Row home collapses shines spotlight on L&I and resources

PHILADELPHIA (FOX 29) - Two recent row home collapses that brought down neighboring homes has put a spotlight on the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections and its resources to prevent more cases like this.

The head of Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections is asking the public to alert his agency to bad contractors threatening lives and property.

David Perri, Commissioner of the Department of Licenses and Inspections, didn't want to talk about specific contractors.

L&I believes Q Construction is at fault in the partial collapse of a home on East Thompson in Fishtown, which resulted in two properties being demolished. Wharton Homes is linked to the weakening of the basements of homes on Tulip Street in Olde Richmond--again leading to the houses being knocked down.

"You have a lot of bad actors in this city. The safety is not something that's really being addressed and L&I needs more resources--needs more staff, more inspectors--to go out and address these issues," Brian Eddis, with Philadelphia Building and Trades, said.

Unionized construction workers held signs in the air as Perri came before city council to talk about L&I $40 million dollar budget.

Perri says he has enough inspectors on the street but wants more to dig into the unscrupulous business practices of some contractors. He says he needs community groups to call his agency when they see contractors placing properties and lives in danger.