Last week on the 3rd of August we got a warning from the City Housing Inspector regarding the weeds around the perimeter of the "Crackhouse". The warning documents the violations (basically high weeds everywhere) and gave us until August 2nd to comply! Way to go City officials. By the way, I'd like my place completely fixed by yesterday too! However, if I'm doing the work that won't be happening any time soon.
I know the inspector and I know he is only doing his job. The weeds were kind of bad but they will be just as bad next year at this time too if I don't get the inside fixed up so we can move in sometime during my lifetime!
So yesterday was spent whacking weeds and bushes around the edge of our property and today was spent cutting it all up into teeny tiny bits so I could spread it along the side of the house as mulch. Given the choice between whacking weeds in 90 degree weather or stripping paint in the same, I'd much prefer to be in a nice air conditioned antique mall where Elizabeth can kiss every stuffed toy she sees and try on all the unusual hats! I guess the paint stripping will continue this weekend. Oh, I can feel the excitement building up........
P.S. The term "Bushwhacker" originated during the American Civil War and was used to describe certain Confederate guerrilla fighters.
Before anyone asks how I know this specific tidbit of information, well, it was in my dictionary. I was checking the spelling of Bushwhacked in case I had it wrong and there it was. Now you know as much as I do.
From log house to farmhouse. Farmhouse to townhouse. Townhouse to apartment house. Apartment house to crack house. Crack house to our house. Our house to our home.
4 comments:
Do these code enforcement inspectors go over the entire city of Dayton and write-up people for weeds, or is this just in certain neighborhoods? Does a neighbor have to complain before they warn you? What happens if you tell him to go to hell?
There is nothing like that in my area. It is unfortunate in some ways because some of the rental properties in my neighborhood consistently have 2-feet high "lawns" in front. Nobody likes it, but no one from the city has the time or authority to do anything about it.
How common are weed enforcement officers in other cities? What city department does this inspector work in?
weed enforcement can come for 2 reasons: 1 blight, in which case it's usually called in by a neighbor, and 2 fire danger in which case it's usually called in by a cop or firefighter or someone like that who sees the property...i know it sucks to have to take off from real work to do it, but it is better than having your house burn down, no?
In Jackson, MI the inspectors do routine drive-bys according to a calendar. If you have the bad luck of having a hair out of place that day, you can expect a letter. Inspectors are a catch-22. They are great when there is serious blight but they can also interfere with DIY efforts.
We have a whole department dedicated to housing inspection here in Dayton. These are not the same as building inspectors who examine electrical, plumbing or structural changes being made. Housing inspectors drive around neighborhoods and write up what they consider to be violations. The summer is dedicated to yard standards and the winter to structural violations. They have quotas to fill (so we found out) which is why we were written up. The inspector has been in the house and will treat me like a construction site since I have the building permit in the window but we still must maintain our vegetation. I can't expect any special treatment. If we ignore the warning, (or tell the inspector what we think about the warning in clear concise English with a few four letter traditional ancient saxon words included) then the inspector issues a ticket to appear in court where we could be fined for failure to comply. My gripe is that I have more important things on my mind. I have to maintain two properties while fixing one up ( and it needs a lot of fixing!) and be the primary care giver to a two year old at least three full days a week. Fortunately the in-laws have watched her two days every week since she was born to give me two days a week to get work done. That's OK. One day either 4 years or 8 years from now I plan to run for Mayor. I don't forget too many things.....
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