According to the Journal News and reports from citizens of Yonkers, Children's Village is putting youth at risk:
Children's Village off-campus sites have history of violations
By Ernie Garcia
The Journal News • March 5, 2009
YONKERS - A social services agency seeking a special-use permit for a young-adult residential program has a history of operating in buildings with safety-code violations.
The Children's Village in Dobbs Ferry operates a Supported Housing Independent Living Program at 179 Valentine Lane in Yonkers for young people "aging out" of the foster-care system.
Last month the city Planning Board began reviewing a Children's Village application for a special-use permit for the apartment building. The board is expected to continue its review of the application when it meets next week.
Last year and in 2007 the Yonkers Buildings Department issued three violation notices against the building because of the agency's illegal conversion of an apartment into an office and an illegal occupancy in the basement.
The Buildings Department also issued a violation notice on April 2 last year for a Children's Village program at 5 S. Broadway because it was operating in the building without a valid certificate of occupancy. That program subsequently moved from the space.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration also issued a violation against Children's Village's offices at 5 S. Broadway because the building's back exit was blocked by plant overgrowth, a serious safety violation, according to OSHA. Children's Village signed an informal settlement agreement with OSHA on July 25 that included a $656 fine.
The Mount Vernon Buildings Department issued a violation at 2 Wilson Place where the Children's Village operated a family program. The violation was for illegal plumbing and piping, including a rotting section of gas piping.
Linda Stutz, the Children's Village vice president of institutional advancement, blamed landlords for most of the violations.
"When we moved into Mount Vernon, there was a temporary certificate of occupancy, and the presumption was that the work would be completed," she said. "Once we found out the building was not safe, we moved out."
The Children's Village also moved out of 5 S. Broadway in Yonkers after the landlord failed to resolve a certificate-of-occupancy issue. Stutz said her agency paid the OSHA fine and deducted it from its rent.
At 179 Valentine Lane, Stutz said her agency still wants to convert an apartment into an office. She said the agency sets up operations with the understanding that landlords will perform their due diligence.
"We're going into properties with valid contracts with landlords that tell us certain things exist," she said. "In some cases, we've had difficulty with landlords."
Reach Ernie G at 9(((Redacted)))
Yopat
Dobbs Ferry, New York
U.S.A.
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