The city of Rome has taken action against the Relax Inn, revoking its certificate of occupancy and closing it under public nuisance law.
According to a statement released on July 1, the city of Rome held a public nuisance hearing by the Public Nuisance Abatement Board on June 10 for the Relax Inn, located at 145 East Whitesboro Street.
Its certificate occupancy has been revoked for a period of 12 months, starting June 17.
“The board’s decision was based on a documented history of criminal activity and serious public safety concerns associated with the property. This included incidents of drug trafficking, numerous assaults, violence, and cases involving weapons, including a shooting,” the statement read. “The ruling reflects the city’s continued commitment to restoring peace and order in residential areas that have been adversely affected by chronic nuisance properties.”
Establishing public nuisance committee
In January of 2024, Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan and his Public Safety Commissioner Ken White established a Public Nuisance Committee, which would meet monthly to address nuisance properties.
To date, the city has investigated over 100 nuisance cases and successfully closed 14 properties it has designated as high-risk.
The statement says the city has also taken a proactive approach, working directly with absentee landlords to bring their properties into compliance before problems escalate.
“The closure of the Relax Inn brings much-needed relief to the residents of this neighborhood,” Lanigan said in the statement. “For too long, families living nearby have had to endure fear, noise, and danger due to the persistent criminal activity at this location. Rome residents deserve to feel safe in their homes and to enjoy the peace and dignity of their communities. We will continue to take aggressive action to clean up our neighborhoods and make our city a better place to live.”
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: City of Rome revokes Relax Inn’s certificate of occupancy, claims public nuisance
Reporting by Casey Pritchard, Utica Observer Dispatch / Observer-Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
