"We are absolutely overwhelmed over here," a resident told the Mayor's office a year ago

Photo by John Hoff

A year ago, a North Side resident wrote a long email to the Mayor's Office about problem properties in her neighborhood, especially 3119 4th Street North. The email was forwarded to me for use on this blog because, unfortunately, very little has changed in the year since it was written...

Here it is, in its entirety.

I wanted to let you know what has been going on in my neighborhood and who I have contacted in the past regarding my concerns.

Besides the numerous calls I've made to 911 regarding 3119 4th Street North, I've had conversations with Mike Karney (housing inspector), Don Benum and the 4th Precinct and the crack team, citizen crime prevention, County Commissioner Stegland, garbage complaint department, boarded buildings, public housing, Rocco Forte, Melanie Pogutchnik (the inspector with the fire department who is supposed to be monitoring 3119), Police Chief Tom Dolan, Homicide Unit, Lee Edwards, Diane Hofstede, Tom Deegan of Problem Properties, Safe Unit Mary Ezciony, Hillary Freeman from the Problem Solvers meetings, Sergeant Aradonde, and the Community Response Team.

My concerns have included drug dealing, prostitution, garbage, noise, pit bulls, homeless folks and prostitutes living in boarded up houses, disassembling of copper pipes in abandoned houses, violence in the streets, people being shot at and killed in the streets.

The three addresses that are of the most concern to myself and other home owners are 3101 6th Street North, 3119 4th Street North, and 416 31st Ave. N. The first two are apartments, and they are owned by the same woman.

On 4/4/07 I called 311 with my concerns regarding 3119 4th Street North. I believe you may be able to check on some of the problems with these tracking numbers: 90512, 84403, 84405, 84407, 84410, and 84411. Also, 95041 for 3112 6th Street North.

I recently received a return phone call from Melanie Pogutchnik stating she had been out to 3119 4th and all the complaints were inspected by the fire department and cleared. When I told her that windows were still missing and some were replaced by chicken wire she stated that she also lives by "problem properties and there is nothing you can do about it."

I know Melanie has had a history with this apartment building as she used to be the housing inspector in the Hawthorne area. The continuous problems seem to be mainly between the two apartments. (3101 6th Street North and 3119 4th Street North) Unfortunately, I live between these two apartments. And 416 31st Avenue North is a house between these two apartments that also has a lot of drug activity.

I know the police are aware of it and have raided the place. There are only a few owner-occupied homes in the area that have been trying for YEARS to clean this area up. On the south side of 31st between 4th Street and 6th, all the houses have been boarded up or burned down.

We are absolutely overwhelmed over here. My neighbor had to take out $50,000 in loans last year when they came through with their inspections "sweep." I had to put up a retaining wall to stop the erosion onto the boulevard, but now the water continues to run onto my boulevard from the erosion and runoff from 3119 4th Street North which nobody has addressed. I am having difficulty understanding how this neighborhood continues to deteriorate and the responsible neighbors are the ones who continue to be penalized.

Please let me know if this information has been helpful and I hope that this time my efforts won't be in vain. Thank you for your interest and I hope you will be able to help correct the situation we have been forced to live with for so many years.