Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project Meeting Minutes Recorded by: D. Scullin July 18th, 2012 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Mission: Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project seeks to improve the quality of life for residents, employees and visitors by enforcing codes on negligent property owners, housing violations, disruptive behavior, excessive noise and underage drinking in the Oakland neighborhood. 1. Introductions: a. Brief New Members b. Combat thoughts of new students that Oakland is party area. Students need to realize that this is a community full of residents AND students. c. In attendance: B Hill, B Runsdorf, D Manthei, M Oleniacz, M Wurzer, D Scullin, T SherryTorres, B Arroyo, N Hart, J Wilds, T Smith, K Sahni, L Robinson, R Ranallo, G Becker, H Johnson, R Jardini, B Andrews-Nino, H Kappelman, J Daniels, K Kovacik,, M Shea 2. Dumpster Program- Michael Wurzer a. The KICO Dumpster projects runs from 8-9/8-16. New sites for this year. Dumpsters will be placed in areas where they will be used for student move in period. We are expected to collect ~80 tons of trash. Last year we collected 22 tons of trash in 7 locations b. Financed by sending out letters to property owners, Pitt. The donors listed on newsletter and website. c. We are hoping for 7 dumpsters, locations are on handout. The trash compacted in dumpsters to conserve space, checked twice a day, no parking signs, blockades 2 days prior to drop date to prevent cars from parking there. d. Suggestions from meeting: i. North Oakland? Last year we needed one on Dithridge, ineffective 1. Should be where Mormon temple is, those dumpsters will get filled? a. Community Members can help logistically ii. Anyone notice things we can do better? 1. Prevent contactors from dumping stuff? If you notice, let OPDC know so we can monitor. iii. No dumpsters located on Lawn, students won’t walk up to Craft to go to dumpster 3. Oakland Resident’s Proactive response to yearly turnover of students a. OPDC is creating a magnet called Trash Talk, gave recycling and trash days for Oakland i. A bit smaller than handout. Address trash issues, how to be a good neighbor, contact info and QR code. More specific individualized concerns are available on website b. Common Sense Flyer- Party dos and don’ts. i. Covers proactive solutions for preventing bad partying habits of students c. Oakland Magnet Blitz
Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project Meeting Minutes Recorded by: D. Scullin July 18th, 2012 i. August 18th localized door knocking ii. August 24th, general handing out, residents can help out. d. Questions i. Parties in Oakland- Reinforce negative consequences of partying to students. ii. Is September a better time to hand this info out? 1. Seems like students need time to adjust 2. Pitt Make a Difference Day is on August 24th, we have lots of access to Volunteers, but remember, Blitz isn’t the only answer- it is one strategy. Get info into the hands of students, creates different tone. The dates coincide with dumpster dates, people are moving in. e. Block Contacts initiative i. Oakland area residents, 1. Encourage you to be a contact for student residents, Establishing positive relationship early in the year, Students would be more apt to listen to people they know, Students and residents both benefit a. Marketing component to get info to students b. *FAMILY ORIENTED COMMUNITY* Try to establish and change culture, pride in Oakland f. RA training program i. Everything is being solidified, concrete fruition of work ii. Key players from neighborhood, OPDC, Pitt Police, Pitt Community Relations 1. Training session where they speak to RAs about expectations they have for students iii. Resident Assistants hired by Pitt that watch over dorms, they are the first go-to person students on campus go to. They create a fun atmosphere, host events programs etc. Good person to reinforce our message. Get info to them, they can contact ALL students. Nips mindset of student ghetto in the bud before they move off campus iv. Same message in different mediums g. Election season i. Big day for interaction between students and residents, there are 2 dozen polling places in Oakland, a day to reinforce messages. 1500 students show up on presidential election day ii. We should be wary of rules about contacting people around polling places h. Neighborhood Blitz i. “We don’t designate them as problem properties, they announce themselves.” In the past, Pittsburgh would send an officer and other figures down a block, target offenders and target good landlords, too. Goal is to do targeted blitz to prevent this problem from occurring again.
Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project Meeting Minutes Recorded by: D. Scullin July 18th, 2012 ii. We will contact mayor’s office and city reps to invite police, BBI and Environmental Services, Health inspector and contact individual properties iii. Timing of Blitz? We only got into 2 houses last time. The QR code on magnet increases visibility, BBI inspectors should be welcome iv. Landlord tells students not to let inspectors in, but we are trying to combat that mindset. If we wait too long, students are ready to move on. Is it possible that apathetic students don’t care about conditions? The students who do care move on to nicer place or get authority to come inspect. v. Should we put up signs around Oakland- Are you Happy with your house? We can help. People need to call 311 to go through system. 4. Oakland intersections for red light cameras- Blair Suggestions for camera locations i. Bates and the Blvd of the Allies 1. People coming down from Bates, blocking the box. ii. Dawson and Blvd of Allies 1. Crossing was danger 2. Seconded, bus stop for kids iii. Craig, Bigelow and Bayard, Bellfield scramble cross…somewhere on Bayard 1. Coming down from Craig iv. Forbes and Morewood v. Blvd and Bates, Dawson, etc vi. 5th and Craig vii. Greenfield and Blvd of Allies 5. Track add reposition and remove Oakland’s 10 most wanted properties- Brian Hill and Liz Style a. Peter Terris’s property, no movement on that. i. 120 days, he isn’t responding. He isn’t using legal parking lot in the way it was approved. It was approved for limited use, hours of operation 7AM-7PM ii. March 8th he was last in court. Follow up 90 days later. 120 days from June iii. He needs to submit progress report, if he doesn’t then he doesn’t get full extension iv. Judge Ricciardi can move date up if he doesn’t file report- Nate will do that b. 53 Lawn St i. Filed on June 4th, look for that. The owner passed away, Blair is in contact with his daughter. BBI may grant extension due to circumstances. c. 3109 Forbes Ave i. Not being resolved soon due to the fact that something came up- part of parking lot belongs to city of Pittsburgh, landscaping he needs to buy it first.
Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project Meeting Minutes Recorded by: D. Scullin July 18th, 2012 ii. The part that needs to be paved is owned by owner, part of property is owned by city. Negotiations to purchase that part. PENNDOT lawyer said they will have to go through city process about that land iii. Needs occupancy permit, in court for that? This will be a chance for pubic to speak their mind. PENNDOT did a deal that was outside the loop of the community. The City had nothing to do with it, County had nothing to do with it, did in Harrisburg d. 3101 Niagara St i. His appeal time is almost up. He could not get title assurance, in order to buy this with a clear title, over $300,000 in liens. He cannot sell property because of this. e. Robinson Street in West Oakland i. City has no jurisdiction on Sutherland Street- How could they approve construction route. ii. Public works approves truck route, BBI enforces, but they don’t have police powers to pull people over iii. Zone 4, need to give police commander copy of truck routes f. 3717 Parkview i. Underage partying as well as building issues—will be in Housing Court this week. g. 100 block of Oakland Avenue, Szechuan Express i. Do not follow garbage codes, Not putting garbage out until later, needs to be out by 8AM ii. ACHD reported that an inspector visited and cited many things but not trash. h. 29 Lawn St i. Maria says it is not in disruptive property system ii. First complaint on this house iii. 2 owners iv. BBI plans to cite for building issues. i. 3421 Parkview i. BBI thinks lack of utilities is legal, but will be in housing court soon for other violations. j. Fagnelli Plumbing i. CORRECTED TO Ophelia STREET ON COUNTY RECORDS ii. Owners were belligerent with people taking pictures of property iii. Will be cited but there are issues that have been grandfathered in, Ricciardi will decide 6. Announcements a. Planning process for Schenley High school building i. Next Wednesday the 25th there is a meeting b. Properties in housing court on Thursday
Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project Meeting Minutes Recorded by: D. Scullin July 18th, 2012 7. Adjournment Remember to keep flooding 311 with calls about the nuisance properties in your neighborhood, and let the Oakland Code Enforcement Task Force know when you do! You can submit reports to our email account at oakwatch@opdc.org or call us at 412.621.7863 ext. 27. Thanks for keeping us in the loop!