The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "code violation" ...
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War Zone: The Destruction of an All-American City
The hour-long documentary War Zone: The Destruction of an All-American City takes an unprecedented look at the impact of corruption on the East St. Louis, Illinois area, one of the poorest and most violent communities in America. The program was broadcast twice during prime time; Tuesday night at 8 pm on August 28, and the following Saturday night at 7 pm. This project was the result of an ongoing decade-long probe of government waste, corruption, police misconduct, and violence in East St. Louis and the surrounding villages by investigative reporter Craig Cheatham. Our documentary begins with a detailed look at police misconduct and corruption, how it has contributed to the breakdown of public safety in the East St. Louis area, and why local politicians tolerated such outrageous behavior by their officers. The second part of our documentary focuses on the impact of derelict and vacant housing, the slumlords who own the property and the people who live in some of the worst housing in the metro area. Our investigation also uncovered new connections between politicians and legendary slumlord Ed Sieron, who was business partners with a longtime mayor. In addition, KMOV revealed that of the 500 mostly rundown properties that Sieron owns in East St. Louis, only 13 were cited for code violations. That lack of accountability for the notorious slumlord, empowered him and made the people living in his homes feel powerless. War Zone also exposes the way East St. Louis communities have sold their economy to vice-driven businesses like strip clubs, liquor stores, a casino, and convenience marts that had a long history of selling illegal synthetic drugs. Our investigation found that nearly all of these businesses failed to employ a significant number of East St. Louis residents, even though they received millions of dollars in tax incentives that are paid by East St. Louis residents. At the same time East St. Louis is handing out tax breaks to wealthy out-of-town businessmen, it repeatedly refused to provide the same tax incentives for local residents who wanted to create family friendly businesses that would employ people living in the East St. Louis area.
Tags: government corruption; police misconduct; violence; politicians; community; local business
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Chicago Takes on Bad Developers, With Mixed Results
Some Chicago neighborhoods face a troubling conundrum. Thousands of condominiums that were built during the "housing boom" are "proving to be poorly built." Leaks and electrical issues are only a couple of the problems homeowners are facing. In an effort to help the homeowners, the city of Chicago filed lawsuits against the condo developers. The effort has backfired. Many developers have fled the country, which leaves the homeowners with thousands of dollars in repairs that are needed to fix the code violations.
Tags: condos; construction; lawsuits; Chicago; builders; developers; West Wabansia; Bucktown; Bad Developer Task Force; code violation
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Moldy Metropolis: Homeowners Struggle with Leaky Concrete
Poorly built condominiums and the homeowners are now seeing the consequences of the poor construction. The condominiums have severe mold problems, which is a result from using a material called split-free concrete block. The story reveals the lack of building inspection since the blocks should be built without leaks and inspected for leaks. Furthermore, if the homeowners complain to the city, they are held accountable for the code violation.
Tags: masonry; developer; real estate; market; condos; water; housing boom; ordinance; city council
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What's in your burger?
This story revealed how a number of restaurants aren’t following health code guidelines. These violations include not using gloves, not cooking at correct temperatures, no mouth guards at buffets, no sanitizer in rag buckets, dirty restrooms, no dates on food in the refrigerator, and storing food where it is subject to contamination.
Tags: health inspection; records; Cedar City; food; sickness; food protection code; Public Health Department; home-owned; chains; privately owned
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Forced Out
This series from the Washington Post investigates the corrupt practices of landlords driving tenants from their homes under the guise of refusing repairs or forcing families to live without heat, hot water or electricity. This was in response to a law meant to give tenants a voice in the city's redevelopment. In recent years, tenants had fled more than 200 rent-controlled apartment complexes without the chance to vote on redevelopment. With empty buildings, landlords quickly reaped $328 million in condominium sales and avoided $16 million in conversion fees.
Tags: housing; tenant laws; redevelopment; housing-code violations; building inspections; negligent landlords; H.R. Crawford
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Dirty Hotel Room Glasses
The investigation found that hotel chains "do not properly wash dirty hotel room glasses violating health codes." This can expose hotel guest to a variety of diseases.
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Missouri’s Mental Health System
KCUR's investigation found that "Missouri's mental health system is in crisis." Group homes had violations, medication errors were made and more. "The state also fined at least five facilities, between 2004 and 2007, for abuse or neglect that led to resident deaths."
Tags: mental health; state; Missouri; medication; funds; health code violations; neglect; abuse; justice system
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Do you know when and where your City Council is meeting?
"The report investigated how well Jacksonville City Council members followed Florida's Sunshine Law, which requires public officials to provide advance notice and access to meetings of two or more officials from the same board and commission. After the meeting, someone must record written minutes of the session." However in Jacksonville "dozen of meetings about public business [were] held without public notice or written minutes and several meetings that took place in private locations, which violated the city's ethics code and numerous Florida Attorney General opinions."
Tags: sunshine law; city council; Florida; editorials
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One Small Lot, One Big Mess
Long Island development group Utopia Studios, Ltd. "proposed a major development for the southeastern Connecticut region," with their takeover of "one of the most vital pieces of property in the region" approved by Preston, Connecticut voters. Utopia promised "a $1.6 billion project with theme parks and movie studios and 22,000 new jobs" and thus gained a lot of political support. But the Day "discovered that the principle Utopia developer, Joseph Gentile, had been sued in conjunction with a condominium project in New York City." Reporter Paul Choiniere investigated further, and found that Gentile's dealings on that property were questionable.
Tags: developers; Utopia Studios, Ltd.; Joseph Gentile; condominiums; construction code violations; construction