Wow.... how is this an issue for the City? When their resources are stretched this thin, don't you think it's a little silly for you to go to them for this "issue" when it would be just as easy to make friends with your neighbor and offer to help them cleaning up the property if it's such an issue for you to look at? What if they're elderly, or disabled? Or work 20hrs a day? Hell, even I would be up to helping out if they needed it, and I don't even live on that block! Also, just my opinion here, but that porch does not look that bad.... most certainly not bad enough to report it!
This property was reported to the city months ago with the additional problem of flaking paint likely is lead based. This could be a serious health problem for children in the neighborhood. The city has done nothing that I'm aware of to address these issues.
I have been taking care of the bushes and the area in front of the house for years. Three young men live there who have plenty of time to utilize the porch, so I assume they have time to clean it up. We have had to cut animals out of debris that collected on the porch and they've gotten stuck in. I've reported the ongoing issue to the property management company (since it is a rental) and they told me to pound sand. SuzieQ - should I expect you this weekend to come clean? Of not, please reopen.
Hello Emilee129, sure I'd be happy to come by this Sunday to help facilitate a conversation between you and these young men! :-) Say, some time in the afternoon? It's generally my experience that people are just unaware or not motivated; I mean, I doubt anyone knowingly wants to be considered a nuisance neighbor. Have you tried talking to them before? I bet they'd be more willing to do something if you asked them and told them your concerns, rather than after getting a nasty phone call from the property manager..... :-\
Unfortunately I will be working Sunday. Although I do love to spend my free time cleaning up other people's crap. Your original offer was to help them clean. You have the address, so please do. Or if you are inclined to come ask them to clean up, again, please do. You seem certain that this hasn't been tried before, and my first stop was here. I'm not sure why. If you arent going to clean or talk to them, then this issue doesn't involve you, and I don't see the need to respond to anymore of your comments. If you are going to clean or talk to them, then I will respond with a big thank you when it's done.
Also, apologies to "dennismcguire", who has probably gotten their fill of emails from this particular report. I agree, if that is lead based paint, it does become a more serious issue. One good thing about being friends with neighbors though, is that it wouldn't be weird to ask them if they have that lead based paint clause in their rental agreement. Ya know, the one that ALL rental residences have to legally disclose, if in the city. If they do, then it for sure can be taken up with the city! Though, I would think that most property management companies and landlords, just the threat of taking it higher is enough to get them to do something they probably already should have done months ago...
Woah, no need to be hostile.... (??)
I was sincere in my offer to help, I figured since it sounded like you are literally their neighbor, you would want help in establishing a healthy and respectful rapport with them. Ya know, otherwise known as being neighborly...? And it's definitely not your job to clean up after folks, I'm not saying you should! But wouldn't it be better for everyone if you got to know them as people, and they got to know you, so that when you tell them that they really should do something about their front porch, they actually think about doing something? Rather than just ignoring the "crabby" neighbor?
And to be clear, my initial message was not to *you*, my dear Emilee129, but to the Anonymous SCF user with 0 Civic Points, who seemed like they were quick to task the already swamped city workers with what seemed like a very-non-offical-city-realted, non-issue. That sort of thing annoys me. Especially since the "issue" seemed fairly easily remedied by just talking to the people living there face to face. Because, I don't know about you, but I'd rather the city be using my tax dollars fixing street lights and filling potholes than chasing down messy neighbors....
Also, I apologize if the presence of the "@#$%" in my original post offended anyone. For some reason, SCF automatically changed "Heck" to "@#$%".... I guess because it's a cuss? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
9 Comments
Closed SuzieQ (Registered User)
dennismcguire (Registered User)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Reopened An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
SuzieQ (Registered User)
Acknowledged RVA: Customer campaigner (Registered User)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
SuzieQ (Registered User)
SuzieQ (Registered User)
Woah, no need to be hostile.... (??)
I was sincere in my offer to help, I figured since it sounded like you are literally their neighbor, you would want help in establishing a healthy and respectful rapport with them. Ya know, otherwise known as being neighborly...? And it's definitely not your job to clean up after folks, I'm not saying you should! But wouldn't it be better for everyone if you got to know them as people, and they got to know you, so that when you tell them that they really should do something about their front porch, they actually think about doing something? Rather than just ignoring the "crabby" neighbor?
And to be clear, my initial message was not to *you*, my dear Emilee129, but to the Anonymous SCF user with 0 Civic Points, who seemed like they were quick to task the already swamped city workers with what seemed like a very-non-offical-city-realted, non-issue. That sort of thing annoys me. Especially since the "issue" seemed fairly easily remedied by just talking to the people living there face to face. Because, I don't know about you, but I'd rather the city be using my tax dollars fixing street lights and filling potholes than chasing down messy neighbors....
Also, I apologize if the presence of the "@#$%" in my original post offended anyone. For some reason, SCF automatically changed "Heck" to "@#$%".... I guess because it's a cuss? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯