Sure. Okay. Questions or comments from our attorney?
Just briefly, so there are two RCO letters that we received, one from Allegheny West Civic,
which was in support with provisos. The ones that would be enforceable, there would be maximum
three dwelling units, no household living in the basement, and trash stored in the basement.
We also received a letter of opposition from Swampoodle Neighborhood Parcels Association, but they did say if the board is inclined to grant, they asked for provisos similarly, but maximum two dwelling units, interior trash storage, and no household living in the basement.
Those are the enforceable ones.
I would say interior, not basement.
Everybody does not have access to the basement.
So I'm just letting you know what the provisos were that came through.
Thank you.
All right. Yep. So questions from the audience. Darlene, we have at least three people here.
Sure, sure. So do me a favor. Get the speaker real close to you.
Right. Could you please state your name and spell it for the stenographer?
Sure. My name is Nicole Fletcher, N-I-C-O-L-E-F-L-E-T-C-H-E-R.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes, sir.
Are you a neighbor?
Yes, sir.
Why don't you proceed?
Can I read my little bit?
Yeah, sure.
I said, to whom it may concern, my name is Nicole, and I reside at 3410 North 22nd Street.
I would like to vote no against the idea of a three-unit apartment to be placed at 3421 North 22nd Street.
Here are the few reasons for this vote.
Currently, there are only six family homes on the 3400 block of North 22nd Street.
The rest of the homes have either apartments or rooms in them.
There are only 16 homes in the entire block.
The parking is starting to get out of hand.
I listed some of the addresses, like 3415.
that's an apartment building
they literally have six cars
it's getting out of hand
also people will park
on your sidewalk and when you ask
them to physically remove their cars
from your sidewalk
they become very rude and disrespectful
there is
no vetting process for the tenants
in these homes
we have had people with mental illnesses
We have had people with mental illnesses ringing our bells, begging for money, and people have some not-so-nice children.
ringing our bells begging for money
We have had people burning barbecue grills on the porches, which is very dangerous.
If a fire should start, the porches are connected.
There is trash and debris left from tenants moving in and out over the past year, which has not been picked up by the city.
I've called 311 several times for a trailer that has been sitting for two years.
The trailer has attracted rodents of all kinds.
I have been told that the property owner has been cited by the city, but hasn't been made to clean it up.
These citations mean nothing.
Trash from these addresses have been set out with bags open.
Property owners listed above also asked for variances and were denied.
stating they wanted to make our neighborhood better.
However, they have not.
They only care about the profit they will make
on these properties.
They do not live in the neighborhood
and never plan on doing so.
They don't care who they put in these places
just as long as someone can pay the rent.
Our neighborhood is no longer family owned.
My grandparents bought our house in 1952
and we've lived in that house ever since.
90% of the homes on 22nd Street and within a 500-foot radius
are either group homes, shelters, rooms, or apartments,
a lot of which are illegals.
When the owners and investors of 3421 North 22nd Street
came to our community meeting,
they told us that they could not rent a single-family home
because no one would be able to afford rent, but in researching homes for rent
in the 1-9-1-4-0 zip code, I found plenty of homes for rent, some for a little
more than the rent these investors are wanting and some lower. I will also note
that the petition these investors brought to our community meeting had 32
signatures, 19 of which were from North 22nd Street. However, 18 of the 19
signatures are from residents living in illegal rooms or apartments. I find it crazy that multiple
people from an address can change the zoning in the neighborhood, but only one resident per
household can elect a block captain. They also put down the owners slash investors and residents
of these properties during the meeting,
but want to use these same residents
for their personal gain.
The remaining 13 signatures are from residents
within 500 feet.
They don't care.
They're not on our block.
The investors have suggested that we continue
to complain about these homes to get them shut down.
That's easy for them to say
because they don't live in the neighborhood.
We have had neighbors report this information to 311 numerous times.
However, 311 gives your information to the person that you've reported.
So now we have to live in fear of retaliation of those people.
So what's the point?
Again, I would like to vote no, but we'll see.
Thank you.
Darlene, do you have any questions?
Ma'am, did you attend the community meeting?
Yes, ma'am.
I spoke to you and I didn't speak to Kevin.
There was another gentleman with you at the community meeting.
And at this community meeting, we discussed some of the issues that you're speaking with
today about today.
Yes, ma'am.
And you were the one that suggested that I call 3-1-1.
That's all I have, Commissioner.
All right.
Thank you.
Hi, my name is Keith.
Hold on one minute.
we're going to get that a little closer to you okay okay so could uh could you state your name
and spell for the sonographer all right my name is evie wiggins my name is evie w-i-g-g-i-n-s
i am 70 hold on hold on a minute you swear her firm to tell the truth told you and nothing but
the truth all right so are you in favor of this project or against because i think your partner
or just went through a lot of stuff.
I'm against this.
I'm against it.
Is there anything you can think of different than what she said?
I'm 77 years old.
I clean my block.
And they have boxes and trash there,
and I have to put it out most of the time.
that's why I say no
That's why I say no.
alright well thank you very much and we do appreciate you waiting
All right.
Well, thank you very much, and we do appreciate you waiting.
sir do you want to testify
Sir, do you want to tell us?
you're going to have to talk in the microphone
good afternoon
could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
name is Leon Allen III
right could you spell that
please
L-E-O-N
A-L-L-E-N
do you swear or affirm to tell the truth
told truth nothing but the truth
Mr. Allen you're a neighbor
Yes. Please proceed. Are you in favor of this project or against?
No. And I think you've heard a lot from the letter.
Is there anything else you can offer than what we've heard?
I just repaired my payment.
It cost me $5,000 to repair my payment.
This comes from people parking. It may sound similar to what Nikki has said,
but I paid $5,000 to have my payment repaired.
I get parking on my payment because I hear that there's plenty of parking in the neighborhood, and there's not.
So I pay $5,000 to have my payment repaired just so that I have insurance.
I couldn't have fire insurance.
I had to have my payment repaired.
Yes, sir.
And when I call 911 to get the cars moved off my payment, they don't come.
We appreciate you waiting.
We appreciate your testimony.
Darlene, do you have any questions?
Not of him, sir.
Okay, thank you.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
Yes, Chair, we have two hands raised.
Charles Richardson has been promoted to panelists first.
Can I ask a quick question?
One, can anyone tell us whether if someone calls 311 to file a complaint,
that that complaint their information is given to the to the uh the entity that they're complaining
about i don't know i i've never heard that before but um as soon as we get out of here i'm going to
check on that and um i'm not really aware of that either so that's i don't think i am either but
well maybe mr richardson can help mr richardson
Charles Richardson
please unmute yourself and turn on your video
sorry about that
good afternoon Mr. Chair
just state your name please and spell for a stenographer
certainly Charles Richardson
R-I-C-H-A-R-D-S-O-N
office of Councilwoman Cindy Bass
room 508 City Hall
do you swear or affirm to tell the
whole truth nothing but the truth
And before you testify, did you hear the comments about 3-11?
I was getting switched over to a panelist, so I didn't exactly hear what was being said.
Well, they're basically saying when you complain to 3-11, they tell the person you're complaining about your name.
I've never heard that.
I haven't heard that either.
Okay. All right. So why don't you testify, sir, where your position is with this?
Councilwoman has no opposition to granting the variance, but we do have a concern with regard to the trash situation.
If the board is inclined to pass, we ask that they have interior trash storage in each unit.
Thank you very much for your testimony. Is there another hand?