Utica Councilman and Mayoral candidate Joe Marino says Mayor Robert Palmieri knew of the conditions at the Olbiston Apartments on Genesee Street nearly two years ago.

Marino says a report done for the Utica Municipal Housing Authority in 2017 by architect Robert Heins found dangerous and unsafe conditions at the building and that the building should have been closed until it was brought up to codes.

Marino was joined on Thursday outside of the Olbiston Apartments by Heins and Common Council candidate Delvin Moody to release the report to the media.

Marino says his concern is for the health and well-being of the tenants at Olbiston.

There are about 70 people living in the apartment building.

Marino will face Palmieri in a June 25th Democratic primary.

Mayor Palmieri's office released the following statement:

Facts matter. The City of Utica has been in City Court prior to 2017, in 2017, and continues to press the issue in State Supreme Court. The letter being referred to is the result of City Officials reaching out to the Utica Municipal Housing Authority to assess the building so that they would potentially make a purchase offer, which the agency ultimately did.  The City was and currently is seeking an owner that will care about the welfare of the Obilston’s tenants. That’s why MHA was in the building in the first place. The Utica Fire Department inspected and cited the structure again less than a month after MHA’s letter. As the building’s condition has deteriorated, we have brought in more partners, more legal pressure and more assistance for the tenants. Those are the facts and they can be verified by court documents. Once again, the Councilman would know these facts if he had bothered to look them up or ask any time prior to the last few weeks.

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