Clarification: On Sex Offenders on Chilton Avenue story

A story last week reported that Niagara Falls landlord Ralph Pescrillo moved five registered sex offenders into a Chilton Avenue home he owns. It was reported that a "housing authority" was involved in providing the sex offenders with gifts of household items. The information came from a quote from one of the neighbors.

The Niagara Falls Reporter wants to make it clear that the neighbor was speaking about one of a number of social services not- for-profit agencies and not referring to the Niagara Falls Housing Authority. According to Stephanie Cowart, the executive director of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, the Authority did not provide any aid to any sex offenders on Chilton Avenue.

"The Niagara Falls Housing Authority is devoted to providing affordable housing in safe neighborhoods for all of its residents," Cowart said. "But the Niagara Falls Housing Authority owns no housing on Chilton Ave and has no relationship with Mr. Pescrillo or any other private landlord."

The Reporter also addressed a rumor about the Authority, which is that Cowart directs the agency to advertise in New York City to lure welfare recipients to Authority housing in Niagara Falls.

From there these New Yorkers, the rumor goes, get on welfare and Medicaid and transfer the costs of supporting them from New York to Niagara County, all for the sake of getting the Authority's apartments full.

Cowart flatly denied this, and said, "The Niagara Falls Housing Authority does not advertise in New York City or anywhere outside of area,"

The Authority manages or develops hundreds of apartments, Cowart said most of them are at or near full capacity.