"Debris Dumpers" Driven Off From 415 31st Ave. N. By HNC Housing Director Jeff Skrenes

Photo By John Hoff

A couple days ago, HNC Housing Director Jeff Skrenes was in the Eco-Village and saw a vehicle pulled up behind 415 31st Ave. N., the infamous "CitiMortgage lawsuit" house. Though in the last few days, ownership may have changed hands...

I figure it changed hands because the other day a legit work crew was over there stripping out components prior to demolition.

In any case, there has been a big problem with that property--as well as 409 31st Ave. N.--with scrappers coming along in their truck, dumping out items they've picked up in alleys or, er, REMOVED from vacant houses--and ripping out the salable metals while leaving the other crap behind as piles of debris.

So the other day, Jeff caught 'em in the act and called 911. One of the scrappers made haste to leave, and the other began shouting at Jeff: WHY ARE YOU CALLING SOMEBODY?! WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG?!!! One of the guys had a baby buggy, and I had to wonder whether it was "baby buggy man" who I've confronted in the Eco Village area before.

Yeah, they're dumping crappy old appliances all over private property--well, technically and actually "415" might be city-owned property by now--and yet they're "doing nothing wrong."

After Jeff's call and the verbal back-and-forth, the other scrapper made haste to get out of the area before police came. Jeff was frustrated when the police didn't catch 'em, but realized it was a "low priority" call.

Well, Jeff did a good job and the City of Minneapolis won't have to eat the cost of cleaning up the mess...well, at least not at "415." I'm sure the scrappers just went somewhere else to sort 'n' dump.

P.S. I wonder where stuff like this fits in Jeff's job description?