O'Connor Tries To Broker Solution To Heated Greenfield Property Dispute
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's already become something like a war, a strip of land in the city's Greenfield section is the battle line.
One side says the land and steps are a public right of way, but Beth Cronin says she bought the property at treasurer's sale and has declared her neighbors off limits.
"I own this. Anybody could have bought it," says Cronin. "I have been completely bullied in this whole thing."
The neighborhood has erupted in shouting matches, and the police have been called out several times. Now, City Councilman Corey O'Connor is looking to make peace.
"Neighbors are disputing, calling each other names, they're harassing each other. That's what we don't want to have happen," says O'Connor. "So, I think that's where public hearing might calm everybody down."
O'Connor says a public hearing may answer questions as to how the strip of land and the steps, which folks have used for 85 years, suddenly went up for tax sale.
KDKA's Andy Sheehan: "Is this is a legal sale? Should this sale have gone through?"
O'Connor: "I'm not a legal expert. I don't have that degree. I think there is some question as to how it got a lot and block number."
Unbeknownst to the city, O'Connor says Allegheny County put the parcel on the tax rolls and it quickly became tax delinquent and up for sale. He says that never should have happened.
"We never vacated the property," he says. "So, I think there are a lot of questions as to how this process worked. Can we solve it?"
But while O'Connor is hopeful of working an arrangement out with Cronin, she says that time has passed and it appears to be headed to court.
Sheehan: "Is here anyway to work this out where people can use these steps and you retain your property?"
Cronin: "Absolutely not, absolutely not. For everything that happened over this."
But any solution to this problem may depend on a certain amount of good will on both sides, and that may be in very short supply.
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
