19th Ward Community Association
Housing Committee
Wednesday Meeting Notes for Posting
October 3, 2012
Final

The Meeting convened at 11:00am.

Present: John B, Marian B, Henrene B, Toni O, Donna S, Mark S

Minutes of September 29 approved.

Regarding speed humps on Sawyer Street: Carl Dickerson to try to find previous correspondence (2002) - no information yet.

Deteriorated fire hydrant on Sawyer Street: Fire Department is supposed to check hydrants on a regular basis. Donna will drop in at the firehouse on Genesee Street, which has responsibility for Sawyer Street, to get more information.

Reviewed Dana’s “10 worst” houses proposal from April 10, 2008 letter. In that letter responding to DeWain Feller on the 19thward@yahoogroups.com he said [emphasis is Marian's]:

The City is well aware of the problems with lax enforcement. There is a trade-off between being "resident friendly" (more enforcement), and being "business friendly" (more lenient). I find myself frustrated at the fact that someone can be allowed to do very little work, and get away without fines for months and even years. I also see properties that have run up fines of $40-50,000 only to then be abandoned by their owners. Once a new owner purchases the property, all fines are canceled by the City.

I would really like to see us come up with a list of the TOP 10 worst properties in the neighborhood, and then provide NET with this list as their area of focus for the month. I would be happy to help monitor the progress with NET and as one property is removed, another takes its place. I would also be happy to make sure that the NET Director and the Mayor are aware of and copied in to the list. We provide the priorities, they do the work. I know that 10 doesn't seem like many in a neighborhood with 8000 houses, but we have to start somewhere.

We are not sure if anyone ever took Dana up on his offer. Donna has been playing phone tag with Dana about it.

Student volunteers: Students from Robert Brown H.S. of Construction and Design could do minor painting, repairs, etc. Marian will contact Principal David Grant about possibilities. (see Sept. 29 minutes)

Donna will talk to David Hawkes about :

• Garbage totes lined up and overflowing at the apartment building across from the former 7-Eleven - why not a dumpster?
• Why are landlords able to convert single houses to rooming houses without obtaining variances?

Mark volunteered to work with the Housing Code Violations subcommittee. Toni reviewed the project and process to date for him.

Discussed ways to get more neighbors involved - block clubs, Delegates’ Council, Update 19? The SWCC Education Committee is trying to recruit parents into the 19WCA who are interested In School 16 revitalization.  Since our interests reinforce each-others, we should combine our efforts.  We need to speak to the new 19th WCA Executive Committee after the November election of officers regarding finding more active delegates and linking delegates and block clubs.

Meeting adjourned at 12:15 am.

Our next Saturday meeting the October 13th at 10:00am.

Minutes submitted by Marian and John B

Agenda Items for October 13:  Agenda Items Oct 13, 2012.doc