Another Soap Box Entry!
It's a New Day in SH!
You all know I am a kind of a split personality. I am a very strong activist when I feel the quality of life in SH is in jeopardy. It is no secret that I have had serious issues with the Tampa Code department. The group of us who have been working, EVERYDAY, on the 1303 New Orleans issue has been and still are frustrated. However, I also am a person who believes not only making ourselves heard but also in trying to be part of the solution. I am constantly saying things are more complicated than they seem and change will be slow. So some think me pretty darn pushy and unrelenting and some think I am too soft! I am both! But there is a place for both positions.
This brings me to my point (bet your glad). Something very positive has taken place in our little corner of the world and I wanted to share it with you.
One of the problems in the past that has thwarted code is that many times their inspectors need cooperation from other city departments that is difficult to obtain. And sometimes code officers are placed in a situation which can be very intimidating. For instance if they are attempting to cite a house that is being used for drug activity.
You may have seen the TV coverage of the house on Osborne which was one of these situations. Many of you hooted about all the PR and how everyone was doing it for the coverage. I want you to know this situation is just one of several that have had outstanding coverage by code and that the rest of them, no one even knows about! The exciting thing is that our code officer Kristin and our District III TPD Major, Guidara are actively working together as a result of these few cases. It has started a new union between TPD and Code on the street level. We now have an officer which has been directed to work with Kristin in situations which concern both departments and the COP officers have been directed to help her as needed. I know this does not sound like anything but what should be business as usual, but I assure you this is huge!
Again, the support from TPD is wonderful. I can not tell you how satisfying it is to sit in a meeting with four other community activists and many of TPD’s finest, including Assistant Chief Castor. Major Guidara, and Major Teague, and experience an honest work together spirit of mutual respect. Having experienced the polar opposite some years back I can tell you this is very rewarding. I am sincerely hoping that this little start of super cooperation between Code and TPD will spread across the city and become a norm instead of an exception.
25 comments:
After you consider the 8 years of the Greco administration and the 3 years of the Iorio administration I am sure that you would have to agree that changes are being made.
You can't changes what was damaged in 8 years with only 3 years of trying to correct the problems in many of the neighborhoods in the city to Tampa.
PDJnTampa@aol.com
Oh.I dont know.I WENT to the website on this board today
"the end is near"stuff
!WOAH! send that link to city hall.
They need to make some changes and put some stank on it.
I kind of like this.
We have a problem house..
We get two agencies for the price of one.
What do we need to do to get this implemented in full swing?
The only way anything will get done is cooperation between different agencies.
Whats the deal on 1303 New Orleans?
Why did it get passed?
It sounds like they need to put some stank on this house.
Two people who I like..
I bet those two could shut down 1303 New Orleans.
No one can tell me why it got passed?
I read the code.
Why won't anyone answer my questions in that office?
GUIDARA FOR PRESIDENT!!!
HE IS A GOOD MAN!
Flyer Anon Happy?
Say it aint so
Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood..
Won't you be my neighbor?
Everyone is working together!
Major Guidara is like the daddy I never had.
Would it be ok if I called him dad?
He could call me son..
I wouldnt mind.
1303 is not a dead issue. Various city departments ae working on it from different angles. So hey, give it a bit of time.
Hey Flyer, thanks,,,,,,,would have said it sooner but passed out and had to revive!
Yes..be glad you are a friend of hers.
Or your house might be high on her priority list.
I read your post regarding the problems you have and you mentioned a house on Osborne. Well the drug activity has calmed down some at our Osborne house but only because we didn't allow the police to sleep if we couldn't. Oh and the arrest of a wanted felon didn't hurt either.
My question is, why has this house rented since Jan. 2005 without a Rental Certificate from Code Enforcement when they have been citing the owner since March 2005?
As far as open discussions with TPD siting at a table, place a call and see if it gets logged or if an officer shows when the person reporting wants to remain unknown. The real test is what happens when they get here, they don't ticket for littering, they don't even counsel a person who commits assault, they will call code enforcement sometimes but usually tell you to do it.
Hmmm....back to Code Enforcement again.
Negative attitudes like yours do nothing for this neighborhood.
If you are so concerned about the house, why dont you call it in?
Or maybe its too much work to pick up a phone and a lot easier to complain.
I think you should re-read the 3:15pm person's post again...you can sense the frustration this person has from a lack of response and responsibility from code enforcement and the police...I would assume that this person HAS been and will continue to call the proper people, but they are not getting the proper help.
If it were as simple as a phone call to Curtis Lane or Chief Hogue's office or the Mayor's office...or even all three, I wouldn't have posted or be as frustrated with them all.
If it weren't for the hundred or so hours spent writing down tag numbers and documenting the drug sales and talking to everyone from DCF (who is the one that has done the most good) to the Quad Squad to the Mayors office there would be a cocaine kiosk in the middle of West Osborne Ave by now.
If I had been intimidated by them when they threatened me I would have had to move.
Maybe I could move next door to them in the corner lot it took the City almost two years to mow.
What I think Sherry is trying to say is that a bridge has finally been built.
One that has apparently never been built before or never used.
Now that we have the resources we need working together, lets see what happens.
This has never before happened in the City of Tampa.
No departments want to work together for fear of stealing the others credit I think.
We finally have two people who really dont care about taking anyones credit and are willing to work together to get rid of some of these festering problems.
Do you think god told Adam to go play with himself for the rest of his life?
No.
He said to go find an Eve.
And together, they made everyone suffer forever but thats besides the point.
I think more can be done working together than doing it alone.
You cant declare a war on crap and filth if you dont have the resources and the right tools.
I have never heard of anything like this happening before on such a grand scale.
This is huge.
And I think Guidara should get a raise.
Get your cocaine for sale..
Hot, fresh, delicious cocaine for sale..
$5 a rock..
Get your cocaine while it lasts..
Ready to smoke..
Where is Papa Guidara?
When "churches" are running booarding houses and charging rent for people to stay "at the church" they are probably making a profit and should lose their tax-exempt status. Could a referral to the IRS and their tax fraud division be a possibility?
IRS was notified some time ago.
You would think that with 3 years experience, that Mr Lane and the no good mayor would finally get something right. It is a shame it took them 3 years to get LITTLE, ole backwards Tampa moving in the right direction.
I am sorry, but the department that issues rental certificates it he biggest ways of air and space! I have never seen such useless and igonorant people (outside code) I have never understood why the rental certificates do not fall under code. This would require that all landlords have their properties in compliance before being granted license. Seems like a no brainer.
Here's an interesting approach to places like 1303 E New Orleans:
Galveston County Daily News
Wow! That was awesome link!
And yes! Your right,its truly what they should do here.
Thanks!
The blog is hilarious tho.I love the comments.
For the anti-Iorio crowd, be careful what you wish for:
TBO.com
Please, my dog could run the city better than Iorio. I would take Greco back in a heart beat. At least with him, you knew what you were getting. If you could make it in front of him, you knew he would listen and act. With Pam, she lies to your face, does nothing, and smiles. I can't wait for her term to be up. Her incompetence has gone on long enough.
ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FLIPPIN MIND? GRECO DID NOTHING BUT LIE AND SHARE FAVORS WITH THE "RIGHT" PEOPLE. If that is what you mean about knowing what you get, well your welcome to it!
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