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Skyline Apartment owners must bolster security for tenant safety, Supreme Court judge rules

 A sign that reads "The Skyline" identifies the brick apartment complex on James Street in northern downtown Syracuse.
File photo
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WAER
A sign that reads "The Skyline" identifies the brick apartment complex on James Street in northern downtown Syracuse.

A judge with the New York State Supreme Court is ordering the operators of an apartment complex to enforce the city's security requirements. The decision comes four days after Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh directed city attorneys to make an expedited request for court intervention, presenting evidence of repeated failures by owners Green National to ensure the safety of its tenants. The judge’s order calls for the owner to hire off-duty peace or police officers if private security can’t maintain staffing levels.

Walsh celebrated the decision in a news release announcing the court's ruling.

“The only outcome we seek is safe, quality housing for the residents of Skyline Apartments and the community,” Walsh said in a statement. “The City has been fighting this battle for years, and we welcome the Court’s assistance in holding Green National accountable to its responsibilities as a landlord.”

The company is also required to report shortfalls in security levels, which city officials say should decrease or eliminate any lapses in coverage. The court’s next hearing on the city’s petition is May 27. Meanwhile, the state attorney general’s office continues to retain a $250,000 payment for Green National's failure to fully comply with requirements of a state agreement, despite the correction of more than 150 housing violations at its properties.

The city has stepped up its actions against Green National after the brutal murder of a 93-year-old tenant last year.

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.