State Rep Looks Into Downtown El Paso Building Codes

Downtown El Paso buildings that are falling apart has a State Representative looking into building codes and why they aren’t being enforced. NewsChannel 9 looked into the problem and spoke to Billy Abraham, who owns several buildings in downtown El Paso.

Those buildings are falling apart because Abraham insists on neglecting them and our ineffective City officials refuse to make him do any repairs. I wrote a blog a few months ago about one of Abraham’s buildings, the Kress building, after I saw the disrepair that it is in. Abraham’s buildings are renowned for their broken windows that allow people and animals to enter and create worse problems in the interiors. To say he is a complete fail at taking care of historic buildings is an understatement.

Larry Nichols, the City's Director of Planning and Inspections, says property owners are given a correctional notice for violations of city code. After 30 days, they are given a citation. Way to go, City of El Paso. The blog I wrote about the sad state of the Kress building was over six months ago and it still looks like hell. So glad you guys are doing your jobs.

As for Abraham who says "These historic buildings are like little babies, they're breathing, living entities that need daily care and we're here to provide that," just shut up. Your continued neglect of these buildings is a shame and you should be ashamed, but you're not. You are a terrible property owner and the reason why our downtown looks the way it does.

Rep. Ortega says she wants to make property owners take care of their buildings, and has proposed two bills at a state level that would allow for more action to be taken against property owners.

Whatever. Until Abraham has properties taken away from him because of the massive neglect, he will continue to be a blight on the face of downtown El Paso. Take his buildings away from him before they fall down.