1303 E. New Orleans Ave (Again)

From an email:

" I do not know if any of you saw the Channel 8 story about a house in South Tampa that had 11 resident Sex Offender/Sexual Predators as residents. The story was about how the neighborhood could get nothing done. There are no laws regarding this, which can be enforced. I knew of this house because of research I did in regards to a similar circumstance which exists in our neighborhood.

For a number of years there have been a variety of boarding houses in Seminole Heights. Most not too important or much of a concern, however, there are two on New Orleans in Southeast Seminole Heights that are the bane of this neighborhood. The two houses are across the street from one another and between the two of them there averages between 16 and 20 sexual predators or sexual offenders (SP/SO). Several civic minded residents have worked hard to not only be aware of the situation at all times, but to do whatever possible to close them down, legally. Before everyone gets uptight, let me say that it is not the boarding house situation, it is the congregation of so many SP/SO, the majority of whom have offenses against children and many of whom are still on supervision. It cannot be a good thing that so many like thinking criminals live together. These men can be seen hanging outside these two homes in groups. I have experienced personally, the calls, and hoots they give to those that walk by or drive by slowly. This is not a proper situation for neighbors, or their children.

Finally, this past week the smaller of the two homes went to a code court hearing, the result of which was their being told to revert to a single family home. There were some other code issues to be resolved as well. Hopefully this home will go to someone who cares and whose main goal in life is not to molest.

The second home, goes to code court this next week. There has been a great deal of confusion about this house as in 1987 they were issued a Special License as a care giving facility. (in layman's terms) Every time a complaint would be made to code, they would cite that Special License and their inability to do anything. Through some digging and some dogmatic nagging by a couple of dedicated neighbors, it was finally realized and noted that they lost this Special License in 2002!. Since then they have been operating illegally. So finally the case was reopened and now they are off to court. TPD will be there to explain that they are a problem, but that they can do nothing other than answer the continuing calls for service. Code will be there for code violations. And neighbors will be there to make sure their voices are heard.

Scott, I send you this information as this has been one of your concerns and also because I know you reach a lot of people. I would love to see the room at the hearing filled with concerned neighbors. I am hoping they will read this and respond.

The hearing is next Thursday the 25th at City Hall. Starts at 8:00 am. I urge anyone who cares to please be there."


To explain a little further what email writer is talking about. The facility was given a variance to operate as an Asssisted Living Facility which is licensed by the State. They lost that license in 2001 but continued to operate as a rooming/boarding house. Tampa ordinances allow exceptions for ALF's. They make make no allowances for boarding houses /rooming house to operate in RS 60 zoning. There are no exceptions for that. This distinction was missed by the City people in charge. So when they were found guilty by the Code Board in 2005 for operating an illegal rooming house and were facing daily fines, someone in the City who did not know the ordinances well enough, caused the Code Board actions to be rescinded.

Now they were cited again and face another hearing for the same issue.

http://seminoleheights.blogspot.com/2005/04/illegal-boarding-houses.html
and
http://seminoleheights.blogspot.com/2005/07/update-on-illegal-boarding-house.html

5/21/06 Update:

"Please make a correction to the sex offender house going to a hearing.
A hearing will be scheduled on the 25th for that house.
It is not actually on the 25th.
Once the hearing is scheduled next week, some neighbors are supposed to be calling Code management to see if the date can be moved up for the hearing instead of waiting until August.
As soon as I get an exact day and time, I will let you know.
The neighbors may or may not be testifying on the first day of the hearing.
It's like criminal court, you plead guilty or not guilty the first time.
If they plead guilty, testimony will be helpful right then.
If they plead not guilty, then another date will be scheduled before the full code board where everyone can speak up against this.
Its a little bit of a process but it will be handled."

More details will follow as I get them.