Sadly, the City of Berkeley fails to enforce it's own blight ordinance. Multiple requests for enforcement of the blight ordinance and removal of abandoned and inoperable vehicles in South Berkeley have failed to produce much, if any results. The lack of enforcement appears to be a systemic problem within the City ranks. In an effort to shed light on this lack of enforcement, two public records act requests have been made of the City Manager, Phil Kamlarz. One request relates to all City documents that pertain to the City of Berkeley policy not to enforce the removal of acid etching from windows because
City staff believe it is too great an economic hardship for residents and businesses. Deputy City Manager Lisa Carona stated that the City does not enforce the removal of acid etching as a form of graffiti. However, she could not provide any specific reference to existing City policy that allows the City staff to essentially ignore this form of blight. Nor could she provide any specific guidance on applying this affordability standard across businesses. What this means is that large amounts of graffiti go unabated for years, attracting even more graffiti and blight. There is nothing specific that we 
could find in the City regulations, laws, ordinances, or policies that specifically direct the City staff not to enforce abatement of acid etching. There does not seem to be any guidance for the application of this underground regulation. In addition, a public records act request has been submitted for all blight enforcement documents that relate to 3058 Shattuck Avenue, Motor City Auto Repair. This property has several significant blight issues including overgrown weeds, cracked and lifted sidewalks, peeling paint, inoperable vehicles, graffiti, acid etching and temporary signs. Despite requests for enforcement at this property, the City has apparently 
has done very little to get the property owner into compliance since the property remains pretty much the same since it was reported to the City over a year ago. It is unfortunate the City has chosen to spend its time and effort on public record act requests rather than on enforcing the blight ordinance.
City staff believe it is too great an economic hardship for residents and businesses. Deputy City Manager Lisa Carona stated that the City does not enforce the removal of acid etching as a form of graffiti. However, she could not provide any specific reference to existing City policy that allows the City staff to essentially ignore this form of blight. Nor could she provide any specific guidance on applying this affordability standard across businesses. What this means is that large amounts of graffiti go unabated for years, attracting even more graffiti and blight. There is nothing specific that we could find in the City regulations, laws, ordinances, or policies that specifically direct the City staff not to enforce abatement of acid etching. There does not seem to be any guidance for the application of this underground regulation. In addition, a public records act request has been submitted for all blight enforcement documents that relate to 3058 Shattuck Avenue, Motor City Auto Repair. This property has several significant blight issues including overgrown weeds, cracked and lifted sidewalks, peeling paint, inoperable vehicles, graffiti, acid etching and temporary signs. Despite requests for enforcement at this property, the City has apparently has done very little to get the property owner into compliance since the property remains pretty much the same since it was reported to the City over a year ago. It is unfortunate the City has chosen to spend its time and effort on public record act requests rather than on enforcing the blight ordinance.
4 comments:
When researching where to purchase a home in the East Bay, we quickly learned that our investment dollars were more protected in Oakland. Our friend's questioned our decision "Don't you want to live in Berkeley?". I can clearly answer "HELL, no!"
Sadly, Berkeley isn't that place it should be. It is a small town that closes its eyes to the fact that it is deteriorating RAPIDLY. You have only to ride North into Albany, or South into Emeryville and Oakland, to see how the slum lords and blighted buildings discourage investment into the neighborhoods.
Get smart Berkeley! Remember who you once were and get back to being a community that works hard to be BETTER.
One of the members of our Russell/Oregon/California pool on Flickr.com takes pictures of the blight in Berkeley.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/document/
There's unfortunately PUH-LENTY of pictures to be taken. The City of Berkeley should be ashamed of itself.
On the LDNA neighborhood list, I have asked the city whether they would at least help homeowners by buying repainting supplies with a bulk discount and making them available to Berkeley residents plagued by repeated attacks of vandalism. No one from the City ever bothered to answer although several of them are subscribed to the list.
And you can see what Berkeley *does* think is worth its rare Code Enforcement: http://www.gardenrant.com/my_weblog/2009/06/front-lawn-police-in-berkeley.html
This property would make a great article in the SF ChronicleWatch column. http://www.sfgate.com/columns/chroniclewatch/archive/
You can email Jonathan Curiel at jcuriel(AT)sfchronicle.com
The City of Berkeley tends to respond faster whenever they get media pressure/influence.
Post a Comment