Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman
The 300 block of 25th Ave N was reported as a potential problem spot by this blog a short time ago. Residents have been calling 311 and patrolling the area more frequently, and it appears that at least some of those efforts are paying off.
I drove by yesterday and saw that each of the four cars parked illegally on the lots had a notice that they needed to be removed by March 10th. There still seems to be no Global Investment Management happening on this vacant lot, despite the fact that the owners list no other address for their company. The problem of the cars parked on this lot appears on its way towards resolution, but...
why can't we make owners of vacant lots put down SOME OTHER ADDRESS when registering on record with the city? It's not like they receive MAIL or can be contacted IN ANY WAY if there is an issue with the property they own.
Also, as I was taking these pictures, a woman came out and removed one of the placards from a car. "Is that your vehicle, ma'am?" I asked. She said it was. "You know they can't be parked on this lot, right?" Yes, she knew that now and was going to move her car. "Say, do you OWN the lot here where these cars are parked?" She did not, nor did she do any global investment managing.
Let's keep an eye on this area, and make sure any ongoing problems are reported immediately.
What do you care if someone leaves a car parked on this property? You need to learn to respect people's property rights.
ReplyDeleteWell Gary, first off, let's talk about property rights. The person who claimed to own at least one of those cars admitted she did not own the property. She just parked the car there because she felt like it and the absentee owner wasn't watching.
ReplyDeleteIf there WERE a way to contact the absentee owner, I might consider doing so, but as I stated in the post, all information directs me to the vacant lot as the only address.
And Minneapolis 526.50/538.80, Housing Code 244.1570 states "No parking is allowed on grass or on other unpaved surfaces."
These illegally parked cars are in violation of the property rights of the owner, and in violation of city code. Furthermore, this is happening on a block where my neighbors have complained about this issue, trash being dumped everywhere, and a disturbing increase in drug dealing. So I'm going to go and do what I can to fight back against that perceived atmosphere of lawlessness.
But please, enlighten me. What property rights specifically did I violate here?
Did you tresspass when viewing the cars?
ReplyDeleteIs it considered trespassing anytime someone sets foot on a bit of ground owned by someone else? Better watch your step when you're on that sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteThese are public notices being posted on illegally parked cars. I'm a staff person of the neighborhood where this was reported as a problem. I went to confirm what was happening in regards to that problem on behalf of my neighborhood. I did not cross the threshold of a structure, nor was I informed by anyone that they owned property I was walking on without permission.
Anyone who wants to call that trespassing, I'd fight that and win.
Dyna sez: I believe the property in question has gone tax forfeit and is owned by the county. As for the cars, I suspect that given their surrounded by snow and haven't moved for some time they're inoperable.
ReplyDeleteI bet they were put there because of the parking restrictons. On my block we have had problems finding parking. Right now some folks got 5 to 6 cars in there back yard. There also looks in part to be some class 5 wich is legal to park on but if it not there property then there you have it. Althgough the blue car look like it should be smashed and probably dosnt run very well. And it isnt trespass if the hawkman flies in and never touches the ground. Good luck Hawkman.
ReplyDeleteT Jaramillo
I still don't understand why you would care that there are a couple of cars parked in a vacant lot. You weren't using the vacant lot for anything. The cars weren't blocking you from getting anywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you leave other people alone?
You busy bodies think that somehow you're making NoMi a better place, but you're just annoying the people who live there and trying to force them to live by your rules. You need to learn tolerance and to respect diversity.
Hey Hawkman... it's the 10th. Any updates?
ReplyDelete@ Cleveland Guy:
ReplyDeleteI just drove past there. One car is gone. Another car was in a different position and was either getting or giving a jump with a car that was not there before. And the third car (plus the vehicle out behind the house at 322 25th were untouched at the time.
@ Gary:
The ordinance about cars on approved surfaces (garages, cement, or even gravel) isn't nonsense. Those surfaces help keep chemical runoff from the cars from getting into the soil - and by extension, the Mississippi River, which we're proud to say is part of Hawthorne.
It would have been nice to contact the property owner, but Global Investment Managers Inc left no recourse to do so. And neighbors in my community complained that this was an issue. So I responded and got something done.
Furthermore, this is an area where residents reported (and I witnessed) an uptick in drug dealing and other detrimental activities. I've had conversations with MPD officers about some of these issues, and one approach to them is to have a zero tolerance attitude. If someone is cited for riding their bike on a sidewalk or fined for littering on Broadway, they may be less inclined to deal drugs or commit other higher-level offenses in that area.
I decided to take that approach in an attempt to nip a potential problem area in the bud. If you're doing something you're not supposed to be doing on the 300 block of 25th Ave N, rest assured neighbors will see it and report it.
Finally, I'm glad you're living in the suburbs and if you're proud of your community, that's terrific. We deserve to have the same kind of pride in our community and the same basic respect for rules as anyplace else. If your neighbor suddenly parked a bunch of cars haphazardly in his front lawn, and not on the driveway, and you knew this was not supposed to happen, would you do something about it? Something tells me you would. And if not, well, then I guess folks in NoMi are more proud of our community than you are of yours.
So you're trying to turn NoMi into more of a police state, where the cops spend more time harassing people of color? I'm glad you're trying to help your community, but I don't think that getting the cops to spend more time harassing black people is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteThe problem property is 322 25th Ave N. I drive by there at least three times a week. There is always garbage and trash laying around the property.
ReplyDeleteThis property was purchased by an investor. He is turning what was once a nice rehabbed property into another problem property.
I am one of those busy bodies...and proud of it. If you want to act like a slob fine, but just know that I will call 311 and report you. I have no patience for this sort of behavior.
Mike
The contact person for Global Invest Managers Inc is none other than Brian Hallblade.
ReplyDeleteBrian W. Hallblade
535 Coon Rapids Blvd,
Coon Rapids, MN 55433
763-785-4942
http://hallbladerealty.com/
or
Kyle S Kosnider
65 Clay Cliffe Drive
Tonka Bay, MN 55331
612-396-0975
Mike,
ReplyDeleteWho appointed you aesthetic police man? And what do you think happens when you call 311? Do you think that 311 is some sort of bat signal that causes the cops to leap into action to correct whatever silly problem you might find?
I've got a hint for you. The MPLS city workers would rather not be bothered by busy bodies like you and they probably just ignore your calls. Maybe, when they have to, four people might go out to do a job that one person could have accomplished, that is if the weather is nice enough.
Gary,
ReplyDeleteYou're funny. That's not my experience with the Minneapolis workers at all. They love us NoMi residents who call in all this stuff. Heck, we're like FREE LABOR for the city.
Bottom line: abandoned cars make my neighborhood look crappy. And we're making things look better around here. I doubt very much if the cars were parked there because of "parking restrictions," unless you count the restriction that says "You can't park a vehicle on the street and leave it in the same spot for months, years at a time."
Gary, did anyone other than you mention skin color? I seem to get questions like that a lot from ignoramuses who know absolutely nothing about my community, the issue at hand, or me.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's a difference between aesthetics and code violations. We called 311 on the latter.
Anon 2:19, can you explain to me how you made the connection between Hallblade and Global Investment Management? If you have to do so off the record, email me or use the comment function but specify "do not post." When I see things like this, I generally want to be able to independently verify them.
Gary either you are a complete idiot or are just trying to get a rise out of us.
ReplyDeleteI don't really care either way.
I am assuming that you are just trying to get a rise out of us.
No worries, I will continue to be the aesthetic police man. I just reported four properties this morning on my way to work.
Since I go to the Third Ward Care Meeting on a regular basis and speak directly with an Inspector District Supervisor, I know exactly how she feels about calling 311.
Oh, by the way the director of 311 was at the last meeting. He was insistent that we continue to call 311 on any problems we see.
Oh yes, and another thing, my city councilmember also says that we should call 311 on these things. She looks at 311 reports daily to see patterns.
So I strongly suggest, if you are really serious about your silly comments, that you learn the facts before declaring us rouge busy bodies.
to Gary, March 9, 1:27 pm
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, property rights should be protected. Those of us who live here have property rights and we are protecting them.
Gary,
ReplyDeleteFolks want to keep their neighborhood from looking crappy. You indicate this is somehow getting down on black people? Are you suggesting that crappy looking neighborhoods are somehow synonymous with black people? There are many black people in NoMi who take great pride in their property, their neighborhood, and who call 311.