I wonder if some neighborhoods are better because residents take on some problems themselves with out waiting for the city government to take a lead?
This weekend I tackled the problem of illegal dumping in backyards. Well one backyard in particular. The owners, who do not live there, had cleaned out the yard that was filled with wet cardboard boxes, bags of garbage and discarded furniture. Well that lasted a good month before someone dumped a couch and a bedspring in the yard. The problem I saw, was that the yard was open and exposed to anyone coming through the alley and ripe for dumpers as well as prositutes and crack-heads.
What business of is it of mine? Well when I look out my window I see it, and it is ugly. It attracts rats and I don't want rats getting too comfy close to my house. Same goes for crackheads.
One way is to complain to DCRA. But that may take weeks or months and nothing may happen.
I decided to close up the hole. I took about $17 worth of materials and used what was in the alley to fill the 6 ft wide hole in the fence. So far so good. It is still up. I don't see trash. I can't see into the yard.
My inner Republican claims credit. It says that you shouldn't believe that government can solve your problems. That if you want something done you'll have to make it a DIY project. Trash, clean it up yourself & hire a guy to take it away. Noise, ask the violator nicely if that doesn't work, sue them. When I noticed crackheads wandering into neighbors fenced yards I informed them. When that didn't seem to stop the problem I offered to put locks on the gates. Yes, there are somethings you can't do yourself but let's just work on the stuff you can.
posted by Mari @ 2.9.03
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