Syracuse, NY – New York state is creating a lead-paint registry to try to do something that Syracuse has struggled to: force landlords to fix poisonous hazards in the city’s poorest neighborhoods.
Five Syracuse zip codes covering the city’s North, West and South Sides will be subject to the new registry, which targets all multi-unit residences, whether owner-occupied or not, built before 1980. The zip codes are 13203, 13204, 13205, 13207 and 13208.
If those multi-family property owners fail to comply by October, they face thousands in fines from the state, loss of public assistance income and, in extreme cases of lead hazards, their ability to rent at all…