minutes-11-20-13

Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project Meeting Agenda November 20th, 2013

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, parking violations, disruptive behavior, excessive noise and underage drinking in the Oakland neighborhood.

I.

Introductions; Brief new members: (Hanson Kappelman, 5 minutes) In attendance: Dorothy Wysoczewski, Ravi Choadhuri, Peg Sedlack, Maria Bethel, Michael Medwed, Carol Mitchell, Cheryl Fu, Hanson Kappelman, Blair Kossis, Janice Lorenz, Nathan Hart, Mark Oleniacz, Barbie Arroyo, Gregg Roman, Alicia Carberry, Wanda Wilson, Scott Sauter, Brian Hill, Geof Becker, Bob McPherson, Kathy Boykowycz, Shannon Leshen, Steve Cetra, Guy Johnson, Kannu Sahni, Megan Fabbri, Tara Sherry-Torres.

II.

Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh: (Tara Sherry-Torres, 10 minutes) Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh provides no-cost home repairs for low-income senior citizens.

The application is simple. Be advocates for yourselves and for your neighbors.

Cheryl Fu: I found out that if the repair needs to be done quickly to not apply.

Tara Sherry-Torres: One purpose of OPDC partnering with this organization is to expedite the process. Please apply whether the situation needs to be done right away or could wait.

III.

Keep it Clean Oakland Update: (Alicia Carberry via Josh Litvik, 5 minutes) 21 court-mandated volunteers have helped out since the semester began in August.

473 volunteers turned out for Adopt-A-Block so far and collected 171 bags of trash and 69 bags of recycling. 233 Atwood Street’s roof was painted on November 9th and a second coat will follow.

Regarding Love Your Block, 251 Atwood Street is near completion and the artwork will be revealed in the coming weeks. Contact Josh at kico@opdc.org or 412-621-7863 x24 if you have a cleanup project in mind.

Geof Becker: How many TV’s were collected?

Wanda Wilson: About 70.

IV.

Steel City CodeFest App Update: (Alicia Carberry, 5 minutes) Submission runthrough: We have limited resources and technology available to collect, track, and report on data each month. Since June of 2011, Oakwatch has directed more than two hundred and fifty 311 reports to the city of Pittsburgh. An app would allow us to handle a greater capacity of reports, and process the data more effectively. Utilizing a GPS location will quickly track locations and map out violations. Site maps of infractions will provide at-a-glance pictures of problem areas for broader follow-up action. We will be able to share this information quickly with the appropriate people in our twenty partnering agencies and improve preventative programming.

We will hear if our submission is approved on November 26th and of course update everyone when we hear back.

V.

PLCB Grant Update: (Wanda Wilson, 5 minutes) Off-duty police patrols / property party letters.

Six off-duty police officers have been hired for patrols since the start of the grant. Two citations (both public intoxication) confirmed from these patrols.

In conjunction with Councilman Kraus’ office, so far ten letters have been sent to property owners of egregious party houses. We continue to work on identifying prime times for the off-duty patrols and create additional messaging and materials on the dangers of binge drinking.

Janice Lorenz: How long will the grant last?

Wanda Wilson: Until June 30th, 2015.

VI.

Oakwatch Citizen Observers Update: (Nathan Hart, 10 minutes) Halloween rundown.

Notes from November 1st’s patrol: North Oakland was quiet. In South Oakland, there was a single party on Dawson. Central Oakland was wild. Two notable parties on Meyran had over 100 attendees. This was remarkably better than years’ past. Kudos to the police for quickly breaking up one of the parties they were called to.

The patrol that was out on Halloween proper reported surprising quiet. There were a lot of people out, and walking, but no disruptive parties to note.

Kannu Sahni: John Wilds and I went for a walk on Halloween night and it was very calm.

Alicia will work with Barbie from Councilman Kraus’ office to continue sending letters to the property owners of patrol-noted repeat offending party addresses.

Geof Becker: May you all know that Councilman Kraus’ Social Host Amendment (to hold hosts of parties accountable for supplying alcohol and also to hold the property owner of the party accountable for what goes on at his or her property) has passed. This will increase our leverage.

Let’s take a minute to feel good about this.

Hanson Kappelman: Yes. This is progress.

Geof: Can we work with Maria Bethel to re-tool the letters that are sent to property owners to include information on Social Host and also disruptive property language?

Maria Bethel: Yes. Alicia Carberry: Yes. Hanson: We are always looking for volunteers for the patrol and we will be picking back up in January.

VII.

Oakland Property Progress Report: (Bob McPherson, 10 minutes) Top Ten List.

244 Dunseith: The constable still cannot track down Eli Wasserman.

53 Lawn Street: Inspector Malley served legal papers to the executor of the will but the resident address came back ‘undeliverable’. There is only a Post Office box.

Mark Oleniacz: An address is needed to rent a PO Box, though. Can BBI talk to the Post Office in order to get the initial address?

Tara Sherry-Torres: Legally, the Post Office cannot reveal that information.

Bob McPherson: The Inspector has been in contact with the attorney.

Brian Hill: The estate is still in probate.

Hanson Kappelman: I heard a magistrate say that the heir becomes responsible immediately upon death.

Brian Hill: Unfortunately, we struck out in the Court of Common Pleas.

Blair Kossis: Did this happen before Act 90 legislation?

Brian Hill: We are still trying to pursue it.

253 N. Dithridge: Fire escape repairs are in progress, so the Health Department passed them. Fire Chief Jones also cited them, so we have to be careful about double jeopardy. They already have to go to Municipal Court two times. They know we mean business.

3101 Niagara Street: Slomnicki filed for bankruptcy this month so legal fees have gone to his brother. This property has been an issue for 30 years now.

3421 Parkview: Solic is appealing to the fourth level, the one above briefs.

Keep an eye out for a possible application to Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh for help maintaining his property 237 Halket Place has in fact applied for a zoning permit to pave yard for parking.

Wanda Wilson: Can you speak on the legality of paving backyards into parking lots? Is charging to park the only way to prove the violation? It would be good for us to have the facts.

Bob McPherson: Driveways and parking pads are to us what jaywalking is to the police.

Nathan Hart: Water cannot run off from parking pads onto public property.

Brian Hill: But the county will no longer let you install a drain pipe.

The definitions of what is a parking pad and what is a driveway are still blurry. All this will be defined soon by legislation passed by Councilman O’Connor.

Maria Bethel: A commercial parking lot is illegal without zoning. This much is not hazy.

Brian Hill: Yes, but it is hard to prove that a lot is commercial.

Wanda Wilson: The issue is that landlords will charge tenants more for parking and if they refuse the spots, there will be an increase in pressure on street parking.

Bob McPherson: On York Way, between Louis and Bates, Robert Eckenrode is tearing down some property and rebuilding. Addison Terrace (Rose, off of Kirkpatrick) is set to build 100 new homes starting January 1st, 2014.

Geof Becker: Is street sweeping still a thing? On Ophelia, I never saw a street sweeper all summer, and now I worry that the leaves left behind will become slippery time bombs beneath the snow.

Barbie Arroyo: I will file a complaint.

Geof: Street sweeping should be at the most basic level of civilized society.

Mark Oleniacz: Same problem on Juliet. There is only one street sweeping sign, too.

Blair Kossis: We will look into this and report back.

Bob McPherson: Please throw properties our way that look shabby. We would be glad to set up inspections.

VIII.

University of Pittsburgh Police: (Officer Cetra, 10 minutes) Oakland crime update.

-23 marijuana citations, 16 of those were students -1 open container -3 public urination, all 3 students -6 public intoxication, 4 students -4 disorderly conduct, 3 were students -2 fake ID -27 underage drinking, 26 of those were students Officer Steve Cetra will visit the properties of note from the Citizen Observer Patrol before the Thanksgiving break.

Geof Becker: Is there any way to map citations? Put a pin in the map, so to speak.

Steve Cetra: A kid might attend a party on Atwood and get cited on Bouquet.

Geof: Could you ask, “Where did you have your last drink?” to really focus on clusters.

Cetra: It’s been spread out this year. I haven’t noted patterns. In years past that might have been helpful.

Geof: I don’t know if that is good or bad to hear.

IX.

Zone 4 Police: (Shannon Leshen, 10 minutes) -24 physical arrests: 12 drug-related 3 warrant 2 retail thefts 1 theft from an individual 1 terroristic threat 1 stolen vehicle 1 reckless abandonment -54 otherwise 17 disorderly conduct 6 public drunkenness 9 underage drinking 2 scattering trash (pizza box) 2 fake ID 1 excessive noise 14 open containers

General Holiday Tips: Watch out for suspicious behavior. If you see someone casing a property, call 911. Don’t be afraid to ask someone what he or she is doing.

When shopping, move your car after loading it with bags in case someone is watching you. Save your big ticket purchases for last.

If Internet shopping, have the package sent to your workplace or opt to sign for packages received.

Again, if you see something, say something.

X.

Next meeting: No meeting in December.

Oakwatch will reconvene in 2014 on January 15th at 12pm at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Street parking only.

Have some very happy holidays and we’ll see you in January!

XI.

Meeting Adjournment.

Contact Oakwatch: oakwatch@opdc.org 412.621.7863 ext. 27. Thanks for keeping us in the loop!