RAMAPO - A state monitor assigned nearly two years ago to oversee the town fire and safety inspections and building department administration has been pulled from Town Hall.

After assigning the oversight in response to years of complaints about Ramapo's deficient enforcement of fire safety and building codes, the state has determined the Ramapo Building Department has shown improvement and now meets the minimum standards.

FINAL REPORT: State removes building department monitor

LETTER: State releases Ramapo monitor

LETTER: Zebrowski, Jaffee and Carlucci write the state concerned about safety of residents

A state monitor continues to oversee the Spring Valley Building Department. That monitor also was assigned due to the village's inefficient enforcement of fire and safety codes.

The decision to remove the monitor has been met with derision and concerns by advocates, such as state Assmblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, and firefighters who fought for the oversight and demanded improvements.

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"We haven't seen any improvements," said Justin Schwartz, a volunteer firefighter who chairs the Rockland Illegal Housing and Non Public Schools Task Force.

"As far as I am concerned, they signed the death warrant for residents and firefighters," Schwartz said.

Zebrowski said the state efforts have fallen short, but he said the fight for safer housing and enforcement continues.

"I feel an opportunity was missed here because I envisioned a far more robust process with input from firefighters and the public," Zebrowski said. "The state cites specific improvements that they feel brought code enforcement up to the minimum standards; but I won't just take their word for it."

Zebrowski said that "to truly achieve proper building code and fire safety, we need clear standards and a robust enforcement system, starting with the inspector and continuing through the local courts.”

Schwartz noted the lack of deterrence is the town declining to enforce a judicial order to close down a private school operating without proper town approvals. Ramapo officials are allowing the school to stay open and go before the Planning Board for needed site plan approval to get a certificate of occupancy.

Town demonstrates compliance

The state report concerning Ramapo states that based upon the oversight officer's observations from December 2016 to the present, the division of Building Standards and Codes recommended to the secretary of state that Ramapo has demonstrated compliance with the minimum standards.

"Currently, there does not appear to be a need to continue the activities of the oversight officer who was designated to oversee the town activities relating to the administration and enforcement" of the fire and safety codes, the report states.

Schwartz, Zebrowski and other advocates like retired Rockland Fire Coordinator Gordon Wren Jr. have said the Ramapo Justice Court's lack of significant fines and punishment does not serve as a deterrent for property owners and landlords who consider the low fines a cost of doing business.

"As of Monday, they still haven't resolved 102 cases in Justice Court," Schwartz said. "The task force has submitted more than 500 complaints from the public with little or no penalties by the court."

The task force has volunteers — many of whom are active or retired firefighters — monitoring the court sessions across the county, but predominantly Ramapo.

Ramapo has been the subject of the bulk of complaints sent to the task force over the years, alleging slum housing and the illegal conversions of houses of worship and private schools.

The pressure for oversight came predominately from Zebrowski, Rockland County Executive Ed Day, task force leaders, firefighters and residents. The task force filed hundreds of complaints with the local building departments for investigation and inspection.

Arguing the lives of residents, children and first-responders were endangered, the advocates also had called for the state to take over the inspection duties in Ramapo and Spring Valley in April 2016.

Zebrowski has argued and written letters over the years demanding oversight.

He and Schwartz said the minimum is not good enough to protect residents and firefighters and police.

"We're going to continue — myself, the firefighters and housing task force — to point out the global deficiencies, from the inspectors to the the lack of enforcement and penalties from the judgesm," the assemblyman said.

Zebrowski said he wrote the state about establishing liaisons within the building department so he and task force members could met with and discuss properties in violations.

He said he has not received a response.

"We want to be able to get answers about specific properties," he said.

Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht, who took office in January after years as a town deputy attorney working on housing issues, didn't return several telephone messages left at Town Hall and his voicemail on Friday.

On Monday, Specht issued a statement to the media that also appeared on Ramapo's Facebook page.

Specht said the town met its obligations to the state. He said the state's final report cited the town's improvements, including "being in substantial compliance with the minimum standards for administration and enforcement" of state codes.

“I know that our work is not done," he said. "We will continue to ensure the safety of all Town residents and first responders.”

Lee Park, a Department of the State spokesman, said Friday in an email statement that the Division of Codes and Building Standards will continue to provide technical assistance and oversight for Ramapo.

"Residents and others are able to submit complaints regarding code enforcement directly to Ramapo and to the Department of State, consistent with our regular business practice," Park said.

Park said the report and relevant documents were sent to interested state legislators earlier this week.

"We have been engaged with these members on this process for the past two years," he said, "and we will continue to be in the future.”

Started with 8 properties

The state involvement dates to November 2013 when the Illegal Housing Task Force identified eight specific properties where fire and safety codes were not properly enforced. Hundreds more sites would be passed onto inspectors.

The state report says the codes division determined in January 2015 that Ramapo didn't comply with the minimum standards for inspections, issuing certificates of occupancy and temporary certificates and failed to exercise its enforcement powers in a proper manner so as to protect the public from the hazards of fire and inadequate building construction.

The state monitor overlooking the Spring Valley Building Department remains, said Deputy Village Attorney Jeffrey Millman, who oversees the department for Mayor Alan Simon.

Millman has said the village has been making progress with inspections.

"We have not addressed with the state any conclusion to having a monitor," Millman said. "We work with the state and update them on what's going on on a regular basis."

Firefighters had described conditions they say they are routinely navigating in private schools in Ramapo and Spring Valley — exit doors with deadbolts, exposed wiring, and extension cords snaking across bathrooms floors.

In many cases, violations and illegal construction were found in Spring Valley and Ramapo buildings when firefighters responded to alarms.

Spring Valley officials opined that the financially stressed village was short inspectors, so that commercial buildings, large apartment complexes went years without inspections.

PREVIOUS: Spring Valley Mayor Demeza Delhomme urges more inspectors after fires

The state issued an order outlining a monitor for Spring Valley and Ramapo, saying as far back as 2015 that uninspected buildings were rife with dangers to tenants, students and firefighters.

During the height of the state involvement, Anthony Mallia served as Ramapo's chief building inspector.

Mallia, who pleaded guilty to a felony and resigned from Ramapo, now works as a top aide for Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon, a former judge who once ran Ramapo building and zoning administration department. Mallia worked for Simon in Ramapo,

PREVIOUS: State warns Spring Valley to enforce building and fire codes - or else

2015 Report: State rips Ramapo, Spring Valley building enforcement

Zebrowski said he and his legislative colleagues — Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern, and Sen. David Carlucci, D-New City — drafted a letter urging the state to remain involved and to solicit information.

"At the end of the day, in order to truly protect safety, we need there to be a culture of enforcement, not leniency," Zebrowski said.

Twitter: @lohudlegal