VIDEO: Syracuse City Auditor Alexander Marion is advocating for enhanced fire prevention measures for vacant homes in Syracuse. In a recent report, Marion proposed over 20 recommendations aimed at reducing the incidence of fires in these properties. Among the suggestions are placing boards with large red “X” marks on homes deemed uninhabitable, reinforcing boarding to prevent break-ins, and professionalizing code enforcement officers by equipping them with uniforms, body cameras, and marked vehicles. Fires in vacant homes have been a persistent issue in Syracuse. Marion highlighted that in 2024, the city experienced 87 structure fires, with 25 occurring in vacant buildings. “That is about a third of all of our fires happening in vacant buildings,” Marion said. The financial burden of responding to these fires is significant.
