quality of life

Monroe Block Party on Sat. a Great Time

By Prince Of Petworth

From Kash:

“The street was blocked off so the kids had lots of room to play. The lack of traffic and parked cars really changed the character of the the street, making it feel more like an inviting part of the interior of the house. It was like we extended the boundary of our living room out into the street to overlap with the neighbors’. Everyone came out and grilled and socialized as if we all shared a common courtyard in the same building. Wish it could be like that every day!”

I think this is one of the best ways to build community. You had old, young, black, white etc. All with smiles. A beautiful sight and most definitely part of the beautiful life.

Dear PoP – Rights for Renters in a Condo Building

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I’m living downtown in a condo building on the first floor. My apartment is one of the only ones that is rented, so I feel like I’m a “less important” tenant when it comes to the condo board. I have contacted them about this problem already, and they weren’t able to / didn’t want to do anything, but I just wanted to get some reader’s opinions on this.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 7:15 am, the trash guys come and haul up our trash from the basement. This entails them *BANGING* it up the marble stairs, through the lobby, and *BANGING* it down the front door stairs. They take it outside, then they come back in to bang it back down the stairs. This wakes me up 3 times a week, for almost a year now, and I can’t handle it anymore. We have a quiet hour policy that runs 11pm-8am, and I stated that in my e-mails to the condo board, but the only thing they did was tell me to wear earplugs. Fine, I wear earplugs. Doesn’t help since my entire apartment shakes while they are banging garbage cans around. Tenants up to the third floor are also disturbed.

Anyone have any advice on how to approach this? I don’t care if they bang garbage cans around, but do it outside of quiet hours! I respect other tenant’s right to quiet, why can’t our contractors do the same?!”

Wow, I feel the frustration here. Personally I’m most interested to learn about how folks who rent in condo buildings are treated. In this example, I think the condo board’s advice to wear earplugs is preposterous. A buddy of mine rents in a condo building and hasn’t had any problems. Have others who rent in condo buildings felt that their complaints are not heard or respected?

Again, in this instance, it seems you should talk with the other units that are affected by the noise and if they own perhaps they can have a bit more clout resolving the problem. Ear plugs is most definitely not the answer. What do you guys think? Anyone face a similar situation?

Friday Question of the Day – Street Harassment Part 2

By Prince Of Petworth


photo by JUDGE DREDD76

Back in April we had a FQoTD about street harassment. Now I don’t mean to be insensitive but I have to follow up on this question. You see, today as I was walking home from the metro I saw a woman wearing very similar shorts to the one from flickr above. And it got me thinking about this issue again. Let me just say I don’t mean to imply that anyone deserves harassment based on the clothes that they wear. I’m just wondering if it’s a smart choice in certain sections of the city where street harassment is a known problem. God knows, I hope women will be able to wear whatever they want to wear in any neighborhood of the city.

But it reminded me of when I was a kid going into NYC before NYC became much safer. When I would travel to the City I would always put my wallet in my front pocket. And I even remember school trips where they would tell those who wore jewelry to leave it at home. (There were lots of jewelry snatchings back then.) Of course nobody deserved to get there jewelery stolen but it was considered a prudent choice to leave it at home or put your wallet in your front pocket.

Anyway, my question is that maybe it’s not a good idea to wear shorts like this on certain streets, particularly if you are by yourself. Again, I’m totally disgusted and appalled by the street harassment stories we have heard. But isn’t it a good idea to dress slightly more modestly to avoid such unpleasantness? Or is that kind of like letting the terrorists win? I’m totally sincere with this query. I don’t know what the “right” answer is. I’m guessing there might be a slippery slope argument here. And I know there are harassers who would happily torment a woman regardless of what she is wearing. Like I said, I’m conflicted on this one.

So I thought I’d throw it out there for a FQoTD – in known street harassment areas should one choose their dress more cautiously?

Wayan Ponders The Perennial Spring Question

By Prince Of Petworth

Wayan Vota writes:

“You know your neighbours grass is too high when a Taxi Dog can get lost in its un-mowed depth. And with such disregard for community standards, when do you break down and mow their yard? Its not like you can get your ANC chair email the Park Service for a quick mow. ”

We tackled this question almost exactly a year ago last April. But I think the real question here might be – why is Wayan walking his dog in his neighbor’s yard…?

PoP Pontificates

By Prince Of Petworth


photo by M.V. Jantzen

Well it’s been a while. Yesterday there was a post in the great H Street, NE blog, Frozen Tropics where, I feel, the author unfairly maligns Columbia Heights. I can understand her frustration but is it really necessary to make the point of defending one neighborhood by cutting on another? I can’t accept that provincial way of thinking. The author writes:

“But, to be frank, I feel safer living here than in Columbia Heights. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I know too many people who have been robbed in Columbia Heights. And when I say robbed, I mean pistol whipped, punched, or hit in the head with a brick. None of these people were resisting. By contrast, I only know (personally) one guy who was ever violently attacked during a robbery in this area.”

I really don’t mean to start a neighborhood war here. I’m a big fan of H Street, NE (in fact I just filmed a PoPtrekker there, stay tuned). I think what makes Washington DC great is that it has many great diverse neighborhoods that each have much to offer. You know, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” and all.

Nevertheless, let me make a few points in defense of Columbia Heights. You see Columbia Heights is a huge neighborhood. And lots of people live there. So yes, there is crime. In fact I was hit in the head with a rock not too long ago. But it has in no way diminished my love for it. I mean if we’re going to use the scientific method of how many people we personally know who’ve been mugged then I’d say it’s one of the safest neighborhoods in the city. Yeah, I don’t know anyone personally who’s been mugged there. Ok, obviously I don’t think it’s the safest neighborhood in the city but just making a point.

Here at PoP we’ve often discussed that everyone has their own comfort level. I happen to feel comfortable in Columbia Heights and H Street, NE. That doesn’t mean I walk the streets at 3am with dollars sticking out of my ears and a fresh can of airplane glue. I also happen to feel comfortable on Georgia Ave. And H Street, NE reminds me a lot of Georgia Ave. (except H St. has more new restaurants). But when I was recently filming the PoPtrekker there I couldn’t help but notice how many boarded up storefronts there were. It didn’t bother me. But I can see how some people might feel uncomfortable. It is what I call gritty. Which is far different, in my mind, than unsafe. Crime is a citywide problem. It may occur on some streets more than others but it is a problem we need to battle as a city.

But like I said, I love Columbia Heights. And I love H Street, NE. No need to justify loving one by taking down the other.

Tree Removed (Remember The Reader’s Open Letter To Chief Lanier?)

By Prince Of Petworth

On Tuesday I posted an open letter to Chief Lanier from a reader. The reader follows up:

“In an act that shines a bright and gleaming light on the perfunctorily efficient (or efficiently perfunctory) DC Government, the dead tree at the 801 Sheppard Street police facility was removed this morning. Please hold your applause… First I would like to offer my sincere apologies to the woodpeckers and tree creepers who have now lost a potential food source. Second, I would like to thank PoP for creating and allowing this marvelous forum that accomplished in two short days what years of sidewalk conversations with officers and administrative staff could not. And last, I would like to express my appreciation to the blog-reading community at large for the many diverse, constructive, divisive, sardonic, and just plain fun comments and thoughts on the issue. You are all gems – not a word from Chief Cathy though.

PS – Anyone got a mower?”

A Reader Sends An Open letter to Police Chief Lanier

By Prince Of Petworth

“Attached is a photo of the 8th Street side of the 810 Sheppard Street, NW Police Facility.

When I moved to Petworth 6 years ago, we were told by the chief of police that this building, which underwent a $10 million renovation, was to be a beacon for the neighborhood which had seen tough times. The tree in the picture was dead six years ago and it is dead now. I don’t think it is coming back. If the neighborhood revitalizes, I am fairly certain the “beacon” will have little to account for it. For 6 years I have walked past the dead tree on the way to Metro to go to work. At the moment the dead tree has knee-high grass around it. My father was a police officer in Nassau County, NY for over 30 years. I know he wouldn’t have walked past a dead tree on his way to the office for 6 years; he probably wouldn’t have walked past a dead tree for 6 weeks. He would have picked up the phone and told someone to do their job and remove it or he would have taken a saw to work and cut it down himself.

I have watched the pot smoking, drug sales and drinking in parked cars on Taylor Street and around the Recreation Center and have wondered about the close proximity to the police building and I realize now that it all makes sense. There is ZERO connection between the persons at work in the building and the neighborhood they work for. All the talk by the police about the neighborhood and importance of community in police work is just that – talk. Forget the ongoing crime issues – this dead tree and the fallen parking space numbers that litter the parking lot and the general decrepitude of the facility’s outside areas are the best evidence of the attitudes of the workers inside this building toward the people living in the surrounding area.

Who do I have to ask for permission to cut down the dead tree and drag it around to the other side of the building and put it in the dumpster?”

I think this letter raises a very important point:

“There is ZERO connection between the persons at work in the building and the neighborhood they work for.”

I have to say I kind of feel the same way. Once on 14th Street a bit south of Red Derby I saw some police talking with residents and I felt like this was a great step in the right direction. I’m sad to say, at least it feels like, that may have been an anomaly. So what is it going to take to get a connection between the officers who serve our communities. I mean I know they have a very important job to do. Preventing crime and capturing criminals should be their number one priority. However, most feel that there is a correlation with that and closeness with the community. What can cops do to actually change this perception/reality. I feel like a neighborhood cookout is just not going to cut it. I really feel like regular foot patrols (with the right officers) are the only way. Am I missing another way?

Dear PoP – Community Service Block Grants

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

 

I would love to see what ideas your readers generate on how these funds could be well-used to help our community.

 

David Tumblin

Commissioner, Single Member District 4C06″

 

District Receives $16.4 Million in Community Services Block Grant Funds From Recovery Act

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced April 10, 2009 plans to make $1 billion available for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new resources will be allocated to states across the country. The District will receive $16,427,550 that will be distributed to community groups that help Americans through tough economic times.

Under the Recovery Act, organizations receiving CSBG funding must use the resources to help get our economy back on track. Funds must be used to reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and assist low-income families to become self-sufficient. Eligible entities use funds to provide services and activities addressing employment, education, housing, nutrition, and emergency services to combat the central causes of poverty.

Services currently provided by community organizations that receive CSBG funds include:

  • Job training and placement assistance.
  • Financial literacy programs such as credit counseling.
  • Housing assistance programs that help keep Americans in their homes.
  • Nutrition programs that provide meals for vulnerable families.
  • Community agencies that bring public and private resources together to assist families in need.

The United Planning Organization, which is the District’s federally-recognized community action agency, is responsible for determining how these funds are distributed. Interested parties should contact Harvey Johnson, III, UPO’s Director of Public Awareness, for more information. He can be reached at (202) 238-4696 or by email at [email protected] or [email protected].

 

Any ideas?

Dear PoP – Crack Cocaine Use in the District Still A Problem

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I live in a new condo building in Petworth. Before that, I’ve lived in group houses in Petworth and Columbia Heights since 2004, so I’m not unfamiliar with the neighborhood. As I was taking my bike from my apartment out the back door, I was surprised to see 2 people smoking crack… right in the doorway. They saw me, looked up then gave me a look of supreme annoyance, because I was obviously inconveniencing them. I didn’t really want to deal with them, so I just went back to my apartment, made sure my windows were locked, and went out the front door instead. Eventually the two wandered off. This surely isn’t the first time I’ve seen someone smoking crack in a semi-public place. I use to have a next door neighbor who would sit on back porch many a night and whip it out. It was pretty depressing to watch that persons life slowly fall apart over a long period and eventually the person ended up in jail. I’ve also watched someone in my own family deal with an addiction to meth over the years and so maybe I’m just desensitized to the whole tragic spiral and have become brainmush neutral to seeing junky behavior up close and personal. I guess this kind of neutrality is why I had no urge to call the cops…. at that time. But later, I thought, (as I’ve had this though before in my life) I don’t want to and refuse to live that close to junkies. Although, I also don’t like the idea of just literally throwing people in jail for an often fatal substance abuse problem.

I am wondering how your readers feel about crack use in the district? Are people less neutral than I am about it? Was crack use really about 10 times worse in the 80’s and 90’s like I always hear? What are some ideas?”

These are good questions. I’ve only seen some of the small baggies on the street but I’ve never seen anyone actually smoking crack. I’m very curious to hear what other folks have experienced. Do you see folks smoking crack in your neighborhoods? Is crack still a huge problem in the District?

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