SPAR: Our #1 problem is "Rooming Houses"

[sheclown]

The demolition of our historic fabric is the #1 issue facing Springfield (followed albeit closely by the Ash issue -- which will, eventually work its way out -- causing havoc and pain, no doubt).

But, without the historic structures, there is no Springfield, nor can there be one manufactured to look like one.  It will be gone.

The "rooming house issue" is a personal vendetta which has cost this neighborhood money and energy for the past four years that could have been better spent protecting us from Ash over-reaction and demolition by reckless policy.

And now it rears its ugly head again.

Bottom line is that this miss-direction (either intentional or idiotic) now has citizens writing to all city officials about rooming houses. 

It is an embarrassment and harms Springfield, politically.

[sheclown]

...and besides, if you live in a restored home, chances are it was the men (and women), residents of Springfield "rooming houses", who labored to make it beautiful.

Including you, Claude.  We both know this because I was your general contractor.

[danno]

#1 Distuction of historic structures
#2 ASH!!!!!!!!
#3 Vacant commercial district
#4 The state of the streets and drainange

[uptowngirl]

#1 Demolition of properties (mostly historic, but let's face it they are red listing even newer "non-conforming" properties and commercial properties too)

#2 Vacant commerical buildings (what is left of them on Main- see #1)

#3 Streets and Drainage- the city cannot clean the damn storm drains even though we are paying extra money for storm run off!

#4 Ash


All four of these items are listed because, while we (the community) can HELP to address these, we are dependent on the city to do the majority of work on these topics. For instance, if we continue to knock down all our buildings and homes, we lose the hisotric and commercial fabric of the neighborhood. While the Park View obviously should of come down years ago, I do not think it REALLY stops anyone from living, shopping, drinking, or eating in Springfield. To eat, drink, and shop we need commerical fabric to house retail, and then of course more retail (naturally taking care of non contributing late night population). Streets flood and sink holes form because the city has not properly replaced the streets and infrastructure and can't or won't take care of what infrastructure is already there. Ash flagging (because no one has proven there is even really any actual ash contamination, and most likely based on maps provided there is NOT) is a direct attack on the SW quadrant by the city. I say this because, based upon the track records of #1-#3 how can I assume otherwise? I think the city is sick and tired of the current whiners fighting silly battles and they (they city) is just over it. To come in everyday to letters/emails from the same 35 people outlining how important they are, and how ticked they are that a carwash or a rooming house is open somewhere in the hood (most of these people may know where ONE rooming house is-and let's face it at least someone is living there and the house is not being knocked down-yet), or the damn Parkview has still not been knocked down, well that is enough to make anyone give up on the neighbohood. The community as a whole has realistic concerns of which SPAR did not, and has not touched on a single major one. In fact I would go as far as to say SPAR and their wasteful letter/email campaigns are killing any support Historic Springfield could get from our city departments and leaders.

[iloveionia]

Good Stuff Uptown.
I'll add:

The fact that this regurgitated letter was approved by the board and sent out is beyond disappointing.
-1,000
In the last 3 months the hot topics that have incited neighborhood meetings have been ASH and PRESERVATION.
Someone should have stood up and said NO to this lame letter. This was not the way to boost up the SPAR reputation.
I used to go to bat for SPAR.
Humph. No more.

[avs]

it is just another example of how out of touch SPAR is.  it is very disappointing, especially with everything at stake with our historic foundation and the ash situation.

i mean, come on!  get with it!

[hooplady]

I soooo much want to work with the good people in this organization on the common problems in the neighborhood, rather than focus on where we disagree.  But this is ridiculous - all this talent, hard work, energy, and political capital being wasted on this subject by SPAR.  Truly disheartening.

[DeadGirlsDontDance]

My best girlfriend summed up this whole bloody debacle nicely a while back when I was visiting her home in Springfield. I mentioned something about SPAR in the course of our conversation, and she rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, please, honey, I've lived here for fifteen years, and I can't be bothered with all those stupid, petty bitches."

[FinnegansWake]

ROOMING HOUSES - I don't really understand the whole froth and fury about rooming houses yet. I don't have any near my house. Or rather, I may have some near my house but haven't seen any problems. The only thing I can think that might be a problem would be that of any rental house…that the landlord lets the tenants trash a really cool historic house. Or that the tenants are being a-holes and need JSO called on them constantly. That aspect does suck.

That being said, what DOES really concern me is how the Magistrate conducted the hearing in March 2010, and accepted verbal evidence and (as an example) that a free-thinking artist painted numbers on doors (I wasn't at the meeting to hear this). Was this really said and accepted? Because I want that guy next time I get a speeding ticket. But I sure don't want that guy proceeding over any other really important legal matters for the COJ.

Another aspect of this issue is COJ not enforcing their own policies/regulations (no new boarding houses, equalization throughout the city, etc)? It kind of reinforces the perception that they believe they can pick and choose what to enforce and what they can ignore (see Historic House Destruction and well…read any issue of the Folio for more examples).

Regardless of whether you are in the “Rooming Houses Are Evil Incarnate” camp or the “Rooming Houses ROCK!” camp…you should consider that the haphazard manner in which the COJ conducts business may bite you in the a$$ down the road. In my opinion, Jerry Moran's reply came the closest so far as to what the REAL issue is here.

THE EVIL CARWASH - again, not really a huge deal to me. But there are some people who live in the neighborhood who didn't like the concept. They didn't bring it to the game so they lost. We’ll see if they were right or not.

THE PARK VIEW INN - if I remember, the plans for that the past 8 years I've been here have always been crap. Yet another homeless shelter...? Now a parking garage? It's all just more procrastination by the owner. Seriously...it's been 10+ years. I did appreciate the post-apocalyptic backdrop when I took pics of my Mad Max Road Warrior motobike though. But I think it’s time the COJ took that thing down.

I wrote to the COJ today about the above issues, and added something about their awesomely effective method for preserving historic structures.

And in response to SPAR’s call for suggestions to what other actions they can take, I wrote to them suggesting various points that have been addressed on MetroJax and elsewhere....ways to improve the organization.

Phil

[sheclown]

That being said, what DOES really concern me is how the Magistrate conducted the hearing in March 2010, and accepted verbal evidence and (as an example) that a free-thinking artist painted numbers on doors (I wasn't at the meeting to hear this). Was this really said and accepted? Because I want that guy next time I get a speeding ticket. But I sure don't want that guy proceeding over any other really important legal matters for the COJ.

Phil, I think you're a cool guy.  You are witty and clever.  

In this case, you are seriously accepting verbal evidence which is questionable at best.

COJ is not going to do anything because there is nothing illegal or wrong occurring.

[CS Foltz]

Well maybe this is a poster for recruiting SPARBARIANS? They have to do something to increase their membership don't they? What is the total number of people in it.......100 (maybe and ten that actually vote) out of 4,800 or there abouts who live in Springfield proper? Real good representation from the Aunt Eualabell Irregulars don't ya think.............and City Hall actually think these people represent the community as a whole! Says alot about City Hall does it not?

[avs]

I want to know where their funding is coming from.  I was on the board and never did get a clear answer on this!  Who is paying to keep that organization going???

[strider]

So, as an example of how little SPAR Council can follow it's own laws and polices, the "position paper" says at the top"

Adopted June 21, 2010
Board of Directors
SPAR Council

Yet, the actual minutes from the June 21, 2010 board meeting says:

Claude has been drafting a letter concerning issues in Springfield. It was suggested to make a
short executive summary page and end with a sample statement and contact information for the
appropriate city officials.

Please note, no mention that it was a "Position Paper", no mention that it was "adopted".  Did the full board even see the thing?

Sorry, but I think that the "board" seems to have little to do with what SPAR Council's President and Executive Board is actually doing.   At best, this was another one of those important things handled by e-mails and private messages, and not in the light of day. The best help we can give SPAR Council is to forget it, move on with what we know is important and let SPAR Council wither away.

[CS Foltz]

strider.........I have said it before and will say it again............you guys need to form a rival organization! The way SPAR Council has mishandled and generally excreted all over the Springfield residents....if I lived there, I would have formed a lynching party by now! The idea that an organization with less then 100 members, a board of maybe 10 who vote however they are directed to, just irritates me to no end! I would not hesitate to spit in SPAR's milk, if you know what I mean! Time to just let those buffoons wither away and die! Just ignoring them might make them come to their sense's...........if they had any!

[KuroiKetsunoHana]

the problem with forming a rival organisation is that it would clearly be purely reäctionary, which would make it rather difficult for city officials to take it seriously.