Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino has addressed concerns raised by some Black business owners who believed they were targeted during recent code enforcement checks in the city. The mayor categorically denied any discriminatory intent, stating that the rules applied to all businesses equally.
The Niagara Falls Code Enforcement department is responsible for various tasks including reviewing building plans, issuing work permits, and conducting building and site inspections. Earlier this month, several Black-owned businesses expressed their belief that they were singled out when they received cease-and-desist orders.
In an interview with Channel 2's Nate Benson, Mayor Restaino responded to these allegations, emphasizing that no business was intentionally targeted. He expressed his inability to understand why such claims were made, reiterating that the rules and regulations were applied uniformly to all businesses.
"I can't speak to why someone would say those things, but the rules are the rules for every business," Restaino stated. "And I will tell you this, that day or that span of days, we were out making sure that all businesses were properly licensed. Then, if you get onto a property that's not licensed, you then look and see that it's got all the necessary code enforcement requirements."
The mayor's candid response aimed to reassure the community that the code enforcement checks were conducted in a fair and unbiased manner. He emphasized that the primary objective was to ensure compliance with licensing and code enforcement requirements, rather than targeting specific businesses based on their ownership.
While some Black business owners may have felt targeted, Mayor Restaino's statement underscores the city's commitment to treating all businesses equally under the law. The Code Enforcement department's role is to uphold the regulations that promote safety and adherence to building codes, without any discriminatory intent.