Lansford borough wants to get a handle on vacant and blighted properties as the deteriorating condition of two landmark buildings came to light last week.

Council’s zoning and ordinance committee discussed ways the borough can identify and inspect vacant structures, crack down on transfers of problem properties and enforce condemned and unfit statuses.

The borough’s vacant structure ordinance already addresses many of these issues, said Council President Joe Genits, who reviewed existing laws the borough has with the committee.

“This is your most powerful ordinance that you have that’s on the books for the code officials to go ahead and enforce,” he said.

Genits stressed enforcement as the key, pointing to the former Silver Furniture building at 18-20 E. Ridge St., which was condemned two years ago.

“Nothing happened as the building deteriorated, and it imploded upon itself,” he said, pointing out the recent tax sale and transfer to a new owner who allowed borough officials to see the condition recently.

“You can’t go more than four or five feet inside the building because all of the floors collapsed within itself,” Genits said.

Council’s public safety committee discussed the condition of the Silver building and another landmark, the former middle school on East Patterson Street, which has broken glass doors allowing entry, last week.

The borough had remedies available regarding the transfer or sale of buildings, ensuring that violations and condemnation stayed with the property and any new owners acknowledge and accept them, he said.

Genits would also like to see ordinances enforced, and others tested.

Councilman Bruce Markovich pointed out that the vacant structure ordinance focuses on inspections before occupancy, and the borough needs to be able to inspect vacant properties on regular basis.

Markovich pointed to the Silver building, which should have been inspected on an annual basis to monitor the condition, catch leaking roofs or deterioration.

“You have to get a hold on some of these buildings that are borderline,” he said.

The former middle school is another example of a building that the borough needs to monitor, or it will end up funding a costly demolition handling hazards such as asbestos, Markovich said.

“That’s why we have to get a handle on these buildings before they get to that point,” Markovich said.

Genits suggested a vacant property registry, a measure that Pottsville has on its books and the borough could copy.

They also discussed ways to identify vacant structures, including the code officer compiling a list, possibly obtaining a list of properties with no water meters or no usage and watching trash being put out.

Councilman Joe Butrie also pointed out that moving permits go hand in hand with the vacant structure problems, and permits and notices need to be displayed.