The Most Important Issue Facing the City

By Mirna Burciaga

Slum Landlords who do not reside in the city, or even in the state, set the conditions of inevitable deterioration of dwellings and streets.

Slum conditions are the root cause of this blight. Slum land lords who do not reside in the city, or even in the State, set the conditions of inevitable deterioration of dwellings and streets. Slums attract the poor, slums erode the sense of personal responsibility and evoke a sense of hopelessness that leads to toleration of situations intolerable to those in the mainstream. The unemployed or unemployable are idle, hang around and give the impression of lack of willingness to work hard. Idlers are perceived as a threat to other citizens, vandalism occurs, graffiti appears, proto-gangs are thought to be present. Community relations disintegrate and feelings of alienation develop in slum dwellers and other citizens, then intolerance arises.

In the early 1990's the City embarked on a robust program of code enforcement in the West Side. Blight was visible receding. Then the enforcement petered out. This process should be revived and vigorously applied to the West Side and to other slums within the City.

Several suggestions by the West Side Redevelopment oversight Committee deserve serious consideration, but the problem will remain until code enforcement address the problem of slums.

To improve the Westside, slum conditions and blight must be addressed by vigorous enforcement of City Codes and prosecutions of slum land lords where appropriate.

With the reversal of slum conditions and the resultant social problems the free market can be expected to exert pressures for individuals to improve their own property . Business persons can feel safe and consider investment in existing and new enterprises. Walking the streets can become safe and pleasant again.

Other proposals by WROC deserve serious consideration-but the root cause of blight must be removed first.