Oakwatch: The Oakland Code Enforcement Project Meeting Minutes September 17th, 2014
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.
In attendance: Lauren Barney, Geof Becker, Maria Bethel, Kathy Boykowycz, Alicia Carberry, Shaun Cusick, Stephanie Felton, Carlino Giampolo, Grant Gittlen, Katie Hale, Nathan Hart, Jason Hendershot, Brian Hill, Chris Honeywill, Guy Johnson, Kevin Kerr, Blair Kossis, Bruce Kraus, Shannon Leshen, Bob McPherson, Neil Manganaro, David Manthei, Michael Medwed, Joe Meyers, Lywell Moore, Mark Oleniacz, Ed Pace, Rebekkah Ranallo, Lawrence Robinson, Gregg Roman, Kannu Sahni, Peg Sedlack, Jerry Seifert, Kathleen Sestili, Carla Spinelli, Sally Stein, Lara Sullivan, Michael Thompson, John Tokarski, John Wilds, Wanda Wilson.
II.
Council President Kraus on meetings with Public Safety Director Bucar and Police Chief McLay: -A major component of the Responsible Hospitality Initiative has been effectively handling house parties. The focus on fostering healthy nightlife economies includes proper enforcement of pay-toenter house parties. -The Council President reported on meetings with the new Public Safety Director Stephen Bucar and Police Chief Cameron McLay, and a meeting on 9/11 with the Law Department’s Chief Legal Officer Lourdes Sanchez-Ridge and Public Safety Director Bucar to outline the community's urge for citations at parties in order for the Disruptive Properties Ordinance to be enforced. The Police will need to work to find the party host in order to enforce the Social Host amendment to the ordinance. -Council President Kraus read aloud from a letter Director Bucar sent twice to former Acting Police Chief Regina McDonald. The letter issued a directive for all police commanders to ensure officers issue citations at parties, and not just disperse party patrons. The police were instructed to first seek to cite the lessor/ lesser, and if neither can be determined, will move cite patrons. -A review of the reporting software the police use is currently under way to see how Disruptive Properties Ordinance may be enforced more easily to be more effective. -When asked if citations made by university police can also trigger the Disruptive Properties Ordinance, Council President Kraus said he would explore this. Residents emphasized importance of this since university officers respond to majority of calls in Oakland. -A Parkview Avenue neighbor asked if proactive policing ever happens. Sometimes, yes, but a 911 call is the best way to summon police. The need to call 911 in order to bring the police to different disruptions was emphasized. -A Dawson Street neighbor asked what can be done about the two am procession that often occurs down Frazier, Dawson, and Parkview as parties empty and people head home. -Residents asked that enforcement partners consider how to share occupancy info after parties are broken up.
III.
Mayor’s Office Update, Community Affairs Manager Grant Gittlen:
a.) Rental Registry: An update on the legislation Bureau of Building Inspection Chief Maura Kennedy reported on at the May Oakwatch meeting: Chief Kennedy and Matt Barron have sent a draft of Rental Registry legislation to the City’s Law Department based on other cities’ (Philadelphia, specifically) models for review. -This is not the first time legislation like this has been proposed. The City is working to engage both sides—tenants and property owners alike. -Support from various community groups will be welcomed once the draft comes out of the Law Department. b.) The new Chief of Police, Cameron McLay, is familiar with the unique issues in neighborhoods with universities through his years in Madison, Wisconsin. Chief McLay has a focus on community-oriented policing, such as the kind that occurs through Oakwatch. -In the next months, Chief McLay will be introducing himself to communities as a follow-up to the six Zone Public Safety Council meetings that asked for public input on the hiring of the new chief. Grant can assist in trying to get him to speak at a future Oakwatch meeting.
IV.
‘Blight to Bright’ Workshop Highlights: Quality-of-Life-Violation Ticketing Ordinance (Oakwatch Co-Chair Hanson Kappelman and Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group’s Katie Hale) -The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania hosted a workshop recently on reducing blight in Pennsylvania, and shared a toolkit for enforcement. -The toolkit can be found online at: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/swell/fromblighttobright/ -Pages 12 and 13 outline a Quality of Life Ticketing Ordinance that other cities in Pennsylvania (Allentown), New York (Rochester) and Ohio (Cleveland) have successfully adopted and implemented to bring blighted properties into code compliance. -The ordinance gives enforcement officials the distinctive power to issue immediate tickets for code violations, much like the Parking Authority issues parking tickets. This fast-tracks the process of mailing a warning for violations such as debris or weeds. Oftentimes Oakwatch finds that by the time, sometimes months, different processes take place and a property is seen in Housing Court, the debris has been cleared or the weeds cut and the case is dismissed. -Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group (PCRG) is a coalition of nonprofit community based organizations and their core partners dedicated to the revitalization of urban neighborhoods. Both Oakland Planning and Development and the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania are members of the PCRG, among many other neighborhood development groups. The PCRG holds a significant platform to advocate for legislation on improving quality of life issues. -The benefit of a Quality of Life Ticketing Ordinance in Oakland and all of Pittsburgh would be to significantly cut the time from violation to abatement by encouraging immediacy. -Call to action: telephone your City Council Representatives to add your voice to this conversation: -Council President and District 3 Representative Bruce Kraus: (412) 255-2130 -District 6 Representative R. Daniel Lavelle: (412) 255-2134 -District 8 Representative Dan Gilman: (412) 255-2133
V.
Carnegie Mellon Police: Intro to Off-Campus Public Safety Program and Data Reporting, Q&A (Lieutenant Meyers) -Lieutenant Meyers began by defining Carnegie Mellon University’s police force. They are a private police entity under State legislation’s Act 501. Off-campus policing is manageable for them due to geography and size of student population. Beeler, Wilkins, and Fairmount Streets are their main focus areas in addition to CMU’s campus. CMU takes a three-pronged approach to enforcement: 1) Strong partnership with Zone 4 since the City of Pittsburgh police have jurisdiction: CMU employs off-duty Zone 4 officers for walking patrols for the first six weeks of the semester and other targeted weekends. 2) Student Life: Students tend to be more fearful of academic repercussions for disruptive behavior than of city police repercussions. The university’s Student Life department is notified immediately after an infraction and the student is dealt with internally through the judicial board. 3) Knock and talks: Personal follow ups to disruptive party properties to remind: "You are visitors here. Your neighbors have established lives here. Be respectful." -If neighbors are still not satisfied with results, CMU Police will involve other departments, such as athletics.
VI.
Oakland Police Partner Crime Reports, Q&A a. Pittsburgh Police, Zone 4 Community Relations Officer Shannon Leshen: -Zone 4 has been investigating disruptive behavior on McKee Place through a neighbor sharing security camera footage. -Ongoing investigations are in place for two armed robberies: -8/9 at Meyran Avenue and Bates Street -8/26 at Dawson and Bouquet Streets -Zone 4 participated in the N. Dithridge sweep with Councilman Gilman’s office and other enforcement partners for a collaborative approach to public safety. -Zone 4 shares information regularly with the University of Pittsburgh’s Police Department. -City of Pittsburgh Police will be doing another Get Stuffed with Love Thanksgiving meal-delivery to those in need (no requirements) this year. Officer Leshen will be sharing a flyer soon on how to get involved in volunteering for meal preparation and the sign-up information to request a meal. -A neighbor on Dawson Street asked when Dawson became the access street for City Police to get to Oakland. They have noted police speeding down Dawson to access the Boulevard of the Allies. Officer Leshen will look into this.
.
-Zone 4 Statistics:
b. University of Pittsburgh Police, Officer Guy Johnson: August crime statistics: -At print time, Oakwatch had not yet received these statistics. We will update these minutes as soon as they become available. -The Pitt Police have been implementing proactive impact details, and performing ‘knock and talks’ after disruptions occur. They have visited more than 19 addresses in the past two weeks. -A Boundary Street neighbor asked what the University Police’s jurisdiction is and Officer Johnson defined it as University of Pittsburgh property and 500 feet from it.
VIII.
Request to police partners to revise data reporting structure (Oakwatch Co-Chair Geof Becker): Geof Becker proposed an expanded reporting method from police partners at Oakwatch meetings. Details reported on should include: -Address responded to -Time of response -Number of citations issued at each address -Citations issued per police department (Zone 4, CMU, University of Pittsburgh) -Offenses cited -Affiliation of those cited -If affiliation is a university, a note to whether a referral was made for internal discipline -Follow-up police response, such as knock and talks -Were the citations submitted to the Disruptive Properties Ordinance department? -Was the Social Host amendment used? -Since this information is public record, can it be shared more comprehensively with the public? This will be able to link 911 calls to follow-up police actions and police blotters. -Officer Johnson noted that every Pitt student cited or arrested is brought before the Judicial Board. -Both Zone 4 and University of Pittsburgh Police will look into receiving the permission and information to report in such a way.
IX.
City Council Update, Q&A (District 8’s Lara Sullivan): North Dithridge code sweep report -Councilman Gilman organized a code sweep of North Dithridge in partnership with Environmental Services, the Bureau of Building Inspection, City Police, and University of Pittsburgh Police in early August. North Dithridge houses a handful of unofficial University of Pittsburgh fraternities, and has been notorious for disruptive parties. -BBI is in the process of citing eight properties on North Dithridge and one on Centre Avenue. -Environmental Services sent warning letters to multiple property owners post-sweep. -A neighbor asked if it is still a law that trash receptacles need lids. Environmental Services’ Jerry Seifert confirmed yes.
X.
Oakland Property Progress Report, Q&A (Bureau of Building Inspection’s Inspector McPherson) Inspector McPherson noted that he encourages owners to attend Oakwatch. -39 and 39 ½ Boundary Street: responded to a service call regarding the leaning retaining wall. -3616 Parkview: Owner Shaun Cusick present. Housing Court hearing for over occupancy violation continued to October 23rd at 10am before Magistrate Ricciardi. -3374 Dawson: will follow up on status of processing legal. -3408 Parkview: met again with Property Manager Craig Falk. Housing Court date was continued to October 23rd at 10am before Magistrate Ricciardi for multiple code violations, including illegal dumping. -244 Dunseith: Owner secured a building permit and new front windows have been installed. -3101 Niagara: Owner found guilty of eight violations and fined $100,395. Bankruptcy proceedings still onoing.
-343 Lawn Street: Found guiltly of three violations including over occupancy, fined $270, 166. -Blvd of Bridge graffiti: No update -3421 Parkview: Owner has permit for roof work. -St James Alley: Pitt Make a Difference Day project to beautiful whole area is in the works -3431/3433 Parkview: No update from enforcement. Residents continue to call 911 on large, disruptive parties that regularly occur here.
XI.
Community Announcements & Events: -University of Pittsburgh-sponsored Block Party dates to provide opportunities for student and residents to meet: -Thursday, September 18th, 5:30-7:30pm: Central Oakland (partnership with Oakland Square Historic District Community Organization) in the Oakland Square Park at Dawson Street and Oakland Square. -Thursday, September 18th, 6:30pm: Community Forum on Race and the Police at the Corner (200 Robinson Street) Community discussion led by a panel of guests, on race relations and law enforcement. -Thursday, September 23rd, 6-7:30pm: Oakland Green Team meeting/ fruit orchard workshop at Parkview Manor. Call (412) 621-7863 x14 for more information. -Friday, September 26th, 7pm: Freestyle Friday Open Mic at the Corner. Music, spoken word, poetry, and refreshments. $5. -Saturday, September 27th: Community Walk for Peace, time to be determined. Call the Corner at (412) 683 – 1400 for details -Friday, October 10th and Saturday, October 11th: Oakland Forever will be a celebration of the people, places, and things that have made Oakland a fantastic neighborhood for 175 years. Visit oaklandforever.org for more information or to find out how to volunteer.
XII.
Next meeting: Wednesday, October 15th, 6pm at the Oakland Career Center (294 Semple Street).
XIII.
Meeting Adjournment. Contact Oakwatch: oakwatch@opdc.org or 412.621.7863 ext. 27. Thanks for keeping us in the loop!