‘Slum Lord’ Gets Slapped with Thousands in Fines as Building is Condemned

Bruce T. Whalen rents apartments to tenants in Bristol Borough. He is an approved landlord by the Bucks County Housing Authority as a Section 8 landlord- a federally funded program that subsidizes housing for seniors, the poor and disabled.

Whalen receives payments from the program  to rent apartments to those that take part and go through a rigorous application process that has year-long waiting lists.

In one week’s time, according to court records,  a property owned by Whalen has had to have its tenants removed twice  from which they contribute approximately a third of their total income, because the Bath Road unit had no heat, among other issues.

On Monday  afternoon, Bristol Borough Code Enforcement Officer John Miller condemned the building  on the 500 block of Bath Road, as a Bucks County Section 8 Code official looked on.

The woman who lives in the ground floor apartment, known to locals simply as “Lydia,” is a senior who is often seen using a wheelchair. Lydia is known to many locally for being friendly, always having a smile and has often alleged that Whalen shuts her heat randomly during the cold weather season.

Miller, who has been busy keeping tabs on local landlords and the violations they incur, over a seven-day span cited Whalen a total of 13 summons for lack of providing heat, mechanical failure, means of egress, accumulation of rubbish and garbage, failure to schedule a business inspection, water heating facilities, mechanical appliances, and was cited again by code enforcement officials on Wednesday not providing heat to a tenant.

Whalen by definition is a “frequent flyer” in the borough court for the array of violations he’s been cited for.  One of his tenants that rents from him at a another location said, “he’s a slumlord who doesn’t care and knows he’s only going to be fined.”

Miller said Tuesday afternoon that Whalen will be footing for the bill for the woman’s stay at a local hotel until all of the problems in the apartment are addressed and brought back to code.

Miller’s frustration is palpable on the phone and he once again explains that all he can do is cite the landlord that allegedly has issues with providing heat to tenants he has a contract with and the government pays him for.

Lydia called LevittownNow.com a week ago Tuesday. She was directed to contact Miller and Borough Manager James Dillon to lodge her complaint. As Miller has said before, if he doesn’t know he can’t help. The borough since Harbour Lights Complex was cited for not providing heat as frigid weather approached has made an effort to respond swiftly and take needed action as permitted, Miller said on Tuesday.

Miller was at the apartment Monday exerting his authority as far as the law allows-  by condemning the apartment Lydia lives in.

If you look through Bucks County online  court system a  pattern emerges dating back to 2008 Whalen is cited often during cold weather months.

Maximum fine for each code violation is $1,000.

No hearing dates for Whalen have been set according to court records at time of publication.

For contact information on how to lodge a complaint related to code enforcement and the codes governing Bristol Borough click the links.