IN THE WAKE of a fire that engulfed a vacant East Kensington factory and left two firefighters dead this month, City Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez is adding teeth to legislation that would get tough on vacant-property maintenance.
Council's Committee on Licenses and Inspections will hold a hearing Friday on a bill, sponsored by Quinones-Sanchez, that would require large vacant commercial and industrial properties and foreclosed vacant residential properties to be sealed with commercial-quality, rustproof steel security panels or doors to keep trespassers out. There are 40,000 vacant properties in the city.
"This is about raising the standard so that we can get a handle on our large vacancies," Quinones-Sanchez said.
