By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
April 27, 2011

Drive down the residential streets of Historic Northeast and you’ll notice one thing. The property code violations are growing as fast as the weeds.

“I’m really amazed at the amount of properties that need attention,” said Bennie Jackson of Kansas City’s Neighborhood Preservation Division. “It (property code violations) was widespread. It wasn’t just one block. It was multiple blocks.”

Jackson, along with other community leaders, attended the Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO) Northeast Neighborhood Tour earlier this month. CCO organized the tour to improve the “quality of life” in Northeast neighborhoods and devise an action plan for cleaning up problem properties.

Residents of the Scarritt Renaissance neighborhood submitted properties for the tour and listed complaints ranging from abandoned properties to piles of junk to peeling paint.

For 90 minutes, the group toured the neighborhood, discussing the 10-page list of eyesores.

Following the tour, attendees regrouped at St. Anthony Catholic Church to discuss the tour and a plan of action. The group will meet again in May.

Asked to describe the most common violations he saw, Jackson listed trash, overgrown weeds, broken windows, missing gutters, and fences and stairs in disrepair.

“At one right-of-way on the corner, the weeds were taller than me and they were brown,” Neighborhood Preservation Division Manager Nate Pare said. “I don’t think that happened this spring. It has been ignored for a long time and that is something we can cut tomorrow. Those are very small successes.”

That “small success” will allow children to walk down the sidewalk more easily, he said.

Amber Trzinski, neighborhood attorney for Legal Aid of Western Missouri, suggested the group choose one block at a time.

“Each block has something different,” she said.

Some suggested beginning with Roberts Street, but JoAnn Rahtjen disagreed.

“Why don’t we start at a place you can get some wins at? Roberts is so decimated in my opinion… You need to be selective in which there is opportunity to celebrate a success of restoration, renovation or new owners,” said Rahtjen, chair of Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood Association’s Housing and Development Board of Directors.

Rahtjen further suggested choosing to improve two to three houses that are among “better” homes. A quality block will attract “viable” renters and homeowners, she said.

“That might be a good approach to get what we call a ‘model block,’ and then we can continue to move to the next blocks,” Trzinski said.

Urban homesteading is another option Trzinski said. Urban homesteading allows the city to obtain a property’s title and sell the home for a meager amount with the stipulation that the new homeowner must rehabilitate the home.

Some property code violations could render a law suit, Trzinski said.

Jackson stressed the importance of neighborhoods partnering with the city.

“If you guys are having a block cleanup, let us know so we can coordinate with board-ups or if there’s high grass or trash, we’ll put our contractors in that area to clean it up,” Jackson said. “So, when you’re doing your block cleanup, we’re getting it all done at the same time.”

Jackson also encouraged the group and area residents to e-mail the city about nuisance properties and detail the issues and locations.

“It’s your tax dollars, so let’s make sure you use them,” Jackson said.

Call the city’s action center at 3-1-1 or e-mail Jackson directly at bennie.jackson@kcmo.org.

During the tour, both Jackson and Pare called the city, notifying inspectors of properties that needed immediate attention.

“We’re going to throw a grenade and hit as much stuff as we can hit,” Pare said.

Both Pare and Jackson will review their notes and the property list to determine the next steps, whether it be writing tickets, sending out a work crew or taking the homeowner to court.

“Our hope is to become more proactive than reactive, to eliminate the neighborhood tours because we’re already on it,” Jackson told Northeast News. “Right now as an entity we’re making progress, but we’re not where the neighborhoods want us to be.”

Although the city and its inspectors give “110 percent,” it’s not always noticeable because the problem is widespread, he said.

Approximately 40 city inspectors are currently employed and cover more than 300 square miles, Jackson said.

“So, while we may not get to it today,” Jackson said, “it’s on our radar and we’ll get to it tomorrow.”