $2.2 million and another $2,719.10 on a small parcel assessed at $10,000. The taxes are for the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Genesee County hasn’t started the foreclosure process yet due to the signing by Gov. Andrew Cuomo of an extension of the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 and the COVID-19 Emergency Protect Our Small Businesses Act through Aug. 31.

Renzo said the location’s current problems stem from HUD suspending its contract with Le Roy Meadows several years ago. Tenants there pay 30 percent of their monthly income toward rent with HUD supplying the difference.

“Our HUD contract was suspended but we’re working on that with HUD right now by sending the vouchers (for the back subsidies),” he said. “There was a lot of confusion. The tenants shouldn’t be worried now because we have a plan in place. They’re not going to lose their rental assistance.”

He said the worst-case scenario is that tenants will receive an individual voucher that can be used for the rental assistance – giving them a choice between staying at Le Roy Meadows or taking that voucher to live somewhere else.

“Right now, rental assistance is project-based. The investment group in California is committed to getting this done. They’ve got positive feedback from HUD and getting the back subsidy that is owed to us to pay off the taxes and get the work done,” Renzo advised.

Concerning the condition of the roofs and driveway, Renzo said he is working with the investment group, soliciting the bids and lining up the work, to have all of the roofs replaced and to blacktop “the worst part of the driveway.”

He also said that repairs of the original sidewalks are part of the plan.

The tarps covering the roofs on many of the buildings are there as precautionary measures, he noted. Thus far, one of the 10 roofs has been repaired.

“With the subsidies about to come, plus the reserve accounts that we have set up and the backing of the investment group, the work will get done,” he said, adding that the interior of the apartments are in “great shape.”

Renzo said that contrary to what was reported in another local news outlet, neither he nor the V&V Development Group own Le Roy Meadows. He did say that plans are to bring in a new management group specializing in HUD policies and procedures to run Le Roy Meadows.

V&V Development Group also manages three complexes governed by the United States Department of Agriculture – The Meadows at South Main Street and Northside Meadows, both in Batavia, and Corfu Meadows.

Photo: Le Roy Meadows building with tarps protecting the roof, which needs replacing. Courtesy of Le Roy code enforcement officer.