Hoarding becomes crime under new Orange village home-safety law

By Faith Boone

ORANGE VILLAGE, Cleveland, Ohio -- Village Council has approved legislation making it possible for those inhabiting unsafe dwellings and structures to be charged criminally.

The ordinance, approved, 5-2, alters village regulations relating to prohibiting conditions, authorizing an appeal of determination and amending the penalties for unsafe dwellings and structures.

Though Mayor Kathy Mulcahy said this is not a “hoarding” ordinance, it can still pertain to hoarders. The issue of hoarding was brought up in a safety committee meeting, chaired by Councilwoman Frances Kluter.

“The recommendations were that hoarders should get help from adult protective services and social workers. Then it turned into a crime,” Kluter said. “Norbert Rahl, from the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, gave a presentation. They said that you should grade hoarders to whatever degree and said it is a serious mental illness.”..."  More  (suggestion: read comments posted at the end of the linked article)