Last year, city officials listened to northeast residents’ concerns about gangs and blight in the Beat 44 area bounded by Hillside, 13th, Hydraulic and 21st.
To their credit, they recently launched the StopBlight Action Response Team. Instead of just issuing fines for code violations, team members — including police, housing inspectors and other city staff — walk the beat and work with residents to haul off trash and clean up blight.
This model “community policing” approach understands that broken windows invite crime and that stakeholders can achieve a lot more by working together.
Sounds like a promising start.
posted by Randy Scholfield
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27 Comments
Beats protesting at someone’s house eh?
Of course, Protesters over garbage yards wouldn’t want to get their hands dirty by doing things like the StopBlight Action Response Team.
Im sorry but I do have to correct you republican, Sunflower has gotten their hands dirty with several neighborhood cleanups of our own at the same time helping people get into compliance with city code. 11 houses on our dirty 20 list have been brought into compliance also.
As a matter of fact its about time the city started using our takes dollars and our city resources in the right way.We shouldnt have to get our hands dirty thats what we pay this stop blight team to do with our tax dollars. Where was this stop blight response team before we did our protest? Seems to me that this is a ploy by the city to seem like they are finally being proactive on blight.LOL!!! This blight problem didnt just start when this article came out. Hell we’ll even take the credit for this stop blight team to as a result of our protest. This is a nice try by the city to rebuild their reputation on blight in the community, but im sorry to say it is a bunch of BS. Ultimatley removing blight from the community is our main goal. So you can rest asured that we will be monitoring this stop blight team very closely and if they are not doing their jobs to the communities satisfaction, Sunflower will definetly let them know about it . Meanwhile we will continue to keep doing the good work we are on blight in Wichita.
Republican maybe you should drive through the NE sometime and checkout the progress, you dont have to be afraid its really not as bad over here as people would lead you to believe.
You can even contact Sunflower @ 316-264-9972 and we would even arrange a special tour for you so you can see the before and after, and see first hand how dirty our hands have gotten.
I live in the North East in these neighborhoods. I keep my yard and the neighbors keep their yards tidy. We have a good neighborhood association.
I don’t need a tour, I live very close to these neighborhoods.
Neighborhood association, oh please don’t let me get started on that subject, I’ll be here until sun up.
One thing I like about where I live is that we have a Restricted Covenant neighbourhood. We don’t put up with people that don’t keep their property up. If something is wrong you get a notice and have 7 days to correct it or face daily fines. I hate to to say it because, as a liberal, I am in support of the FHA but they have caused problems that backing loans to people that cannot afford to keep their property repaired and in order and people with questionable credit. I served on our HOA board and I had to deal with it all the time. We had one single lady with 2 kids that bought a house (FHA) here and could not afford a lawn mower! This is what she told me when I went to see her about her grass not being cut. Me and my son cut her grass for free but sure nuff, 6 months later the house was sitting empty and in foreclosure. We have had others that installed window air conditioners because the central AC broke and they could not afford to fix it (also against the rules) and people that could not afford to maintain the exterior of their properly. Eventually many of these folks end up in foreclosure and the house sits empty- sometimes for months! I blame 4 things for BLIGHT. They are:1. Absentee Landlords2. Sub Prime Mortgages3. The FHA4. Realtors that tell people owning is “just like paying rent to yourself”This is what causes BLIGHT and will RUIN a neighbourhood almost overnight if it is not corrected. People often bitch about the HOAs because we “pick on little things” but if we don’t, little things become BIG things quickly. A car parked on the lawn today becomes a junk yard tomorrow. I quit the HOA because I got tired of dealing with it all. It was taking too much of my time. But I do have some ideas that would reduce problems. They are:
1. Require that a buyer(s) have an income that the house payment, taxes and insurance take not more than 30% of their net income.2. Require that buyer(s) be on the same job or same profession for at least a year.3. Require a credit score that is at least average for the area. Anybody with less than average credit scores would be required to take and pass a money management class.4. Require ALL first time mortgage applicants to take a class on the responsibilities of home ownership. People need to learn that owning a home is not “just like renting”. I had to learn that lesson myself the hard way. People don’t think that when the hot water tank quits, the roof leaks, the plumbing breaks that they have to pay to fix it. There is no landlord to call. And if you don’t make much money and are not handy with a toolbox, you probably will not make it as a homeowner.5. Come down HARD on absentee landlords that don’t maintain their property. Fine them heavily and, if they don’t pay, file a lien on the property. I own 3 duplex apartments in Wichita and, even though I am 1000 miles away, I know the property is taken care of because my sister lives in one of the apartments rent free. She sees that the property is taken care of and the other units are rented out. If, for some reason, the day comes that I can no longer properly care for the property, I will sell it. But for now we have a good arrangemnt
Gee Kev this all sounds somewhat familiar.
Oh, that’ right it was a man called Hitler!
At what point do you stop making rules for everyone else? Where is the freedom in all of that?
If you want government to be your mommy and your daddy then move to a country that does just that.
“Gee Kev this all sounds somewhat familiar.
Oh, that’ right it was a man called Hitler!
At what point do you stop making rules for everyone else? Where is the freedom in all of that?
If you want government to be your mommy and your daddy then move to a country that does just that.”
In any orderly and clean society you have to have RULES for people to live by. Ever been to a meeting of more than 5 people and seen what it looks like without Roberts Rules of Order? It looks like….. well Bagdhad! The fact is that it is not the country with the most rules that is the most orderly. The USA and its levels of government have FAR more rules than Asian nations and Hong Kong but yet those countries are cleaner and in far better order than the USA is because they actually ENFORCE the rules they have. In Singapore people don’t toss litter about and spray graffitti on the walls of the subway because they know the consequences will be severe. Now you bring Hitler into the picture so let’s take a good look at him. If he was not a murderous military adventurer and a war criminal, right now history books would be GLOATING over him. How he raised a country from the ash heap and made it into a model of efficiency and an industrial power. How he built a highway system that is the envy of the world and has been copied many times over including by this country. Same with the German education system which still operates pretty much under the design of the Hitler era. Just because Hitler was a murderer and the worst horror the world has probably known does not mean that everything he did was bad. I would not even say that about Bush.
Kev,HOAs and Restricted Covenants make me a little nervous. The community where I live has restrictions. Of course, I don’t want to see junkers parked in yards or sofas and appliances dumped off the front porch, but i think it goes too far when an HOA dictates what color you can paint your house. In my Dad’s neighborhood, he can’t park his motor home in the driveway, but the neighbor down the street parks hie semi tractor in front of his house. They tried to address this issue with the city, but it was shot down by trucking interests.
I would have thought that sotheysaid would be all for enforcing some standards on home ownership – after all it is an economic issue for everyone in the neighborhood…blight lowers everyone’s home. “Market forces” (guffaw) would actually be the source of the regulations, wouldn’t they? Screw anything else, right sotheysaid, housing rules like Kev suggests put money in your pocket !!
Isn’t it interesting that Republican is all for Neighborhood Associations enforcing their own regulations to protect ‘his’ property and by all means to protect his investment. Why not just have private duty cops while you’re at it, Republican?
If the city was doing their job and actually stop some of this blight problem, then there would be no need for the Sunflower Group. But the city needs to apply the same rules to every neighborhood – rich and poor alike.
There is nothing in our HOA that is very restrictive. We just ask that people keep their yards up tidy and there shouldn’t be any eyesores such as excessive vehicle storage on their private property.
Everyone has cooperated and there are no problems.
Sure feel badly for those who don’t like personal responsibility and do not keep their houses maintained and yards properly managed.
It’s what adults do, be responsible.
And HOA, like many things, can be good or bad. It all depends on exactly who is involved. Example: a requirement of cedar/shake roofs in fire-prone areas. IDIOTIC! But we see them. Strict prohibition of any sort od clothes lines for drying?
Unfortunately, you often see ‘little Hitlers’ get control of these and they cause no end of headaches. Or, you get a developer in control who then jacks up dues to subsidize his development.
I have seen good and bad with these things.
A question to the original thread. Just how much ‘partnering’ was the City doing BEFORE Sunflower raised Hell?
Republican – you would like what my neighbors in LA did when I moved in. I bought the ‘last house’ to be cleaned up; it needed a lot of work. As a first-time homeowner I both had no clue how to do things and no tools with which to do it. As soon as they found out I actually wanted to do it they came out in droves to help. We spent several days with things like a power paint sprayer (guy down the street had) and other things as I learned how. Cost me a fair amount of money for materials but the free help and advice really made a difference.
yeah Ben, good HOA’s are quite enjoyable and make for good neighbors.
I live in an area that is under HOA. And yes they required shake roof. But the state of Kansas just passed a law several years ago that allowed anybody having a home to put whatever shingle you want (basically composite) and supersedes all HOA’s requirements.
That is why you see places like Willowbend, Mornings and other high end neighborhoods that had shake all of a sudden those homeowners were stripping shake and slapping down 50 year composite roofs all at once, it’s because of the new Kansas law that allowed them to override their HOA’s.
They are starting to do it in my neighborhood now. I still have shake, but I am planning on stripping it and laying down composite. But I’m going to do it myself to save money.
Republican – the thing we created in that neighborhood was our own ‘de facto’ HOA. No dues or written charter but we were all on the same team. Lots of good BBQ and beer from time to time as well.
One thing I noticed was that if a neighbor’s yard got a bit retty the reaction was “I hope he’s OK” instead of “nail him”. Especially since we had several older residents. Many a saturday we would be mowing a sick neighbor’s lawn. (Maybe that was just another excuse for burgers and beer again!)
Homeowners Association is just another way for yuppies to think themselves to be superior to everyone else. And to keep that riff raff out, right?
Sam –Are you trying to be negative?Did you have a bad experience?
HOAs have been the source of growth for all communities, if you think about it, since the dawn of man in one form or another form.Maybe the city should be more supportive in providing means to improvements in blighted neighborhoods more so than to be apathetic, a little education about HOA can go a long way for these neighborhoods.Neighbors helping neighbors is far better then isolation, I think.Can you think positive; are there any other better solutions?
“Kev,HOAs and Restricted Covenants make me a little nervous. The community where I live has restrictions. Of course, I don’t want to see junkers parked in yards or sofas and appliances dumped off the front porch, but i think it goes too far when an HOA dictates what color you can paint your house. In my Dad’s neighborhood, he can’t park his motor home in the driveway, but the neighbor down the street parks hie semi tractor in front of his house. They tried to address this issue with the city, but it was shot down by trucking interests”
In my neighbourhood you cannot park any commercial vehicle overnight without a permit from the HOA. Not even in your driveway. And they usually will give you a permit if you have a case such as having to bring the company vehicle home for your job or if you are moving the following day and have a U Haul in the drive.
Ya Ben, I mowed the yard next door house which was abandoned or the manager/owner of the property was at least for over two years. I almost miss mowing it now. :)
If I can do it with arm canes, then I’m sure healthy adults should be able to do it.
We had picnic suppers and stuff too, it wasn’t all about clean up. We even talked about standardizing mailboxes in the neighborhood, but haven’t done much with that yet.
“And HOA, like many things, can be good or bad. It all depends on exactly who is involved. Example: a requirement of cedar/shake roofs in fire-prone areas. IDIOTIC! But we see them. Strict prohibition of any sort od clothes lines for drying? ”
You cannot have laundry outdoors here- either on your deck or a clothesline. But overall the rules are not all that rigid where I live. There are other communities that ban things like pick up trucks and require that ALL vehicles be garaged at night- you cannot even park in your own driveway! And they meausre your grass with a ruler. Around here, if your lawn doesn’t get too shabby, they don’t bother you. And nobody has that problem because we are only allowed to water once a week (Sat or Sun, odd even house numbers). And as for the colour of your house, if you are not trying to paint it the same colour as either of your neighbours, usually your colour request will be approved. Same with the colour of your roof tiles.
“Homeowners Association is just another way for yuppies to think themselves to be superior to everyone else. And to keep that riff raff out, right?”
I am not a yuppie and do not live in an expensive sub division. Houses in here are about $140K which is actually on the cheap side for Atlanta Cobb County. As for keeping out the riff raff, depends in what you define as riif raff. Many people would define me as riff raff I guess. But I do like living in a clean neighbourhood where people keep their places up. If I wanted to live with trash and squander, I’d live in the ghetto or local trailer park.
An HOA is much like a Union. It can serve a purpose and be a great thing. OR, it can be a disaster.
aw repuke
found you
you didn’t answer any of our questions once you were proven wrong time and time again
oh well, slink off like the snake you and your repuklican party are
We once lived in a HOA/Restricted Covenant neighborhood in west cobb county. It was quite resrictive, including having to have permisison for your flower choices, the paint scheme of your house, the way the drapes matched the exterior of the house, no driveway parking, no pickups, and on and on. WHen we first moved in, there were a couple of nazis (not really) on the architecteral board who would wander the neighbor each day looking for violations. They were finally removed from the committee. I will never live in another restricted covenenant communty. Ever. At least I hope not
If you live in neighborhoods that price the these people out, then their is no problem. I live on the south side. 80% good on my street. The houses range from 60-80k in value. A couple blocks away it goes more upscale, a couple blocks the other way and it’s pure blight.
What scares me is the elderly long time south siders are all going to die eventually. They built their houses in the 50’s – 60’s for under 10k! lol Who is going to replace them? Well, low lifes seem to be the status quo.
I was in Block Buster awhile back and some gold “toof” bag of crap wearing his pants down to his knees yelled accross the store to another real winner “deeba dooba daaba doo doo”… I think it translated into “gee friend, we all seem to be moving here from the north side.” I have realtors coming over to let me know what they can do for me in order to get out!
As best as I can figure out, a neighborhood where it takes about $135k to get into pretty much puts it out of reach for these low lifes. It’s not “Reflection Ridge” but it’s decent. With the Supreme Court coming to it’s sences regarding busing kids accross town to black schools and vice versa, moving makes sence. Even though Wichita stated they aren’t going to change their policy, people will sue, and they will have to! We can now move by a good school and that’s where our kids will go.
As far as fixing up these houses, their is one big problem unique to Wichita. It costs about as much to fix up a dump here as it does in in markets where the biggest rat holes bring $150k+. You damn near have to get the property for free here to make it worth while to rehab a house in my neighborhood. My house was a complete gut down the studs and floor joists. All the receipts were left in a kitchen drawer for everything they did, but before returning them to the guy, I added it all up, and he couldn’t have made $10k profit on me. Now consider his labor, his time etc… All that guy is really doing is buying himself an OK job. I’m sure he could have worked as a skilled carpenter for 3 months and made that much. I felt bad for beating him down for the $10k I did on the price!
Our HOA is reasonable, we used to have some yard nazis, but now that they’re so old they can’t get out much we don’t see them anymore. It used to be a requirement that we have shake roofs, the HOA even took one lady to court because she put a red tile roof on her custom built home. The judge ruled in her favor…I think most rules are suggestions that don’t really hold up in court if people wanted to push the issue.We put a composite roof on this year, sure looks a heck of a lot better than that old shake one. We park our cars in the driveway because my husband has the garage filled with worthless junk, thank goodness no one complains!