On Saturday, in Bethlehem's Dirty Underwear, I told you about five properties that planners certified as blighted. Readers mentioned two other properties.
1. 1800 block West North. - "Those home's look like castles compared to the the property on the 1800 block of West North St. It has been in disarray for years' Code inspecters were there twice yet nobody has done anything about it."
2. 1740 Butztown Rd. - "Could be two dozen, could be three dozen, living in a four-bedroom house with two bathrooms. Could be using beds in shifts. Efficient, yes, but a bit of a public health no-no? Shades of Jacob Riis and the tenements of the early 20th century. Unbelievable filth piled in front of garage at head of driveway -- must be four cubic yards of trash/bags piled willy nilly, many torn by animals. Huges area covered in cigarette butts. They clean it up when it gets to be about six cubic yards of trash. Then they start growing a new mess. Hedge row of adjoining property scattered with trash from torn bags. On windy days, trash blows all over the neighborhood. Chinese newspaper arrived on our porch one day....Six-foot tall fence installed w/o permit, ditto for "tea house of the August moon," ditto for deck. Fallen tree blocks one of two entrance/exits. Report to police met with a certain ho-hum attitude, but the next day we found a rather odd "gift" propped up on our lamp post. Never a dull moment, and it is important to keep the prices down in these buffet/grilles -- the public's gotta eat. One might expect the locals and feds to object, though, to being fleeced out of payroll taxes...."
A Bethlehem City official, after reading those comments, sent me this email. "I sent a note to [Chief Housing Inspector] Mike Palos and asked him if he was aware of this property and if there were any problems that were still unresolved. As it turned out, City Health Inspectors were there several times and dealt with trash and weed issues, but no Housing Inspections staff were there until this week. Mike advised me that they will be citing the property owner for several code violations that were visible from the exterior including the most egregious - the imminent collapse of the detached garage. The garage was given an immediate "raze or repair" order. We'll see where this goes, but your blog and your reader should be thanked for bringing this to the City of Bethlehem's attention. I plan on sending the complaint about the Butztown Road property to Mike and to Health as well. If the property isn't in compliance, then the City of Bethlehem will deal with it."
14 comments:
Maybe if the city had code enforcement officers like they do in easton and other surrounding cities these problems would not get out of hand, I could EASILY name another 25 places in the North side of Bethlehem that need to be FINED
To: Anon 11:08 AM
It is great that you know of another 25 properties on the Northside, but you need to do something about it. Don't just sit there an whine. The City staff could seriously use your help. List the property addresses right here on this website.
Do your civic duty! And I am not being sarcastic...
Very nice response from City of Bethlehem official. I hope that attitude flourishes. The City will be better off for it.
It is the standard Callahan clan smartass remark.
To the City Puke who commented back to me at 11:34 :
Do your job and stop whining that you can't fins these properties. Bethlehem is a JOKE when it comes to enforcement and we have called, just that smart people, when ignored, get the hint and stop calling.
You need to have your pay scale dropped down to minimum wage with performance bonuses applied so you can make what you are making now ONLY if you do your stinking job.
Now make another smart assed comment in reply
11:34 AM, and 11:45 AM, is me, and I ain't no city puke. So, stop whining, and list a few addresses.
Go git'um Bernie!
and keep digging. I'm sure that there are many other such properties wallowing in the same state around town.
Bernie, you do good work. Truly a public service. Interesting to see what it takes to get somebody to pay attention in the City administration. I am going to recommend to the Mayor that they put you on the payroll, as ombudsman for the citizens at large. cate
It's rare I agree with Bernie, but, @ 1:00, you rocked my day.
When I lived in Bethlehem, no permit was required for installing a 6-foot fence.
8:48 PM suggests no permit is needed for a solid board fence, and he may be right...but, if you go to Bethlehem's web page, and look on the page for permits, there is a table there, showing what needs a permit, and "fences" is marked "yes." FWIW.
To 8:48 PM, Mickey Boyd:
Well, Mickey, guess you don't live in Bethlehem any more. It is cleaning up its act, since you left town. Now you do need a permit to put up a fence, and it better not be more than 7 feet high.
A Bethlehem Know-it-all!
I believe the health bureau has a complaint line where you can leave a complaint ANYTIME and the appropriate person will investigate the next business day. Just call the main number and select the complaint option and it will be investigated. They have 1 person investigating complaints (garbage, weeds) so any help finding violations is welcome.
Yeah right. Bethlehem, the place that tried to stop traffic flow through a rich neighborhood full of Johnny Callahan contributors. It was illegal and they had to stop.
Remember Bernie, you had the story here. In Bethlehem money talks, democracy walks. It is the Callahan Klan way. Hanna is still a shill for Callahan and the Redevelopment Authority members better take notice.
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