The survey began last night, and Tuesday morning brings two more public statements of rental property inspection intent by city council candidates:
Maury Goldberg (D; 3rd district): Rental Inspection.
Let me start out by saying that I am in favor of Rental Inspections of Apartment Houses. Neighborhoods and Residents are being victimized by Absentee Landlords. Let's put a stop to this condition that exists today.
Pete Lyons (R; 2nd district): Much ado about nothing.
Now, before you misunderstand the title to think that I'm saying there's not a problem, take the title and apply it to the level of activity that you see taking place from New Albany's city government. There's a lot of talk, especially now that there's an election coming up, but what is REALLY being done? NOTHING!
I've made a promise not to say anything negative about fellow candidates. I don't believe it's necessary or warranted. I believe an incumbent’s actions speak louder than anything I could say about them.
At New Albany Eyesores, Chris has published three other statements by Pete Lyons (above), Valla Ann Bolovschak (R; council at-large) and Larry Scharlow (D; candidate for mayor).
Read them here.
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10 comments:
I have to agree with Brandon.
I'd be happy to hear that anyone in a position of authority is considering taking enforcement seriously but, after years of unexplained non-action, it will be an uphill battle for any incumbent to convince the public that the effort is sincere.
MR. La Duke,
If this issue was as you had stated extremely important down town, then answer me this, you have the ability to get answers from the city/county building, so finding the answers should not be hard.
Why Have we been fighting for over 2 years to have the slum next door cleaned up? brought to at least minimum code, filing legitimate complaint after legitimate complaint, citing the exact codes that the property is in violation of, providing pictures when requested, promises for swift action are made, and never followed up on, time after time after, emails are not answered, requests for meetings with the mayor go unanswered, for over 2 years now.
Each and every tenant that this absentee slum lord brings in is worse each time, because the property is worse each time. By Indiana State law it is illegal for him to let the house to tenants while there is any code violation occurring in the first place, but yet, the owner gets away with it, time after time.
Now we are stuck, we could not sell our home if we wanted to. We can not enjoy a quite evening at home due to the constant bass music literally rattling the windows out of the house next door and shaking the pictures on our walls, call the police, they will ask them to turn it down, then we get hit with all of the hostility, and vindictiveness that follows, whether we were the one who called or not.
The basement flooded in that house with several feet of RAW SEWAGE, we called, other neighbors called, it sat, unchecked. When it was finally pumped out, it the RAW ROTTEN sewage was pumped out flooding into our yard, and the alleyway, and the house on the otherside. My dog died with in a week of this, I still have not been able to get my yard back in order after that.
Very important issue though huh? Get any one of the people who are so concerned about this issue who hold office out here for a week, NO a day, and I assure you that the issue will be dealt with, but the administration simply does not care, and borderlines neglect.
" . . . very important issue in the minds of the administration."
" . . . work progressing with an announcement coming in the near future."
It's primary time, isn't it? Why is it that this administration is well into its fourth year, and now, amazingly, we hear that "an announcement is coming"?
Look around New Albany. It doesn't appear that this is an important issue in the minds of the administration.
Echo in a big way what Jeff and Brandon are saying, please check with Doug England, Carl E. Malysz and others on their stand with rental property inspection in NA.
Would really like to hear from ex-mayor Doug with reference to past or present dealings in the rental market within the confines of NA.
This discussion raises my blood pressure to a dangerous level. As I watch the drug den next door terrorize our block, without let-up, after a YEAR of constant complaining and doing all the things csd619 is doing on his block. When you consider all the local govt has done for generations is in-fight and give away the tax base in tax abatements, it's almost criminal to suggest there is a shred of integrity in a statement like:"there is work progressing with an announcement coming"
I agree completely with the blood pressure statement, the more I delve into my personal feelings the closer to an infarction I get.
Lets talk about the ifs:
IF the city did its job, I would not be bringing this up.
IF the city did its job, My black lab would still be alive.
IF the city places this high on the priority list, our entire block would not have smelled like rotting human feces all last summer.
IF the city did what it was supposed to, the Coyles would not have to watch drug deal after drug deal from the same house day in and day out.
IF the city did its job, my family would not have been placed in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning when the fifth or six huge tree branch from the sying tree next door did not fall and smash the vent to my gas water heater in the middle of the night.
I am sure there are a lot more IF's, such as the big IF of IF I dont take a break from this for the next two days, I will probably have a stroke.
If I had to identify a single thing that is missing with the current administration (and the past ones within memory), it would be integrity.
No one who actually has the city's best interests at heart could allow conditions like those mentioned on this blog to persist.
Weak ethics play a big part in why New Albany has become a haven for slumlords and drug dealers.
We've got postings from people in several different areas of town, all with the same problems, and all getting NO help despite very persistent pleas.
Vote them all out, and get some people with principles in office.
S. Laduke - if you're looking for a crack house, try 703 E Main ST.
Mr. Laduke,
I will attempt to contact by phone at your office. Thank you for any effort you attempt.
Based on the sentiment of this activist subset of the voting public, a major announcement regarding rental properties is a day late and a dollar short.
Candidates are putting forward their platform points gradually, but time is running out for any announcement from the administration.
Honestly, I don't doubt the sincerity or competence of the current administration, but, once again, there has been no public communication.
If the Garner administration has a plan, put it out now! You may never convince these readers you are sincere, but if you have a plan, it does the city no good to keep it in your vest pocket.
Anything else just shows a tin ear for the political mood in New Albany.
If you're serious about enforcement, show it. Otherwise, accusations that the Garner administration, just like all the rest, are in the pocket of the slumlords will become the prevailing truth and an irreversible part of not only the campaign, but of any hope of capturing the hearts and minds of the urban core voters.
It could well be too late. But given the current lineup of candidates, I would think that yours is the only campaign with even a glimmer of hope of capturing a bump from the progressive element in this city.
Silence merely reinforces hardening attitudes that the Garner administration is no different from the England administration. Is that what you want the zeitgeist to reflect?
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