It wasn’t that long ago that unidentified “RESIDENTS OF NEW ALBANY” were asking me, a mere blogging Publican, to “GO TO HELL.”
Oooh ... AHHH ... it's trognonymous hate mail!
Actually, it's one of my favorite Alice Cooper songs* ... but I digress.
Yesterday I received an anonymous letter with a far different tone. In it were two photos of trash-strewn, overgrown housing eyesores.
----
July 15, 2007
DEAR MR. BAYLOR
WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING CLEAN UP UNSAFE HOUSES IN THE EAST END.
ALL OF THE INTEREST IS IN CLEANING UP THE MESSES IN THE EAST END.
WE WISH THAT YOU WOULD HELP US CLEAN UP THE MESSES IN THE WEST END.
WE NEED YOUR HELP BECAUSE OUR CITY COUNCILMAN COFFEY WILL NOT HELP US.
PLEASE SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE WEST END.
WEST END RESIDENTS
----
Make no mistake: As it pertains to ordinance enforcement, rental property reform and basic human decency, NA Confidential’s blogvocacy has never been restricted to one neighborhood, one council district or one type of resident. New Albany's west end is no exception, and you may recall these words, as written in May by my colleague Bluegill:
This is the house in which my mother grew up, 216 W. 10th, right in the middle of the 1st district. It's currently a foreclosure, for sale for $10,900. When I first stopped by to look at it, the back door was kicked in and it was full of trash. It's been that way for months.
The houses across the street are worse, with boarded up windows. Judging by the number of cars parked out front on my last visit, at least one of them is occupied. It would seem an opportunity for a caring local representative to either hold the landlords responsible for the egregious violations or to inform the beleaguered homeowners of the city assistance programs available.
All I've heard from incumbent and former redevelopment liaison Dan Coffey are the reasons why we can't. I guess they believed him.
I hope they believe Theresa Timberlake on Tuesday.
From NAC’s Primary Primer: Introduction and 1st council district (D) endorsement.
Although Theresa Timberlake pushed Coffey to the brink of much deserved retirement, she unfortunately didn’t win the race. That’s a shame, because she looked to be the breath of fresh air so desperately needed in the 1st district. Fortunately, Coffey’s threadbare margin illustrates that there is a hunger for quantifiable change in the 1st district.
To those who westenders who wrote the letter published above, rest assured that when it comes to better neighborhoods, “we” want “all” of “us” to be a part of the solution. The problem so far has been in getting “all” of us to leave past prejudices at the door and to work toward a unity of purpose that is calibrated to succeed, not fail. The Dan Coffeys of the world survive in a fragmented habitat divided into units sufficiently weak that their bullying and braying is mistaken for leadership, not the demagoguery and spitefulness that it really is.
Herewith, NAC renews the call for a meeting between representatives of all the city’s neighborhoods, whether these representatives are organized into neighborhood associations, or block watches, or informal groupings of concerned citizens. What matters is working together to make progress, not perpetuating divisiveness and dysfunction by remaining separate.
Tragically, Coffey’s 1st district seat is uncontested, but other races are not. Given the impending vote scrum, it’s a fine time for togetherness, don’t you think?
----
* For the record, here are the lyrics to "Go To Hell" (1976).
For criminal acts and violence on the stage
For being a brat
Refusing to act your age
For all of the decent citizens you've enraged
You can go to Hell
For gambling and drinking alcohol constantly
For making us doubt our parents authority
For choosing to be a living obscenity
You can go to Hell
You're something that never should have happened
You even make your Grandma sick
You'd poison a blind man's dog and steal his cane
You'd gift wrap a leper
And mail him to your Aunt Jane
You'd even force-feed a diabetic a candy cane
You can go to Hell
You're something that never should have happened
You even make your Grandma sick
For criminal acts and violence on the stage
For being a brat
Refusing to act your age
For all of the decent citizens you've enraged
You can go to Hell
11 comments:
Maybe a get togther at the new Speakeasy...I'm looking for a reason to go.
Roger,
Give me the addresses of the 2 residences and I'll make sure Mr. Hartman visits them right away.
Keep in mind, we are talking about the same Dan Coffey that, at the last Council Meeting said he would not vote for anymore money to eliminate houses just like this because of mismanagement in the Building Dept. Of course this came after I explained that we have had 5 houses demolished and only spent roughly $12,000.00 of the $50,000.00 the Council approved for us. I don't know about you but... I'll take that kind of "mis-management" any day of the week!
Sincerely,
Steve LaDuke
Knock-knock! The lights are on, but it still seems that no one is home!
Excuse me West-Enders but where were you during the primary election? Why did you not come forward to encourage Ms. Timberlake to challange the outcome of said election and offer the financial support needed to initiate that process?
Had a precious few of you done either of the above, your esteemed CM Coffey could very well have been a distant sad memory following the November election.
But alas you chose to remain unenvolved in politics, you could not find the time, it wasn't your job, it would have been an exercise in futility, or my personal favorite, I didn't know anything about it!
In other words you followed the script to the letter that is at least 30 years old, which is exactly what the status quo wanted you to do so they could win again with no energy expelled on their part.
Now you want us to help bail you out on the two conditions that no direct action or involvement is required on your part and that you reserve the right to obstruct our efforts at every turn. Sounds like a hell of a deal to me. Where do I sign up?
This past Monday evening I attended yet another meeting of the leaders of various neighborhood asociation and blockwatch groups to discuss the concept of drafting an ordinance requiring the registration and inspection of all rental property in New Albany. The goal being not to penalize legitimate, honest landlords, but to gain so semblence of control over slumlords who have chosen to ignor existing housing laws already on the books.
Present at said event were John Rosenbarger and Carl Malysz who were invited to give us a perspective of said action based on their collective experience base concerning housing, zoning and redevelopement.
I for one was in hope they could give us some guidance as to how to approach this issue with some hope of success.
Sadly yet predictably the best they came up with from what I heard was why it had no chance of getting off the ground. This based on the historical fact that it has been tried and failed before.
Pardon my naivete, but I don't think the Wright brothers got their abortion of a a flying machine of the ground on the first or possibly even tenth try. However that has not stopped us from having a manned space staion orbiting over hour collective heads.
But I digress. After a lengthy polite white washed discusion of what we were trying to accomplish with this action, I took off the gloves and expressed my undiluted version of at least my goal.
I want my propery to increase in value over the decades not decrease as it is currently doing. Furthermore, it is my strong and long held belief that we the people have the power in numbers to afffect change in the politcal will of our elected officials both locally and nationally provided we show up enmass as a unified body. WE MUST have group participation. Short of that, our individual efforts are indeed an exercise in futility and the status quo remains as is.
In case you have doubts, let me clarify. YES I am frustrated. Nothig I've said here is news. We been saying it for years and I find it mind-boggling that it keeps falling on deaf ears.
Once again, thank the brewing gods for good beer!
Jaysus, Lloyd, try to let us know what you really feel!
I was speaking with a local real estate agent this morning, and he's guardedly optimistic that in conjunction with the soft housing market, property "investors" are beginning to indicate reluctance with dabbling in rentals in those area where the neighborhood associations are strong and organized.
Certainly this is welcomed.
Steve
Bearing in mind that it was an anonymous letter, neither photo had an address. Perhaps they fear "retaliation" by yonder wizard?
RAB
Perhaps they fear "retaliation" by yonder wizard?
If that's the case, yonder wizard will continue to win at their expense. Although someone should repeatedly, they don't even have to confront Coffey. They just have to go around him.
I and many others are happy to help with any number of revitalization initiatives be they political or otherwise. The first step in the process, though, is shedding the anonymity. As TNA mentioned, people who want to help have no one to even contact in response to the letter presented here.
As Lloyd mentioned, the main reason efforts have been focused on the East End is precisely because those residents have been the ones to speak out publicly about the situation.
To my knowledge, other than Ms. Timberlake, only two West End residents have ever identified themselves publicly as in favor of revitalization efforts and they were immediately invited to participate in whatever activities were going on at the time. The neighborhood forums, too, have all been completely open to anyone.
Beyond that, anyone reading may email me at the address in my profile to begin communication.
Also, just a friendly reminder that Rosenbarger and Malysz aren't legislators or political advisors. They're an invaluable resource for technical assistance and should be treated as such. As the public face(s) of what can sometimes be maddening bureaucracy, they often get beat up for things that are totally out of their control.
A better strategy is to compel elected officials to provide development staff with expanded funding and tools rather than pressuring said employees to change or participate in things well outside their authority.
Keep in mind that the city doesn't annually budget for redevelopment outside of whatever community development block grant money John Rosenbarger and crew can beg from the feds. As we've learned, 3rd district CM Steve Price and others often impose their ignorance there, too.
Also be mindful of the fact that, as Economic Development Director, Carl Malysz is given almost no access or control over the city's share of Economic Development Income Tax funds.
Those financial decisions are instead left up to the City Council, a good portion of whom have shown little or no interest in learning the first thing about successful revitalization, i.e., for what purpose the money is supposed to be used. One has to look no further than their decision to spend millions to subsidize our sewer rate a little over three dollars a month to understand how little they understand.
Changing both those situations would be a logical place to start.
On a side note, the anti-predatory lending workshop was cancelled last evening due to a school system mistake. For some currently unknown reason, they didn't unlock the S. Ellen Jones Elementary building as per their agreement.
It will be rescheduled and notice will be sent again.
Hawks and doves Lloyd, you are sounding like me. That is good, as I know you are feeling well.
RAB my neighbor informed she was responsible for getting a rat/trash house torn down on Cherry recently. Said she tried in vain to have our councilman do something about it and finally had to stay on city hall to do so. I applaud her for persistance, but shame on our elected officals for not doing anything about said problems. These guys are caught between a shit and a sweat. Never in their tenure; since Mildred Wilson, have they had to actually deal with the people that elected them to office raising such a stink about the REAL problems in this community.
Thanks again for NAC's awareness of the problems of the people and how folk are ready to step up to the plate for change....
As stated the first step is to loose anonymity. Then it is a matter of persistance bordering harrassment!
When the city will not help, and in most cases they will not, then you take the fight to the property owner. Letters,phone calls, emails, send them pictures, neighborhood "petitions".
One I found to be particularly effective is copies of the city codes the property is in violation of, along with a picture of the "alledged" violation and a copy of the prescribed fines associated with the violation.
One ploy that seemed to work amazingly well where there are "illicit" activities thought to be occurring is send the anonymous letter to the tenants asking if they would please be kind enough to have their clients smile for the camera!!
But above all else, as Lloyd (great to hear from you Lloyd) pointed is to vote, become active, if you do not have a neighborhood association, start one, as well as a block watch program.
Just as I was about to give up, give in, with no real help from the powers that be, we out here on my block got not one, not two, no not three but four victories in a row.
The house next door is about half way done being cleaned up, repainted, and will be purchsed on contract, wo other horrible rentals have been "flipped" and sold by owner occupiers, and one in the process of a bidding war from very interested potential families wanting to move in.
It can be done, but it can be very taxing, personally, emotionally, as well as your own property may become targeted for frequent vandalism.
Bluegill,
I'm well aware that both Mr. Rosenbarger and Mr. Malyze have no authority to take independent action on these issues.
However, I find it unfathomable that with their combined years of experience with local bureaucracy, that they have not found ways to avoid potholes, get around brickwalls, and over hurdles.
All I'm asking is that they share some of the tricks of the trade with us so we can move forward.
We'll be delighted to keep them out of the spotlight and take the heat. We're just asking for a heads up on how to proceed.
Just to clarify, my comments here are mine and mine alone. I would not presume to speak for anyone else involved in this debate.
What great eloquent words, spoken by citizens whom know the "whitewash" down and helped create our very nightmare.
Keep in mind, if we ever get to tighten those building codes -- the loophole for our slumlord was "there are no laws on the books for weekly rentals". It just didn't matter.
Great ideas, and couldn't have worded most of this any better than most have -- we feel the same blankety blankety way.
Democrat,
I had sent the administration a model of a successful rental inspection program, that was self supporting, and had been operational for years. It had even stood up to a test in court.
Of course this was met with the empty sound of crickets chirping, and a lone dog barking somewhere off in the distance.
The truth of the matter is, in my humble opinion, those who hold office are scared of those who would be and are slum lords (inserting disclaimer that all landlords are not slumlords).
The possibility of LOSING a handful of votes greatly outweighs the possibility of cleaning up our community and in the process possibly GAINING some votes.
Post a Comment