Several black-owned businesses in Niagara Falls have come forward claiming that they have been unfairly targeted by the city's code enforcement department. According to Councilman Donta Myles and multiple business owners, they have received cease and desist notices from City Hall, with the reasons behind these actions constantly changing.
Councilman Myles expressed his concerns, stating, "I feel like it's more of a vendetta." He believes that the city is using targeted code enforcement against black-owned businesses. Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino and his administration has not provide a statement addressing these allegations.
One of the affected business owners, C.J. Cox, is currently in the process of reopening and redeveloping Shorty's Sports Bar on Pine Avenue. Despite the business not being open yet, Cox claims that the city issued a cease and desist order based on an alleged party at the property.
Cox expressed frustration, stating, "Without them doing their due diligence, without them getting their facts information straight, they just decided that they heard this information and since they heard it, they came put a cease and desist on it."
To resolve the issue, Cox hired an attorney and requested evidence to support the allegations, but none could be found. It was later discovered that the alleged party took place at a different address across the street from the building.
After intervention from Niagara Falls code enforcement, the cease and desist order against Cox's business was eventually removed. However, the incident has caused setbacks and concerns among Cox's investors who were disheartened by the negative attention brought upon the sports bar. Cox emphasized the impact, stating, "They drive by or they come and see that, of course that's a setback. And that hurts us."
Another business affected by code enforcement actions is the Atmosphere Bar, Grill, and Lounge on Main Street. The owner, who goes by the name Matthews, claims that the city shut down the establishment due to permitting issues. Matthews stated, "We had already seen the fire department, we've already seen code enforcement. They came into the building, they did all of that."
However, it was later revealed that the reason behind the cease and desist order was related to a party that Matthews was promoting at the establishment. Matthews clarified that the party never took place at Atmosphere, as the city shut down the business before it could happen.
The common thread between these incidents is the involvement of alleged or upcoming party events. Councilman Myles has expressed his frustration with the lack of transparency from the code enforcement department and the difficulty in obtaining responses from city departments. He emphasized the need for fairness and transparency, stating, "If you're citing someone, you better have a picture. That's all I asked from the mayor, his administration, and anybody else in local government. Be fair to the people."
But nothing has come from the Mayor's office - at least not as of the publishing of this article.
As the allegations of targeted code enforcement against black-owned businesses in Niagara Falls continue to unfold, community members and local officials are calling for a thorough investigation into these claims. The affected business owners hope for a resolution that ensures fairness and equal treatment for all businesses in the city.
This story was originally reported on by WGRZ Buffalo.