An Open Letter to Mayor Robert J. Duffy

Shawn O’Hara
60 Penhurst St
Rochester, New York 14619
October 24, 2009

Mayor Robert J. Duffy
30 Church Street
Rochester, New York 14614

Dear Mayor Duffy,

Today the 19th Ward witnessed another outrageous and senseless act against our community, with the suspected arson at 202 Trafalgar Street. We are devastated. Again.

Not less than a week ago our community was rocked by the flagrant, broad daylight, shooting of a young person on Thurston Road. And now, six days later and only blocks away, a resident of 40+ years and her son, as well as a new family to our city have been left homeless by this disturbing event.

For years our community has been fighting to lift ourselves up in an effort to end the violence and make our streets safe. But we are getting tired Mr. Mayor, and we need some help.

As you may know, the Southwest side of Rochester has one of the oldest community associations in the country, with our 19th Ward Community Association. We are also the home to many active block clubs, neighborhood groups and organizations that are fighting to make our streets safe, walk-able and crime free. We have marched. We have organized. We have held candle light vigils. But as quick as pulling a trigger, or lighting a match, all of our hope, energy and enthusiasm is extinguished. Our residents are tired, scared and feed-up. With many of us feeling helpless.

As the Mayor of this great city, I ask you to please consider committing more resources to our neighborhood. Such as fully staffing our Neighborhood Service Center, installing sound responding street cameras, and aggressive enforcement city codes, and laws such as littering, illegal parking and traffic violations. Coupled with these basic service improvements, it would be beneficial to implement and fund the final phase of the Thurston Road design study.

With these investments and improvements, the 19th Ward would not only become a more desirable place to live and work, they would also facilitate the increase of property values resulting in increased revenue for the city. But aside from the monetary benefits, we should consider the emotional well being of our community as a whole. Think of the positive effect on a child, knowing that they can walk to school safely without the fear of being shot. Think of the positive effect for a block club that can meet to plan a street fair, instead of planning on how to help a burned out family. These are the small things that happen, when we invest in our streetscapes, repair our building facades, and encourage business development. It is time Mr. Mayor. It is time to help us lift ourselves up, and end this seemingly endless battle against decay, violence and crime. It is time.

Sincerely,

Shawn O’Hara
Resident 19th Ward Rochester, New Yrok
Student Rochester Institute of Technology
Founder/Administrator Location19.org

Cc:
Patricia K. Malgieri, Deputy Mayor
G. Jean Howard, Chief of Staff
Darryl W. Porter, Assistant to the Mayor
Richard Hannon, Director of Special Projects
Dana Miller, City Councilmember At Large
Adam McFadden, City Councilmember South District
David Moore, Police Chief
Charles Reaves, Commissioner, Recreation and Youth Services

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Wolf on October 24, 2009 at 12:17pm

My family loves living here, but it is so disheartening to hear about so many crimes ranging from petty to arson and murder in our same neighborhood. I would like to raise my children here and want to help make things as safe as possible for them and everyone else who has chosen to live in the southwest side of the city of Rochester.

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Permalink Reply by Willie Lightfoot on October 24, 2009 at 7:11pm

There should be a letter to Maggie Brooks and the County too. Where are the County resources. Shierff, probation,da office etc...The County should pay more attention to City issues. We pay county taxes too, which went up by the way! Where is the county? Its going to take all resources City and County to help change our city. I support the letter and these issue as well. Nice job.

Willie Joe

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Sullivan on October 25, 2009 at 12:59am

Shawn, you are a great example of what makes me "urban by choice". Willing to speak up (beautifully done)!

I had a neighbor child at the mindful meditation session a couple of weeks ago who asked is I would let someone who is "mean to me" come to meditation (we were getting ready to do a loving kindness meditation). I explained yes that it would be one way to change their hearts. Her comment certainly touched me. Our kids are asking how their lives can be different! Think if there weren't folks in our local schools and churches to give these kids another view of life??

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Permalink Reply by Bill Nichthauser on October 25, 2009 at 12:47pm

Thank you, Shawn. Beautifully said, and certainly worth a try.

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Permalink Reply by cy kastner on October 25, 2009 at 5:25pm

Hi Mayor,

I thought I would send you a little note just
in case you forgot that the 19th Ward used to
be a nice neighborhood.

However, after 3 murders, 3 victims of arson
and 1 suspicious, in a year and a-half,
who can feel safe anymore ?

The once every 3 month 40 mph police patrols
don't convince me of the city's commitment.

When a neighbor's house is shot at on two
occasions and torched on a third
( and a fourth ), and, no one is caught ;
I am not convinced of the city's
commitment.

When virtually all the City's police, firefighters
and school teachers live everywhere but Rochester,
I am not convinced that our City care givers really
care for the City.
( I know the county does not )

What does impress me is the great migration of
middle income working families moving out.

I know the City has great problems to deal with.
However, the stability of the 19th Ward has,
apparently, never been considered one - which
is why you are losing it to neglect.

The ( Greece ) police found Tyquan Rivera in
two days.
Some measure of that response could have
caught the Trafalgar arsonist before he had
a "fourth" crack at 202 Trafalgar.

The 19th Ward "only" survives because the
residents have "zero" tolerance for crime
and decay.
Their commitment to the neighborhood is
unwavering.

Where is the City administration's "zero" tolerance ?

Today, there are 20 people who know the person
responsible for making a 50 year City resident homeless.
By Monday, 40 people will know who the perp is.
Let's try asking one of them who set the fire.

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Fasolo on October 25, 2009 at 6:07pm

Cy this is another powerful and wonderful letter! I do hope you send it to his office.

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Sullivan on October 25, 2009 at 6:10pm

wow!! another great letter.

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on October 25, 2009 at 6:11pm

Thanks Cy. Your off to a great start on Location19! Keep it up.

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Permalink Reply by Margy Meath on October 25, 2009 at 7:41pm

another great letter...... and do people really KNOW who started the Trafalgar fire??

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on October 26, 2009 at 12:03am

I have not heard anything about who did it.

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Permalink Reply by Hilary Homer on October 26, 2009 at 9:19am

The Honorable Robert J. Duffy, Mayor
30 Church Street
Rochester, New York 14614

Dear Mayor Duffy:

On October 18, my husband and I were doing autumn yard chores outside our 19th Ward home when we learned from our next-door neighbor that there had been yet another violent crime committed in our neighborhood--a young man was shot on Thurston Road, a few blocks to the south of our lovely street.

It was 2:00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. People all over the 19th Ward were coming back from after-church lunches. They were walking dogs and riding bicycles. They were in their yards raking leaves. They were playing outdoors with their children. And one of our young men was being wounded by a gunman. There have been no arrests.

My husband and I moved to Marlborough Road about a year and a half ago, but I have known this neighborhood since I was a little girl playing with my friends on Inglewood Drive. This is a community that spoke out and fought back against blockbusting and slum lords and refused to let itself be divided and destroyed by racial distrust. This is a neighborhood that celebrates its diversity, is proud of its historic homes (some of the finest in the city), supports its local businesses, and is dedicated to the enrichment of its children and youth. That is why, when my husband and I were choosing our first home, we came here. Other young professionals we knew were looking in Greece and Fairport, but we chose the 19th Ward. It is a neighborhood unlike any other.

The people of the 19th Ward have been fighting for their neighborhood for decades, and they have preserved it from neglect and decay, but the past year and a half has tested the limits of this resourceful and energetic community. Perhaps it is the decades of success in the 19th Ward that has caused City and County leadership to overlook its needs. Perhaps in this time of tight budgets and limited resources, we have been left to stand on our own because the City and County believe that if any neighborhood can, we can. In that case, consider this our S.O.S.

As I have indicated, the people of the 19th Ward work hard to make their neighborhood a safe, welcoming, and healthy place in which to live, but there are some things that we cannot do alone. We can keep watch and report danger, but we need law enforcement to help protect our community from violence, drug trafficking, gang activity, robberies and home invasions. Right now, our residents are doing foot patrols and staking out problem street corners, hoping that their presence will be enough to deter criminal activity. It is not. We need the police on our streets. We need the perpetrators of crimes like the Thurston Road shooting on October 18, or the October 24 arson on Trafalgar Street, arrested and charged. We need the drug dealers to know that, if they are doing business in our neighborhood, there will be consequences beyond simply being seen and reported by one of our watchful residents.

It is not simply the criminal element with which our residents need the help of their elected leaders. Although we work hard to keep our streets clean and our properties safe, distressed properties are growing in number, and building and health code violations are proliferating despite diligent reporting by our residents. Allowing code violations to go unpunished when reported gives tacit reassurance of impunity to those not inclined to maintain their properties, dispose of their refuse properly, or respect city noise and loitering ordinances. And the problem inevitably escalates. Once it is known that neighbors are watching and reporting but that no action will be taken, the City may as well invite criminals to come do business in the 19th Ward, and tell our residents and legitimate businesses to get out.

Your Honor, why is the City driving out good neighbors and businesses so that gangs and drug dealers can have a nice neighborhood? If the City loses the 19th Ward to neglect and decay, it will have lost history, tax revenue, energy, diversity, and dedication. The kind of neighborhood that our City and County leaders are always saying they want to create in Rochester is already right here in the 19th Ward. Protect it, invest in it, and the City will be rewarded (along with its coffers). Ignore it, and all the City will get is more crime, more struggling schools, and more blighted blocks. My neighbors have done all they can. It is time for you to make a choice.

Most sincerely,

Hilary A. Homer, J.D.

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