Killing a town for profit
by M. Stewart
Today’s post started as a response to ORL reader CoffeeCup, who composed a very thought-provoking comment under our recent photo of the J.C. Thompson building. Because my response ended up being quite lengthy, I decided to run it here on the main page. I suggest you read CoffeeCup’s comment before reading this response.
Unlike property owners, many renters do not care about the properties they're "staying" in, and as we all know, East Liverpool is plagued with trashy renters. However, it is the landlord who chooses to rent his/her property to these scumbags in the first place. If landlords were more careful about managing their property—and that starts with making sure you have responsible rental clients—then maybe we wouldn't have such a problem.
To me, part of the definition of a slumlord is someone who knowingly rents property to irresponsible, dirty people. Renters should be screened just like job applicants. A good rule is: Don’t rent to anyone you wouldn't want as a neighbor.
Secondly, many other cities have and enforce stricter housing maintenance codes than we have here. Enforcement is impossible without purposeful, well-crafted legislation designed to effect long-term reform. There is no getting around the fact that all restrictive legislation steps on someone's toes. There are always going to be whiners and complainers, but we must keep in mind that it is exactly these people that we want to get rid of. So let them whine and complain. I don't care if they are well-to-do, influential township realtors. East Liverpool is not their city. Our elected officials represent taxpaying residents, not out-of-town slumlords.
A township realtor/slumlord once said to me with an absolutely straight face: "Poor people need somewhere to live too, and around here, that's East Liverpool. We help poor people by giving them what they need." This person knew I was a resident of the city but still assumed I would accept this phony rationalization. It was at that point I began to notice the extent of the damage that those who profit from poverty have inflicted on East Liverpool.
I noticed too that even discussing the issue out loud was taboo, and it had been so for quite some time. Well-intentioned politicians, merchants, and city residents had been trying to solve East Liverpool’s economic problems without paying attention to the root cause, which is not so much the poor people themselves, but rather an entrenched system designed to exploit poverty for profit.
The system has been in place for so long that few even question it. People who profit from the status quo get angry and defensive when someone so much as mentions the pink elephant in the room. For example, last I heard the East Liverpool Chamber of Commerce elected the director of the Columbiana Metropolitan Housing Authority as its president. There are two possible alternatives: There is an open conspiracy to keep East Liverpool down, or our business community is made up of profoundly ignorant people. Either way, the city loses.
It’s a no-brainer to assume that active and unified government is necessary to change the prevailing model, but as I've argued before, altruistic private investors also must be part of any comprehensive program of social and economic change. One thing I know for sure is that if everyone is afraid, then nothing gets done; the status quo continues, and those who profit from it stay fat and happy.
Journalists have always known that if you want answers, follow the money, but that’s not likely to happen here because the local press is part of the same exploitation system that strives to keep workers’ wages low and corporate profits high. When the press has an interest in maintaining the status quo, reform is extremely difficult because the bad guys can hide so easily, especially when the institution responsible for exposing them provides the cover.
Because of current economic and social conditions, East Liverpool is not the kind of town that can attract investors looking to profit in the traditional way. We all know this. Sadly, the market remains ripe for vultures and carpetbaggers. At the same time and for the same reasons, Liverpool is an ideal town for creative investors interested in preservation and long-term personal rewards. Sure, it costs money, but that’s true anywhere.
So how about a that beautiful old Thompson building? First of all, the building is in pretty good shape compared to what it might be. I suppose a person could spend $40,000 to restore it, but that seems excessive, certainly not as an initial outlay. Restoration is best accomplished over time.
Frankly, I’d be interested in the building myself if we hadn’t just purchased a historic residence downtown that requires restoration. Even so, if the building is still on the market in a year, I may move on it. The Little Building, on the other hand, represents a much larger investment both in initial outlay and restoration. A sensible buyer would want to have a clear plan going in, but, as always, creativity is the key.
Conventional thinkers—those who tread only well-worn paths—are useless here. What’s required are creative people—those who look for opportunities where others do not. Mr. Newbold and yes, even Mr. Trombetta, are creative risk-takers willing to do things in spite of the conventional wisdom. Will they be successful? We’ll see. Those of us who are not wealthy can play our part by using the same creative methods on a smaller scale.
My point has always been that East Liverpool is a small enough town that a relatively small group of creative investors could literally recreate the place. With local government cooperation, the poverty exploitation model that exists today could be slowly pushed out. But these things take cooperation and persistence—qualities that seem uncommon in our area.
CoffeeCup’s warning is something we should all hear and consider. One should never go into business—and owning a commercial property is a business—without considering and preparing for the pitfalls. Still, as long as I’m alive, I won’t give up on my town. I know that major economic and social change can occur only if good people develop and stick with a plan, and the plan involves much more than money.
Today’s post started as a response to ORL reader CoffeeCup, who composed a very thought-provoking comment under our recent photo of the J.C. Thompson building. Because my response ended up being quite lengthy, I decided to run it here on the main page. I suggest you read CoffeeCup’s comment before reading this response.
Unlike property owners, many renters do not care about the properties they're "staying" in, and as we all know, East Liverpool is plagued with trashy renters. However, it is the landlord who chooses to rent his/her property to these scumbags in the first place. If landlords were more careful about managing their property—and that starts with making sure you have responsible rental clients—then maybe we wouldn't have such a problem.
To me, part of the definition of a slumlord is someone who knowingly rents property to irresponsible, dirty people. Renters should be screened just like job applicants. A good rule is: Don’t rent to anyone you wouldn't want as a neighbor.
Secondly, many other cities have and enforce stricter housing maintenance codes than we have here. Enforcement is impossible without purposeful, well-crafted legislation designed to effect long-term reform. There is no getting around the fact that all restrictive legislation steps on someone's toes. There are always going to be whiners and complainers, but we must keep in mind that it is exactly these people that we want to get rid of. So let them whine and complain. I don't care if they are well-to-do, influential township realtors. East Liverpool is not their city. Our elected officials represent taxpaying residents, not out-of-town slumlords.
A township realtor/slumlord once said to me with an absolutely straight face: "Poor people need somewhere to live too, and around here, that's East Liverpool. We help poor people by giving them what they need." This person knew I was a resident of the city but still assumed I would accept this phony rationalization. It was at that point I began to notice the extent of the damage that those who profit from poverty have inflicted on East Liverpool.
I noticed too that even discussing the issue out loud was taboo, and it had been so for quite some time. Well-intentioned politicians, merchants, and city residents had been trying to solve East Liverpool’s economic problems without paying attention to the root cause, which is not so much the poor people themselves, but rather an entrenched system designed to exploit poverty for profit.
The system has been in place for so long that few even question it. People who profit from the status quo get angry and defensive when someone so much as mentions the pink elephant in the room. For example, last I heard the East Liverpool Chamber of Commerce elected the director of the Columbiana Metropolitan Housing Authority as its president. There are two possible alternatives: There is an open conspiracy to keep East Liverpool down, or our business community is made up of profoundly ignorant people. Either way, the city loses.
It’s a no-brainer to assume that active and unified government is necessary to change the prevailing model, but as I've argued before, altruistic private investors also must be part of any comprehensive program of social and economic change. One thing I know for sure is that if everyone is afraid, then nothing gets done; the status quo continues, and those who profit from it stay fat and happy.
Journalists have always known that if you want answers, follow the money, but that’s not likely to happen here because the local press is part of the same exploitation system that strives to keep workers’ wages low and corporate profits high. When the press has an interest in maintaining the status quo, reform is extremely difficult because the bad guys can hide so easily, especially when the institution responsible for exposing them provides the cover.
Because of current economic and social conditions, East Liverpool is not the kind of town that can attract investors looking to profit in the traditional way. We all know this. Sadly, the market remains ripe for vultures and carpetbaggers. At the same time and for the same reasons, Liverpool is an ideal town for creative investors interested in preservation and long-term personal rewards. Sure, it costs money, but that’s true anywhere.
So how about a that beautiful old Thompson building? First of all, the building is in pretty good shape compared to what it might be. I suppose a person could spend $40,000 to restore it, but that seems excessive, certainly not as an initial outlay. Restoration is best accomplished over time.
Frankly, I’d be interested in the building myself if we hadn’t just purchased a historic residence downtown that requires restoration. Even so, if the building is still on the market in a year, I may move on it. The Little Building, on the other hand, represents a much larger investment both in initial outlay and restoration. A sensible buyer would want to have a clear plan going in, but, as always, creativity is the key.
Conventional thinkers—those who tread only well-worn paths—are useless here. What’s required are creative people—those who look for opportunities where others do not. Mr. Newbold and yes, even Mr. Trombetta, are creative risk-takers willing to do things in spite of the conventional wisdom. Will they be successful? We’ll see. Those of us who are not wealthy can play our part by using the same creative methods on a smaller scale.
My point has always been that East Liverpool is a small enough town that a relatively small group of creative investors could literally recreate the place. With local government cooperation, the poverty exploitation model that exists today could be slowly pushed out. But these things take cooperation and persistence—qualities that seem uncommon in our area.
CoffeeCup’s warning is something we should all hear and consider. One should never go into business—and owning a commercial property is a business—without considering and preparing for the pitfalls. Still, as long as I’m alive, I won’t give up on my town. I know that major economic and social change can occur only if good people develop and stick with a plan, and the plan involves much more than money.
posted by M. | 11:16 AM
22 Comments:
That building looks a lot better on the outside than the inside, trust me.
I have a relative who works for a local realtor who is also a landlord (NOT a slumlord...I realize the difference).
My relative goes in to these rental properties after a tenant moves out and cleans, paints, and otherwise repairs the damage caused.
EVERY SINGLE ONE of them has been turned into a hovel by the tenants. Doors are off cabinets, holes are in the walls, appliances are filthy and sometimes trashed, carpets are black, windows are filthy, etc.
And this is a GOOD landlord who makes sure the property is cleaned and presentable after EVERY SINGLE TENANT moves out. She also is diligent about collecting her rent (I don't believe her places are Section 8) and seems to screen her potential tenants.
Often (not always) renters just have no sense of responsibility for another's property. They think, "I'm paying for it, I can do what I want to it." And they do.
I know another fellow who had some rental properties he kept up well. He rented one apartment to two registered nurses, both working good jobs.
When they finally moved out, he said that place was the filthiest hole he could ever imagine, and I won't even go into the details of some of the gross things they left behind.
I don't know the law but I expect landlords have to be very careful about appearing to discriminate against a potential tenant on the basis of their lifestyle.
If they can't keep people out they suspect are drug users or dealers or scumbags, is it their fault?
Obviously, there are MANY slumlords out there, who don't care who they rent to as long as they get the money. That is certainly not true of many landlords.
And, not to paint every renter with the same brush, there are many who take great care of their rented homes (my best friend included) and take great pride in them.
My parents rented for decades and always cared for the property as though it was their own.
There does seem to be a pervasive lack of responsibility and pride in East Liverpool and I don't know why.
It is a beautiful little city with a wonderful history. It's too bad more people can't realize and appreciate that.
Until the "clientele" changes, not much else will. The city has become the home of many, many low lifes who are starting to outnumber the good citizens.
What's the answer? If I knew that, I'd run for office.
Devil's Playmate--
You raise good points, and I don't mean to suggest that all landlords are slumlords. But I will say that a lot of landlords who jump up and down insisting they aren't slumlords really are.
Also, I know of no law that forces a local landlord to rent a house to a client who cannot provide satisfactory references. I have, however, heard slumlords make that claim.
Your comment about the two nurses is very useful. We need to understand that it's not always the stereotyped "poor people" who are irresponsible renters. When I was in graduate school, I worked for a property management company as the guy who cleaned units after a tenant moved out--some of them very nice homes and apartments. Every time I thought I'd seen the ultimate in filth, someone would top it.
We can't hope to change human nature. It's a simple truth that most people do not take care of what they don't own. So what we need in East Liverpool is more home owners and fewer renters. That goal is impossible to achieve as long as everyone continues to see East Liverpool as a slumlord's paradise. It would help if the city could create and enforce legislation that makes owning and operating residential rental property prohibitively expensive (through strict maintenance codes and high licensing fees). Drastic measures are required to remedy serious problems, but the political will just isn't there.
In the meantime, average people can make positive contributions one step at a time. It's going to take a while, but I believe it can be done. You gotta start somewhere.
All I see here is basic market forces at work.
East Liverpool and the surrounding area is an economically-depressed region of the country that housing a higher-than-average proportion of low-income families.
Those low-income families have an inherent demand for housing, but cannot be expected to rent for something higher than they can pay. And as they make very little money, they cannot be expected to pay anything but very little.
With the demand present, its only natural that someone will invest in low-income housing to provide the supply.
Slumlords - sure, I don't disagree. But who's to say that they have some sort of moral obligation in a capalist society where we require buyers and sellers alike - no matter how much money they have?
Government intervention to provide assistance in low-income housing seems like a worthy cause, but I'm skeptical since the liklihood of weening low-income housing welfare recipients off of the taxpayers' teat seems like a remote possibility.
It's the institution of capatilism that is to blame for slumlords' existence - not the inviduals themselves. And one of the most credible critiques of laissez-faire economics is the fact that it creates inequities that spin off into a variety of social ills.
I offer no solutions - but I'm quick to point out that while you advocate for some political intervention, government ultimately serves to make things worse while trying to make them better - particularly in the free market.
I rent an apartment, three bedroom, basement, no yard but with a driveway for three vehicles. I like my landlord because he is like no other I have rented from. My family and I just love this man to death. We pay our rent, but when we run into some trouble he gives us a break, but we do pay him when we do get the money. I help him keep the place running and report anything that happens in and around his property.
Now the landlord that has two homes across the street from us? He is not aseen or heard from. the family that moved out just completely destroyed the place. Use to have locks on the doors, none no more, tiles missing from the ceiling and you can see right up in the bathroom while someone is in there doing their business. This is the family with the naked baby running around. I do not think his house has been inspected as of yet and should be.
Do I think he is a slumlord? Yes I do because if he was any kind of landlord he would have made them clean the place up or evicted them. But no he chose to let them stay because he knew them.
No all landlords are slumlords. But to those who are slumlords better beware. Eyes are watching. Because if your building hasn't been inspected yet, it will be.
I think I should start a website called turn in a slumlord.com
Prince--
When I worked for the newspaper, the Wellsville Chamber of Commerce did this thing called "house of the month." I took photos of the proud homeowners in front of their well-kept houses and put them in the paper. At one point I suggested that we expand the idea to include a "dump of the month," depicting and identifying the owners of dilapidated and trashy properties in East Liverpool and Wellsville. That idea--which, I believed, was more useful as public journalism--was never taken seriously.
You have a site. You take beautiful photos of the area. Why don't you start with a "dump" of the month? Speaking of which, Lincoln Ave. and lower St.Clair used to have beautiful houses. Some people still keep them nice and it really isn't fair to them for others to trash what is around them. Maybe you can start something Matt.
M,
I think it is a good idea, dump of the month. This way people will be able to see what landords are keeping their properties clean and trash free and who is not. I bet if you start taking pictures and posting them on this blogsite, maybe just maybe landlords will try and straigthen up the homes they own. I'll be willing to do it. Just let me know what to do. I know a couple of homes right now and they are in my neighborhood.
By the way I almost ran my van off the road yesterday because while in Wellsville I saw what Gina was painting on the wall, The Tasty Freeze. Damn I miss that ice cream. Bought back memories.
Matt , The "Dump of the Month " is a great idea. One of the things that this area needs is accoutability. Make these people accountable for their action. The government will not make them and they know that. Start with the Smith Auto building downtown. The tittle could be "Why". Why does the area have to look like that. The secong place I would go is Duncan Ave in Glenmoor. Take a picture of the scrapyard there with the stacks of tires. Let's make these people accountable because the people who should , won't.
Sounds good. I'll do it.
I say we should begin with [city council member] Linda Zeigler. ... I did not vote for her in my ward simply because she does not take care of what she has, let alone what the city has.
[NOTE: This comment was edited to protect the poster.]
As I view all of the posts I have to disagree regarding the dirty tenants being at fault. In some ways yes they are. You should take pride in where you live and you should strive to have a clean and safe environment, regardless if you are a homeowner,or if you rent. The problem in this area 100% is the homeowners. If you cannot maintain the up-keep on your own property by simply cleaning up after yourself and keeping your home presentable, shame on you. Throw your garbage away, take the couch off of your front porch, and save the money you spend on beer and fast food to paint your house. That is all we ask. You can get paint very reasonable. If you honestly cannot afford it, call a church and ask for help. Better yet, sell your home. If you cannot afford to even keep it up to par with your neighborhood, you can't afford it.. period. There is a nice trailer waiting for you somewhere. I feel that landlords are at fault for who they are renting to. The owners need to create a very well written rental agreement. You are allowed to be very specific with these because you are the homeowner. If the tenants fail to comply, evict them. If the tenant is responsible for maintaining the lawn, state that in there. If they let the grass grow a foot high and you do nothing. That makes you look bad as a landlord. They should have been gone after the first warning by you, or a neighbor. People need to take responsibility for themselves. It is not brain surgery here. Matt I love the idea of "The dump of the month". I think it would be an awesome scare tactic. The main source of the problem lies within the city government. We need very strict regulations. If you drive through Wellsville or East Liverpool look at all the condemned buildings and homes. Why? Who owns them, and why is there NOTHING being done? Who is paying the taxes on these? Better yet, who isn't paying the taxes on these buildings? Where is the legislation? I think many of us are very, very (one more time) very tired of this. As I have heard many times from home appraisors "The value of your home weighs greatly on that of your neighbor". Hummm....
Prince Planet: CALL THE PLANNING DEPT. about the house across the street (if you live in ELO, that is). It only acts on complaints. I suggested already that you call Children's Services about the baby.
Matt, I would think posting photos of a person's home and calling it "dump of the month" could land you in court on liable charges. A person's home is his home, regardless how it is kept. Why do you think the health dept. can't go in and do anything? As long as the house is not a danger or nuisance to others, they are not allowed to act.
LeDonna: I take exception to you saying, "there's a nice trailer waiting for you" as though everyone who lives like a hog should live in a trailer.
I lived in a single-wide trailer for many years and it was beautiful and very well-maintained (I owned it).
Now, I live in a double-wide trailer and it's also beautiful and well maintained.
The old stereotype of "trailer trash" really no longer exists.
Go to Midwest Brokering in Minerva and take a look at those "trailers" they are selling...they look better than 90 percent of the "real" homes in the county.
First off I just found this blog want to thank who ever made it.I've been looking for awhile for a place to talk about East Liverpool.
Back to the Building does anyone know if the yax place that moved in there bought it or are they renting it.Personaly I love the building I wish more of the old ones d-town looked on the outside as well as it does.
The building is owned by Paul and/or Ian Braslawsce, who own Paul Arrow Pant Shop next door.
More of [these] buildings/slum houses have burned down in the last 5 years than you can imagine. Don't be surprised if the Little Building or ... other places are next. Again, a guy who lives [out of town] and owns all these properties here in ELO pays minimal fees and hardly any taxes. [NOTE: Comment edited to protect the poster.]
just me,
I would like to invite you to see this house. I use to be a very nice house when we first moved into this neighborhood, but this last family did the most damage. Tiles missing from the ceiling and you can look right up to the rest room while someone was either doing #1, #2, both or taking a bath. The landlord either knew about this or didn't care, just as long as he got his money. I have seen family after family move into this house and each one did what they wanted to do that house, but that last family did the most damage. They have since moved to another house that is suppose to worse than the one they just moved out of. But that is not the worse of it. I just don't have the proof to print it.
I have no idea where you live but area where I live the homes could be better if the landlords stayed on their tenants to keep the rentals clean, inside and out. I'm sorry but it seems to me that both sides of that coin do not take pride in what they have, and I see this everyday I come home from work.
Matt, do what you gotta do. Slumlords are slumlords no matter what they say or do. If they make tenants sign an lease agreement wanting them to keep the place clean they we as tenants should demand to our landlord that they either fix what needs to be fixed or they don't get their rent. I have done it and it works.
I was told the other day that the city of Beaver has a law.Where if the police get called to a house more that three times the owner of the house gets fined.I dont know any of the details of the law but I wonder if somthing like that would not be good for East Liverpool.It might keep these rent to anyone landlords from renting to these people and it might help chase the tenants how cause trouble out of town.Cause it will only take a few landlords getting fined and they hopefully start looking into who there renting to.
The East Liverpool Board of Housing Appeals will conduct a public hearing to consider the following:
Petitioners Haarvey and Karen Steigerwald are requesting a hearing before the Board of Housing Appeals to appeal the Order of City Housing Inspector for violations found at rental property they own located at 176 and 172 Ravine Street.
Date: June 13, 2007
Time: 5:00 pm
PLace: East Liverpool City Council Chambers 126 West 6th Street ELO.
I have also listed below the violations for each property. It should also be noted that these property owners live in Sandusky, Ohio and not here in town or the area for that matter. Anyway here are the violations and I hope that the huosing inspector Sheryl Shymoniak keeps up the good work.
Violations located at 172 Ravine Street: 1.Front porch and steps need repaired and the house needs scraped and painted. 2.The gutters and downspouts need replaced where missing and must be in good working order. 3.Property must be exterminated for roaches. 4.The duct work on the furnace needs repaired. 5.The bathroom floor needs replaced by the tub and tile put down. 6.The bathroom register needs replaced. 7.The interior of the house needs painted. 8.The carpet needs replaced. 9.The light fixtures need replaced.
Violations located at 176 Revine Street: 1.The front porch needs scraped and painted. 2.Exposed wires in the living room ceiling need replaced/repaired. 3.Repair the screen door. 4.GFI's are required in the kitchen and bath rooms. 5.All missing screens need replaced. 6.Replace missing and broken floor tiles. 7.Remove the caulk from the tub and repair the shower insert. 8.Replace the medicine cabinet. 9.The fuses must be upgraded to breakers and must be up to code.
I just thought that this might be interesting to some people that think that the city is not doing anything about the neglected houses owned by out of town landlords. I encourage people to attend these meetings and express their concerns to the board. I am currently a member of this board until December when I have to resign to assume duties as a councilman.
Ryan,
I think it is a great idea for Matt to post the dilapilated properties here and I thank you for bringing this to our attention.
It would be great if these homes could be printed in the Review as well.
This should also be for homeowners who LIVE in homes that are a disgrace to others.
Take a drive up Penn Ave. in East End, you have the mayor, and 3 council members who drive it everyday and do not do anything about it. If I were on council, I would make it a point to write down addresses and act on them appropriatly.
On St. George St. there are two homes on the 900 block that are litteraly falling apart.
I'll bet you, if the housing inspector went into these homes they would find the same problems as the homes on Ravine street.
Where the heck is the PRIDE of some of the people who LIVE in East Liverpool?
I don't want to cause trouble for anyone, but I would like to be able to walk the streets in my hometown and hold my head up with pride.
I have even felt embarrasment when someone from another area finds out that I reside in EL and then makes a comment about the condition of EL. We are all grouped as one according to outsiders as they consider this town as "trash" due to living conditions.
I know it's not right, but it happens and then I am defending my hometown and feeling kind of sad in my big heart.
Again, Matt thanks for the post and Ryan it does appear that you may make a difference in East Liverpool. Good Luck it's good to have you on board.
Ryan keep up the good work. I wish you the best of luck on city council you will need it.
First off, thank you for your comment in the other thread Matt and I apologize for just now doing so. I have been reading and keeping up with what is being said, but have not had the time to post.
I find it very interesting to see the way this topic has taken off in different directions. I still stand by my opinion that unless these tenants develop some sense of pride, you will only get the bare minimum out of most landlords. I doubt that you will ever change these types of people, it is learned behavior, so the answer is to force them to move on. (I am not talking about homeowners who choose to dwell in their trashy abodes...that is different.)
It has been mentioned a few times that the landlords should screen their tenants more closely. It has also been mentioned that these trashy tenants should be evicted. Both of these suggestions are good, but not as cut and dry as it may seem. Landlords will lie to the next potential landlord just to get rid of the problem tenant. They will give the trashy tenant a good recommendation, even though it may be far from the truth. As far as eviction, this is a very expensive process if you do it legally. Not only does it cost hundreds of dollars to start the process, the process takes months. The months that it takes will probably net the landlord no rental fees. So not only are the landlords paying the eviction costs, they are most likely going without rent payments for 2-3 months. These landlords will never recoup their losses because the tenants have to work in order to have their wages attached. This alone would make you think that the landlord would be especially careful as to whom they are renting to. I doubt that many landlords are OK with their property being destroyed and being out hundreds of dollars in the end.
Please do not misunderstand my statements to mean that I do not believe there are slumlords out there taking advantage of less fortunate people. That is far from how I feel. These people need to be dealt with and the way to do that is to hit them where it hurts most...their wallets. If they aren't making money, common sense tells me that they will get out of the 'business'. If they protest due to the fact that it is not affordable, then so what!...maybe it is time to get out of the business if that is the case. They are taking advantage of people who can not afford better, so let's give them a dose of their own ethics. Make examples out of the first few that are hauled into court and I bet things would change with the rest.
Your idea of 'Dump of the Month' is similar to the one I had back at the beginning of the year, only my idea was a little sneakier. lol. A 'Who Owns This House?' or 'What House Would You Like To See Fixed/Cleaned Up?' (along with pictures) was the route I was taking, but that is a whole other story. As one of your readers has already mentioned, be careful of how you handle it. "Speak softly and carry a big stick." and "If you want to get somebody's attention, whisper." is the advice I take. Obviously the 'yellers' aren't getting the attention.
As far as the trashy homeowners whom you are going to be stuck with for a long time... If you want your neighborhood to look nice, a place to be proud of, then it takes the neighborhood working together. Have meetings (a backyard picnic) and include the trashy neighbor. Do not attack them...offer to help each other with projects and include them. Draw out a plan. Ask everyone what outside project they would like to see completed on their own property. One day this week we will go through the neighborhood picking up trash. Next week (or available time) we will plant grass and flowers where needed. Next time, maybe we can all get together and paint the house that needs painted. No money to do this? Have a neighborhood yard sale. It might sound ridiculous, but at this point...is anything else working?
Where I live, we have a neighbor who is unable to cut grass. All of us chip in and take care of it. If on vacation, we take care of our neighbor's place while gone. If down on your luck, we are there for each other. We all have very busy schedules, but manage to find time for what is important to us.
I guess it all depends on how much you desire to have a nice neighborhood and the lengths you are willing to go in order to get what you want.
Landlords are just trying to make a living. It is their right to make a profit. There is nothing illegal or immoral about profiting off of poor people. If you don't like these rental houses, put your money where your mouth is....buy them up and tear them down.
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