Mayor Kraham Announces Court Victory

Mayor Kraham Announces Court Victory Against Owner of Downtown Eyesore

City Secures 50-Count Conviction Against Owner of Vacant Building at 263 Washington Street

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.)-Mayor Jared M. Kraham on Tuesday highlighted a major court victory by the City of Binghamton last month against an owner of 263 Washington Street, a long-vacant eyesore in downtown Binghamton.

Philip Costa, of Wallkill, New York, was convicted of 50 misdemeanors related to Code violations at the property following a criminal trial in Binghamton City Court.

Sentencing for Costa is scheduled for January 14^th.

A warrant is out for the arrest of a second owner, Kevin Findley, whose last known address is Binghamton.

Mayor Kraham said: "This is an unprecedented win for the City in the years-long battle against one of Binghamton's biggest eyesores. It's the latest example of the results we're seeing thanks to the hard work of the City's Code Enforcement office and Code prosecutor, a position I created shortly after taking office to focus on serious and repeat Code violators. We're hopeful that this court victory marks a turning point for a significant downtown property and sends a message to others that the City of Binghamton will not let blight and unsafe housing conditions go unchecked."

Costa, Findley and Philmar Holdings LLC were cited by the City of Binghamton's Code Enforcement Department for violating various counts of New York State Property Maintenance Code related to the property at 263 Washington Street.

The charges, which date back to late 2023, involved several areas of collapsing masonry, deteriorated masonry joints, falling bricks, damaged sections of the roof and gutters, damaged window frames and debris in the rear of the property. The multi-family building, formerly Kenmore Apartments, has been vacant for several years.

City Court Judge Daniel Seiden found Costa guilty of 50 misdemeanors.

The City's code prosecutor, Attorney Elisabeth Rossow, led the case for the City.

Mayor Kraham created the Code prosecutor position in 2022 to prosecute slumlords and repeat code offenders, with a focus on addressing unsafe housing conditions and persistent blight.

Under the new approach, the City has prosecuted code cases in both City Court and New York State Supreme Court, secured fines and compliance from property owners, and arrested out-of-town landlords to enforce court warrants.

Mayor Kraham announced several significant court victories as a result of the dedicated attorney position earlier this year.

To report unsafe living conditions or other Code issues in the City of Binghamton, residents may contact the Code Enforcement Department at (607) 772-7004.