Articles for I'Jaz Ja'ciel

Apr 29

2025

Neighbors say site of Allentown murders was ‘unsafe’

Boarded window allegedly kicked in during deadly assault on St. Louis Place. Photo provided by Jordan Bidwell. Neighbors of Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto — the Allentown couple murdered in their home on March 4 — say the tragedy might have been averted if the building they lived in had been better maintained and secured. The couple’s landlord disputes that notion. Harmon and Celotto moved into the lower apartment at 5 St. Louis Place last September. Their upstairs neighbor, Jordan Bidwell, who lived in the property since 2021, was not was not home during the break-in, but she claimed the[...]

Posted 18 hours ago

Apr 18

2025

Listen: I’Jaz Ja’ciel guest-hosts NPR’s What’s Next?

Investigative Post reporter I’Jaz Ja’ciel recently signed on as a new guest host for Buffalo Toronto Public Media NPR’s What’s Next? — a program that discusses topics pertaining to Buffalo’s marginalized communities. Donate to support our nonprofit newsroom Her first episode aired Thursday and featured Dr. Marcus Watson, an associate professor and program coordinator of Africana Studies at Buffalo State University, and two seniors from Buffalo State, Jay Phillips and Jadon Williams. The discussion included details about Black Buffalo Speaks: An Africana Studies Event, a conference the university will host Saturday, April 19 from 10:30 am to 4 pm. Ja’ciel[...]

Posted 2 weeks ago

Apr 10

2025

Notorious Buffalo slumlord Charles Dobucki arrested

2 St. Louis Place, owned by Dobucki. Photo courtesy of WKBW. Buffalo Police this morning arrested one of the city’s most infamous and elusive landlords, whose blighted properties have been the subject of community complaints, Housing Court cases and most recently a partial demolition order for a long-vacant Allentown building. Charles Dobucki was taken into custody at a Delaware Avenue auto shop in North Buffalo, according to Mike Read, spokesman for Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon. Dobucki was subject to three arrest warrants stemming from his failure to appear in Buffalo Housing Court or respond to citations and fines for code[...]

Posted 3 weeks ago

Apr 9

2025

Buffalo landlord settles housing discrimination lawsuit

The Mayflower, owned by Buffalo Management Group. Photo by I’Jaz Ja’ciel A local real estate and property management company has settled a federal lawsuit accusing its employees and president of violating fair housing laws. Housing Opportunities Made Equal last November brought litigation against Buffalo Management Group after an investigation concluded that its president, Myron Robbins, established a company-wide policy that employees were not to rent apartments in the Medical Corridor to tenants with children. Discrimination based on familial status is a violation of state and federal fair housing laws. HOME and Buffalo Management Group last week reached a resolution that[...]

Posted 3 weeks ago

Mar 27

2025

A new approach to East Side development

Henry Louis Taylor of UB presents plans for Census Tract 166. Photo by I’Jaz Ja’ciel Census Tract 166 — an economically devastated community situated in the heart of the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood — will be ground zero for a new approach to revitalizing the East Side. The census tract is peppered with 1,300 vacant lots, more than any other neighborhood in the city. Only 25 percent of its adult residents work, according to 2022 US census estimates. More than a quarter of its households live below the poverty level. Henry Taylor, director of the University at Buffalo’s Center for Urban Studies,[...]

Posted 1 month ago

Mar 12

2025

Uncertain future of Buffalo Housing Court review panel

Installation inside of Buffalo City Court. Photo by I’Jaz Ja’ciel The judge pushing to revive a citizen advisory body for Buffalo’s beleaguered Housing Court was removed two weeks ago from his position as chief administrator for the Eighth Judicial District, leaving fair housing advocates concerned his efforts will founder. Judge Kevin Carter since last summer had been working to reestablish the Housing Court Advisory Council, which has been inactive for more than three decades. The advisory council is a 16-member panel intended to make regular observations of Housing Court, produce annual reports and make recommendations to the judge, according to[...]

Posted 2 months ago

Mar 4

2025

An unusual housing discrimination case

For only the third time in the past decade the City of Buffalo is using its fair housing law to sue a landlord and his property manager. The city usually prosecutes negligent property owners in City Housing Court, but for reasons officials refuse to discuss, the landlord was never taken to Housing Court despite a history of repeated code violations. The case involves a property at 323 Dewey Ave. in northeast Buffalo. The lawsuit contends mold inside the house caused health problems for tenant Zakkiyya Carter and her underaged son. The city is suing Kapil Verma, his company Vaastu Energy[...]

Posted 2 months ago

Feb 19

2025

ICE says it will leave schools alone

ICE officials have told local school superintendents they have no plans to raid schools in search of undocumented students. Still, Buffalo school administrators said that, while they feel somewhat reassured by the intentions laid out by local ICE officials, they are still taking extra precautions to protect students’ rights and safety. “There are still people that could act on their own to intimidate and make students and families feel uncomfortable. So although it’s some reassurance, I think we still need to remain vigilant,” said Board of Education Member Lawrence Scott. Buffalo Public Schools since December have proclaimed their commitment to[...]

Posted 2 months ago