NEWBURGH – A potential crisis recently when water was found leaking into some natural gas lines in the City of Newburgh was averted, but that led to the city condemning two buildings for having “inhumane” living conditions.

That’s how City Manager Joseph Donat described the residential structures after touring them with Mayor Torrance Harvey.

“The basement of 168 Carson was being used for an illegal three-room occupancy,” Donat said. “There was raw sewage on the floor, they didn’t comply with the rental registry; they were jumping electrical work from one panel to another. The bathroom was improperly installed and there were a number of other issues. That property was condemned. The same is true at 48 Bridge Street – three-family in conflict with its CO (certificate of occupancy); the owner never complied with the rental registry. There were obvious structural deficiencies in the basement; the toilet was installed in the basement improperly as well. This resulted in a condemnation as well.”

Days later there was a serious fire at 438 First Street in a two-family building that had previously been condemned, but Donat said the landlord never complied with the city order.

These latest cases come just days after a State Senate report on code enforcement cited the City of Newburgh as one location that needs tougher enforcement of code violations.