From today's Roanoke Times Letters to the Editor,
A chance to make a neighborhood safe
The West End neighborhood of 13th Street and Patterson Avenue teeters on the brink of change. It needs a little nudging to tip it over the edge. Which way will it go?
Many houses in the area are for sale and currently vacant. Due to vacancy and fear, few people report crimes.
A friend there is an influential figure. He interrupts muggings, helps ladies carry home groceries and reports crimes to police. He's moving. When he moves, how will this tip the neighborhood?
Some residents feel African-American police officers respond to their requests for help, but white officers do not. Regardless of its accuracy, the sentiment affects the likelihood of a crime being reported. Could this lack of confidence in police tip the neighborhood?
If someone reads this and decides to move in and fix up one of the houses, could that tip the neighborhood?
If everyone made one purchase a week at the Sav-A-Lot, changing the level of traffic and affecting the economy of the store, could that tip the area?
Doing nothing says we tolerate neighborhoods becoming less and less safe. Is affordable, safe housing a luxury?
Could we make a positive change in our community? Wouldn't it be cool to try?
BROOKE PLOTNICK
ROANOKE
Kudos to you, for taking an interest in your community. Some of the grandest homes in Roanoke sit on Campbell Ave. down that end, in various states of disrepair. There's one there now - selling for less than 50k I believe. If I remember the listing correctly, it's a 5 bedroom 3 bath near-mansion, with 2 fireplaces and a 3/4ths wrap around porch.
For a home like this to sell for less than 50k reflects not only negligence on the part of the city, it reflects poorly on the citizens of the city.
The West End is on the brink of change, and does need that little push over the edge. Perhaps those doing the house-flipping in OSW and similar areas need to expand the range and check out some properties on Rorer, Salem, and Campbell Ave.
We looked at a home on Salem Ave. down that end, but our budget being limited for home repair (most of it going into funding my global domination schemes), we could not revive it to it's glory fast enough for our liking. Our own Bev Fitzpatrick runs his Buseum out of that area. Take a drive to it one day, and look around at the glory that stands near ruin. Without cause.
We need more citizens like Brooke, willing to open their mouths about things like this.
A chance to make a neighborhood safe
The West End neighborhood of 13th Street and Patterson Avenue teeters on the brink of change. It needs a little nudging to tip it over the edge. Which way will it go?
Many houses in the area are for sale and currently vacant. Due to vacancy and fear, few people report crimes.
A friend there is an influential figure. He interrupts muggings, helps ladies carry home groceries and reports crimes to police. He's moving. When he moves, how will this tip the neighborhood?
Some residents feel African-American police officers respond to their requests for help, but white officers do not. Regardless of its accuracy, the sentiment affects the likelihood of a crime being reported. Could this lack of confidence in police tip the neighborhood?
If someone reads this and decides to move in and fix up one of the houses, could that tip the neighborhood?
If everyone made one purchase a week at the Sav-A-Lot, changing the level of traffic and affecting the economy of the store, could that tip the area?
Doing nothing says we tolerate neighborhoods becoming less and less safe. Is affordable, safe housing a luxury?
Could we make a positive change in our community? Wouldn't it be cool to try?
BROOKE PLOTNICK
ROANOKE
Kudos to you, for taking an interest in your community. Some of the grandest homes in Roanoke sit on Campbell Ave. down that end, in various states of disrepair. There's one there now - selling for less than 50k I believe. If I remember the listing correctly, it's a 5 bedroom 3 bath near-mansion, with 2 fireplaces and a 3/4ths wrap around porch.
For a home like this to sell for less than 50k reflects not only negligence on the part of the city, it reflects poorly on the citizens of the city.
The West End is on the brink of change, and does need that little push over the edge. Perhaps those doing the house-flipping in OSW and similar areas need to expand the range and check out some properties on Rorer, Salem, and Campbell Ave.
We looked at a home on Salem Ave. down that end, but our budget being limited for home repair (most of it going into funding my global domination schemes), we could not revive it to it's glory fast enough for our liking. Our own Bev Fitzpatrick runs his Buseum out of that area. Take a drive to it one day, and look around at the glory that stands near ruin. Without cause.
We need more citizens like Brooke, willing to open their mouths about things like this.
2 comments:
"For a home like this to sell for less than 50k reflects not only negligence on the part of the city, it reflects poorly on the citizens of the city."
Obviously you have little understanding of the concept of Private Property.
The concept of Private Property? Thats a cop out on a large scale. Rather to let the neighborhood go to hell in a handbasket, than help your neighbor keep his front swept.
Oh, sorry - private property. So I guess I should stop going around on snowy days and shoveling out my neighbors, stop raking leaves in the street, no more offering to help the neighbors fix problems.
Private property.
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