10-22-18 Community Relations - Laserfiche WebLink

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"'CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF T H E CLERK She continued,The Vacant and Abandoned Task Force report way back says that aggressive Code Enforcement is a legitimate tool to use when you're addressing vacant and abandoned properties. But it also warrants that it should only be used in areas with market strength. So the stronger markets are with the homes that have less blight where someone would most likely have the money to fix up their homes. So to me,the discussion is that maybe civil penalties weren't the correct tool to use in this area but we certainly have to respond. So this is where I believe we have begun making changes within Code Enforcement. We've been moving from fining people to servicing people. The real goal is not necessarily raising money as the goal is actually improving the neighborhood. So that was data she shared. That was one(1)piece of evidence that encourages us to look at our practice to figure out to do something different. She went on, The second (2nd) piece of information, and we were unable to get the recording to actually hear it so I just read part of it. This is a transcript of a recording of the previous Director of Code Enforcement. She then handed out copies of the transcript to all Committee and Council Members and it is available in the City Clerk's Office. She continued, I had talked to him and this is before I was on the Council in September of 2015. I had a conversation with him to try and understand special assessments and all the different things. I was recording him so I could get all the technical language I was unaware of. Starting in the middle there, he was talking about how they go after certain properties. He was saying, `Yeah, the police asked me about a bar the other day that's operating.' He couldn't remember the name and he was talking about my District, my area, and I asked, 'The Kickback?' He said, `Yeah.' And so he was saying how, and I won't read the whole thing, but he was saying they work with the Police Department to figure out problem properties to see how many violations they have and how to move it toward a nuisance property to actually get something done about this. So, specifically, later on in the last paragraph there,he specifically said, you know, when there is a problem property, and this is me just saying that and I'll read some of it, but when there is a problem property, this is what they will do. Basically he talked about one (1) particular person, I won't say the name, but basically he is one (1) that is on the hit-list. He'll move to a different house, and they'll go out that day. Councilmember Tim Scott interjected, Committee Chair, I have a problem with this. Committee Chair Williams-Preston replied, You have a problem with what? Councilmember Scott followed up,You citing an individual who no longer works for the City and there is very slanderous information in this to be handing out publically. Councilmember Oliver Davis interjected, It is on tape. Committee Chair Williams-Preston stated,It is on tape. I talked to the lawyer and it is not an illegal recording. Councilmember Scott interjected, No, I'm not saying that. Committee Chair Williams-Preston stated, Well,you know, I think that is part of the issue, right? Like, I think we have to be honest about what is happening. Councilmember Scott interjected, No, I understand that. I have an issue with the person being mentioned in here. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574 235 9173 TTD 574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 3