Effective Code Enforcement is... NICE

Code enforcement is one the essential services offered by our city. According to the City of Troy’s website “The Bureau of Code Enforcement administers the city's building construction, permitting and housing inspection programs. Under these programs the Bureau is responsible for the enforcement of all state and local codes as well as the city's zoning ordinance. Typical functions of the Bureau include issuance of building permits, performance of construction and housing inspections, vacant building inspections and issuance of certificates of occupancy and compliance.” In other words code enforcement keeps our city safe, clean, and orderly. As you can imagine it’s a tough task keeping an urban environment with numerous socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods. There are many reasonable influences that cause “code” issues. The list includes reasoning’s such as the current economic condition, a transient population, absentee landlords, and an aging housing stock.

The federal government through, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) facilitate the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for local municipalities. The program's purpose is the development of viable urban communities for low-and moderate income persons through the provision of the following: 1) Decent housing, 2) A suitable living environment, and 3) Economic opportunity.

The City of Troy receives approximately $2.5 million annually from HUD. These funds are allocated to numerous citywide projects that fall within a target zone. The target zone is determined by the city administration through the development of a 5 Year Action Plan. The target zone must be within HUD’s qualifying census tracts which are determined through the census and based upon income.

One of the programs that is facilitated and paid for utilizing these federal CDBG funds is called the Neighborhood Improvement through Code Enforcement program (NICE). The approach this code enforcement program takes is aimed at achieve results in a timely manner. Over a specific period of time City Code Officers, whose sole responsibility is to conduct this program, will inspect the exterior of every property within the target area. If a violation is found the property owners will be notified instantly.

Once notified of the violation the property owner has 30 days to begin the repair, cleaning, or painting work that is needed for the property to be brought up to code. Property owners who fail to respond to City notices of violation will be ticketed after 30 days, brought to Code Enforcement Court, and be fined appropriately.

There have been 10 target areas from South Troy to Lansingburgh over the past eight years. Last year, our neighborhood group worked with Mayor Tutunjian to secure the NICE program for 2nd Avenue and 5th Avenue in Lansingburgh from 116th Street to Northern Drive. Personally, I believe the effectiveness of the program speaks for itself. Below are the statistics per target area, you can draw your own conclusions, however.

From the data shown below, for the total program history, there have been 3,526 properties inspected. Initially, just 42% of them where in code compliance (1,471 properties). Within the 30 day notification period 1,055 of those 2,055 found in violation started work to be come code compliant. At the end of the day, realizing that the data is still incomplete for the 2010-11 target areas, 72% of the properties inspected within the target areas are code compliant, a 71% increase from the initial compliance properties and this number will grow as the current programs expire. These are great results that will become greater!   

	Beman Park-Hillside	S. Lansingburgh - North Central
Year	2003-04	2005-06
# properties inspected	390	628
# initially comply	138	156
% comply	35%	25%
# respond or began work w/in 30 days	158	115
# court appearance notices sent	93	127
final # in comply	335	524
% final in comply	86%	83%
	5th Ave tgt blocks	South Central
Year	2005-06	2006-08
# properties inspected	44	530
# initially comply	18	291
% comply	41%	55%
# respond or began work w/in 30 days	16	134
# court appearance notices sent	10	45
final # in comply	34	477
% final in comply	77%	90%
	S. Troy Osgood	Burgh 2nd & 5th (104th -116th St.)
Year	2008-09	2008-09
# properties inspected	249	317
# initially comply	128	171
% comply	51%	54%
# respond or began work w/in 30 days	76	88
# court appearance notices sent	34	51
final # in comply	205	259
% final in comply	82%	82%
	S. Troy	North Central
Year	2009-10	2009-10
# properties inspected	511	334
# initially comply	193	156
% comply	38%	47%
# respond or began work w/in 30 days	132	107
# court appearance notices sent	113	90
final # in comply	433	263
% final in comply	85%	79%
	S. Troy Hillside	Burgh 2nd & 5th (116th St.-Northern)
Year	2010-11	2010-11
# properties inspected	261	262
# initially comply	97	123
% comply	37%	47%
# respond or began work w/in 30 days	131	98
# court appearance notices sent	33	27
final # in comply	TBD	TBD
% final in comply	TBD	TBD

Absentee Landlord and Vacant Building Management

If there is one thing this wicked winter has thought us it is the importance of our city’s Absentee Landlord registration and our Vacant Building registry. As the inches upon inches of snow have continued to fall coupled with the occasional rain/ice storm many neighbors have been asking, “Who is going to clean that sidewalk?” Often referring to a building that sits vacant or one owned by a known out-of-town owner. A well facilitated registry program is the answer to the question. The data that is required to be submitted by the property owner to the city allows city officials quick access to all pertinent contact information to seek a timely remedy to an issue that may arise.

In 2008, the city adopted a Landlord Registry. This program requires all property owners who live 20 miles or more outside the city limits to register their property with the city. The property owner is required to provide all pertinent contact information for themselves and for their required property manager. The process to register is simple. Either in person or via mail the owner has to complete an application which can be found on the city’s website or at city hall. Ninety days after taking ownership of the property this application needs to be completed and on file with the city. (Note: all properties owned by out-of-town landlords must have been registered within 90 of the passing of the registry in 2008.) The application fee of $150 will be waived if the property owner registers within these 90 days. If the owner does not register, the $150 fee is required plus an additional $75 fee for each 60 day period until the property is registered. Any fees that remain unpaid during a calendar year will be added to the tax levy of the affected property. Should a property remain unregistered the city can being action against the property owner and should they be found in violation, the owner will be subject of a fine up to $500. This registry provides the city with effective means of contacting and seeking remedy to any issue that may occur at a non-owner occupied property. In the past tracking down an owner or the owner’s representative presented city officials with challenges, especially with those who reside well out of the area. Owners are required to register their property every three years.

The city’s vacant building registry has been in place for a number of years now, but recently it has been updated. To be considered vacant a building must: A. be unoccupied and not secured or not boarded in compliance with the standards set forth in the city code; B. be unoccupied and not maintained in compliance with the standards set forth in the city code; C. be posted as "Unfit for Human Habitation" by the City of Troy Bureau of Code Enforcement; D. be illegally occupied; or E. be unoccupied for a period of time over three months. Vacant buildings can pose a serious health and safety issue to their neighborhoods. If they’re not secured and maintained properly they could be a breeding ground for unsavory activity and if they’re not well maintained they could fall victim to continued vandalism and severe dilapidation. Just as the landlord registry, there is a fee schedule. The city’s desire is to have these properties occupied and valuable assets to the community. So, an aggressive fee schedule has been developed to encourage owners to occupy them in a timely manner. The first year registration fee is $250, which along with the registry application and a plan for the property must be submitted to the city within 30 days of the building be declared vacant. Each year thereafter the registration fee increases: 2nd year is $500, 3rd year is $1,000, 4th year is $1,500, 5th year and each succeeding year is $2,000. Note that vacant building fees for buildings of 5,000 square feet or greater shall be doubled.

Why are programs like this important? They compel neglectful property owners to be responsible for their properties. City officials now have the most current information for the property owners and their representatives enabling them to effectively communicate in the event of an emergency or violation. Well maintained and occupied properties improve neighborhoods, increase property values and marketability, and prevent neighborhoods from falling into despair. They help provide all of us with the quality-of-life we desire.

Report on the Issues - Part 2 UPDATED

I’m still receiving a good number of responses to my “What matters post,” and the “Report on the issues” post. So much response that a part 2 of a, “report on the issues” is warranted. Again, keep the questions and comments coming for future posts.


Weekly Household Garbage Collection
Our neighborhood group fields a number of complaints regarding weekly garbage pickup. The primary complaints revolve around when individuals put their garbage out and about individuals not utilizing a secure receptacle (covered garbage can). Some people may think either one of this issues are not a big deal. Well tell your neighbor that when the wildlife (skunks, raccoons, squirrels, dogs, cats, birds, and rats) tear the bags apart in search of a meal. City ordienance states that household garbage should be placed out to the curb or in the alley after 7:00pm the night before your pick up day, or before 6:00am the day of your pick up and that garbage is to be placed in water tight wooden, plastic or metal covered containers or heavy duty plastic bags tied at the top or specially treated paper bags.

For more information or if you are unsure of your scheduled garbage day or if you have any questions concerning pick-ups, please call DPW 270-4579.

For more detail on what and what isn't considered "household" garbage click here.

For the detailed City Ordinance click here.


Parks
Troy’s parks are a major asset to our community. We are lucky to have a diversified abundance of parks city wide, each offering a different atmosphere, opportunity, and experience. A health parks program will be vital to the continued revitalization of our city, offering individuals and families with a verity of options and venues. In the past I have written about our city parks and the continued investment by the City with Park and Rec’s Department. Making and keeping our parks accessible, clean, and current should be a priority. Recently, I submitted a grant application to CDTA on behalf of the North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch for bike racks for the Knickerbacker Ice Rink and Knickerbacker Pool. If chosen these two sites will receive new bike racks for the children and their families to safely store their bikes as they enjoy the countless opportunities Knickerbacker Park has to offer. Additionally, in the near future, our neighborhood group will be a part of an exciting announcement concerning a pocket park in our community.

I have blogged about of parks program in the past, Troy's Wonderful Parks, and to learn more about the city’s parks and their locations click here.


Home Incentives and Economic Development
One way to assist residents in the continuing effort of removing blight and assisting to stabilize the community is through municipal incentive programs. These programs are geared to improve the appearance of both residential and commercial properties and entice people to settle in Troy. Think of this as the city investing in itself by utilizing grant dollars from the state and federal governments along with other sources. These incentives help current residents maintain and update their properties, as well as, help to draw individuals into the city. There are different qualifications for each program, some are income based, and some are not. These are programs that everyone should know about and take full advantage of because they will not only benefit the individual, they will benefit the community as a whole.

To learn more about the city’s Housing and Home Assistance programs click here.

To learn more about the city’s Economic Development Programs and Incentives click here.


Snow Removal
This is a red hot issue at the moment. I debated whether or not to comment on this one because it’s hard to specifically point to the issue, but I thought I’d give it a try. No one can deny that this winter we have experienced a substantial amount of snowfall, of which the majority fell over short period of time. Since Christmas we have had in the neighborhood of over 45” of snow, just storm after storm. Our city DPW and DPU workers are doing their best with what resources they have to keep up with the demand, but with so much to do, snow continues to accumulate. What some people don’t realize is that Lansingburgh is plowed by the Department of Public Utilities and the remaining areas of the city are treated by the Department of Public Works. This examples just how much of a strain a simple service as plowing places on our city workforce. When you have had several significant storms in a row, as we have this year, it adds additional strain on the manpower and equipment. I believe what we are experiencing with snow plowing/removal recently is caused by a couple things. One is, simply, the amount of snow that keeps falling. The city seemingly appears to be focused on keeping up with ensuring city streets are passable. You need to manage the storm and its outcome first. Snow removal isn’t happening as quickly as people would like, but in reality the machinery is "multitasking" performing several functions. Let me example… the large dump trucks that would be utilized to haul away the snow are being utilized to plow streets or they’re dispatched to other sections of the city for removal. Every pickup truck is out plowing and salting and with a limited amount of city workers, there’s only so many hours they can personally work before a rest break is necessary.

People are quick to point out the response of other municipalities on their own streets. These muni’s, unlike Troy and maybe with the exception of Albany (who is in another class of their own), receive a certain level of assistance from their county’s highway department and from the NYS DOT. In Troy, we don’t have that benefit; the burden rests on the city manpower and equipment. Also, when we take stock in other municipalities roads are we seeing the side streets and the less traveled residential roads or just the main corridors? I agree we could do better; there are always ways to improve processes and procedures. Should Troy work out a better approach for the future? Absolutely, but at this point in time I believe we all need to be patient and do our part. Believe me I’m as frustrated as the next person. This is not an excuse or reasoning from the city, but purely my own perspective. I’m not attempting to defend or minimize. I started this post by saying it’s hard to pin point the reason(s) for our current experiences. My intent is to give you something to think about. I feel just like you when I walk outside and see my block and those that surround it, but they are just a couple of the thousands of blocks citywide. But let’s look at the bright side, the days are growing longer and we’re just days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to baseball’s spring training camps. Even if you’re not a baseball fan, you are excited about this because it signifies warm days are on the horizon.

If you want to report a sloppy street, use the See Click Fix section of the Troy Records website or call the Troy DPW.

Report on the issues -- a response to what matters most.

I have received a good amount of feedback from a recent blog where I posed the simple question, “What matters most to you in Troy?” Everyone has their own thoughts and opinions on what could be done to better our city and neighborhoods. A lot of the responses I received via email and through Facebook had a lot to do with quality-of-life issues and how to solve them. Most of the issues questioned have some form of law already on the books. I’m not claiming that it’s well written, enforced, or even the solution to the problem, but rather that something does exist. First, I’d like to introduce the issue, provide a little commentary, and secondly, provide the actual law that is in place to deal with the issue for you to learn more. I have left my views of a solution out to keep the response objective.


Curfew
Until recently the city’s curfew ordinance was not strictly enforced. Last year when then Assistant Chief Tedesco became Troy Police Chief, enforcing the curfew was one of his top priorities. Since then several curfew stings have been conducted with great success. Over the past few years our neighborhood group has seen a rise in the amount of nuisance crime and vandalism on properties and vehicles. Under aged school children have been pointed as the culprits of these crimes. In January Chief Tedesco was the speaker at our neighborhood meeting. He stated that the curfew program will continue and will be targeted at areas with the most complaints. If you believe your neighborhood should be considered for Curfew enforcement let your Community Police Officer know.

To better understand the limitations of the Curfew Ordinance click here learn more.


Vacant/ Abandoned Buildings
Vacant/ abandoned buildings are a plague for most post-industrial, urban municipalities. The empty buildings are a sign of the times. A host of reasons including lack of industry and owners to occupy them add to the problem, but primarily it's due to economic conditions that they remain empty and rot. These building are both commercial and residential. As a city you can only hope that if the building becomes vacant or abandoned the current owner secures it, continues to pay their taxes, and registers in on the city’s registry. If these buildings aren’t properly cared for they become major health and safety issues for those within the neighborhood and could negatively impact the value of the neighborhood. We all can debate what we each see as the solution, but in the day-to-day operation of a city we need to rely upon strict code enforcement to react to the issue. The city’s code pointedly defines vacant/ abandoned buildings and how they’re addressed.

Click here to learn more about the definition, fee schedule, securing, etc. You’ll want to read ss.141.18 through ss.141.21


Absentee Landlords
This has been a hot button issue over the last several years. These are individuals with little or no ties to our community owning and renting property without a care of who they rent to and they don't appear too concerned about the condition of their property. A lot of the issue lies in the fact that there is too much available housing in the city and not enough renters. To minimize the damage the property owners rent just to curb the loss they are taking. This results in a lack of care for the property and the community from both the renter and the property owner. Why? Because the owner isn’t making enough money to meet expenses and in turn not reinvesting in the property causing the renter not to care either. You can take this same example and reverse it to read, the renter doesn’t care causing the property owner not to either, but either way I’m generalizing. There are a whole host of issues here. No matter how you dice it the phenomenon of absentee landlords are a tremendous drain on our quality-of-life. But remember, not all are bad, some have great records and employ great property managers.

In 2008 the city adopted an Absentee Landlord Registry, to learn more about what it is and does click here.


Litter
This is another unfortunate reality that we find most prevalent in urban environments. It happens; all we can do is our best to set an example that this behavior won’t be tolerated. It can be found in our Alleys as I have discussed previously and it can be found on our streets. Recently, the Troy Dept. of Public Works instituted a litter enforcement program, for information on this please contact the DPW at 270-4579. If you haven’t read the book Fixing Broken Windows you should. It discusses the broken window theory, which as defined by Wikipedia is “a criminological theory of the normsetting and signaling effects of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime and anti-social behavior. The theory states that monitoring and maintaining urban environments in a well-ordered condition may prevent further vandalism as well as an escalation into more serious crime.” This concept has been implemented across the country with great success. This was the driving force behind Mayor Giuliani’s take back of the NYC streets. In laymen’s terms, if a particular area is continuously littered with trash, someone needs to ensure to keep it clean and more often than not the area will improve over time and remain in a positive state. Or you can do as I did one day and personally confront the issue, read the blog post here.

As with everything else, the city does have a Litter ordinance, to learn more about it click here.


As I said these were the most common concerns noted. I enjoyed writing this post so if you have any other concerns or comments about the “issues” please send them over. I can be contacted via email at mailto:jgordon003@nycap.rr.com

Let me hear what matters most to you about Troy

I routinely find myself in various venues throughout the community serving different roles while there. I started and still spend the majority of my volunteer time working on neighborhood “stuff” with a neighborhood group I helped create and organize in Lansingburgh. Everyone I come into contact with in the community has a different take on what matters mean most to them. Issues from the north may not be the same to the south, east, or west.

I’d like to open the communication channels and hear what the readers of the Troy Record and my blog have to say; let the thoughts on your mind flow. Tell me what you believe matters most in Troy, how would you get from point A to point B on the issues that our City faces today or in the future. This is one area that a lot of us continue to work hard at, getting our friends, family, and neighbors more engaged in the community they live in. Got a tip or a general comment, let me hear it. All constructive thoughts and ideas will be utilized to improve our surroundings. And please keep it constructive, no personal attacks or slander, this accomplishes nothing. If you do not feel comfortable leaving your thoughts as a comment, you may email them to me at jgordon003@nycap.rr.com.

Thanks for participating.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

Christmas came a little early yesterday for over 65 children at the Whitney Young Health Center in Troy. Our 2010 Toy Drive culminated with a pizza party and a visit from Santa to help distribute the gifts. Seeing the smiles, hearing the excitement and laughter all causes me remember back to my simpler days and what the holidays meant to me as a child. I still enjoy Christmas, I look forward to the season every year, but it’s a little different now. It’s a magical time and as you grow it’s one the few memories you’ll carry with you from year-to-year. If you have the opportunity to spread a little holiday cheer in one’s day, do it, the benefits are far reaching. Always remember what it's all about.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday’s to you. Enjoy your family and partake in the holiday spirit. In closing I’d like to quote one of my favorite Christmas stories, “Welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near. Christmas Day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand.”

The Hard Work Pays Off: A Community Groups Review of 2010

It’s amazing that once you step back from your daily grind and think what actually has been accomplished over the past year it’s actually quit refreshing how much positive has been achieved. This is the case for our neighborhood group, the North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch.  This past fall the North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch celebrated its third anniversary of actively addressing the quality of life issues that exist within our neighborhoods. I believe it’s fair to say our group experienced a positive, constructive, and successful year once again.

Numerous issues concerning code enforcement, trash/litter, speeding, drug activity, vandalism, rowdy neighbors, and prostitution where reported, addressed, and resolved due to the diligence of our members and the exemplary work of our community police officer Chuck McDonald and our city partners.

It’s experiencing results like these that forces one to ask, “Why aren’t there more people getting involved?” Through our members reporting, our monthly guest speakers, and the special events our group participates in the spirit of “community” is growing each and every day.

Our group meets every second Tuesday of the month from 7 to 8:30pm at the Lansingburgh Boys and Girls Club. Stop by some evening and see what we are all about. On average 40 people attend to report issues, hear what is happening in the community, and to learn from our guest speakers.

Below is a list of our speakers and group events from 2010:

January: Now retired Police Chief Nick Kaiser provided an update on the TPD’s operation and a Lansingburgh neighborhood update.

February: County Executive Kathy Jimino and Randy Hall, Commissioner, Rensselaer County Department of Social Services discussed the social services offered through the county and  explained the mechanics of how the department and services work.

March:  Bob Aiken of the New York State Office of Real Property Services, along with the City Comptroller, City Assessor, and Mayor Harry Tutunjian gave a presentation on the process behind a reassessment and the general outcomes.  Also, Deb Carey, Crime Victim Liaison from Sexual Assault & Crime Victims Assistance Program for Rensselaer County provided us information on her organization.

April: We broke the group into three smaller groups with a speaker who focused on specific issues. The speakers were: Officer Chuck McDonald focusing on crime/policing issues;  Dave Sheeran focusing on code related issues, and  Donna Muckle focusing on DPW issues.

Also, in April our group spearheaded Lansingburgh’s Earth Day efforts. We focused on four locations this year:

• Location 1 – our main focus was on the 112th St. Kiddie Park on 4th Ave. We will be cleaning, mulching, painting, and some planting.
• Location 2 – Lansingburgh Historical Society’s Melville Park
• Location 3 – Powers Park
• Location 4 - Uncle Sam Bike Path

May: Lansingburgh School District Superintendent George Goodwin discussed the proposed school budget and the current school/community forum that several of us were involved in. Then, recently named Troy Police Chief John Tedesco introduced himself and discussed the changes the department will be experiencing soon.

June: Bob Reiter and County Executive Kathy Jimino discussed benefits available for Veterans who reside in the county. Also, Dir. of Rensselaer County Public Safety Kelly Paslow and Deputy Dir. Mark Balistreri to discussed who receives and dispatches emergency and non-emergency calls (270-4411 and 9-1-1) and how it works.

Also, in June we conducted our 2^nd Annual Neighborhood Children’s Safety Day with Pastor Willie Bacote, the Troy Fire Department, Troy Police Department, Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department, Lansingburgh School District, Troy Family YMCA, Whitney Young’s Troy Health Center, and the Troy Bike Rescue. The purpose to educate kids how to live and play safely.

July:  Maurice Padula, the Senior Consumer Fraud Representative in the Albany Attorney General’s Office discussed consumer fraud and identity theft. The presentation focused on the types of frauds and identity theft scams directed at consumers that the AG’s office is currently seeing in the Hudson Valley and ways people can better protect themselves from this activity.

Also, in July construction of Phase II of the 112^th Street Gateway Park was completed. Two years ago our group initiated the funding and construction of this new city park.

Also, in July our group performed several boulevard improvement projects. Which included trimming trees and bushes, raking and cleaning the grass areas.

August: Elaine Gerwin from the Troy based, Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO) spoke about the programming and programs available to residents.

Also, in August we celebrated National Night Out with a picnic BBQ in our 112^th Street Gateway Park. NNO is a community awareness celebration that brings community groups and public safety entities together to show strength and speak out against crime and drugs.

September: Dave Dean the City of Troy’s DPW Liter/Garbage Enforcement officer explained what his role with the DPW is and how residents can best utilize the DPW. Also, a representative/Project Manager from GAR Associates, the company contracted to assist the City of Troy with the reassessment project spoke about the role their company will have in the reassessment process. 

October: Marisa LaFrance, a representative from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Rensselaer County, spoke about the hazards lead-based paint poses and how you can have your home tested and properly addressed. Jim Lance from the Code Enforcement department discussed the progress of the NICE program and the results thus far.

Additionally, this meeting marked our Third Anniversary.

November: We were joined by Lynn Kopka of the Washington Park Association to discuss ways to deal with the growing feral cat issues in our community. Then, followed by an open conversation with our CPO Chuck McDonald about issues in our neighborhoods and ways to resolve them.

December: Was our annual holiday party and culmination of our 3^rd Annual Toy Drive, where we collected an approximate value of toys of $1,000 that will be distributed to the children patience of Whitney Young’s Troy Health Center.

As you can see we’ve been busy this year. Above are some of the highlights of what our group has done. There were numerous other volunteer and cleanup projects we supported along the way. With everyone’s involvement we can only realize more successes. If you’d like to learn more about our group, contact me at jgordon003@nycap.rr.com. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

3rd Annual Holiday Toy Drive

For the third straight year the North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch is spearheading a holiday toy drive that will benefit the children patients of Whitney Young Health Services Troy practice. Over the last two years the group has collect and distributed over $1,700 in toys to over 150 children.

The neighborhood group partners with Whitney Young because not only does it ensure the toys collected stay within the Lansingburgh and Troy community, but they are also ensured that the toys are gifted to the communities most desiring children. Whitney Young's Troy facility provides low to no cost medical and dental services to adults and children who find themselves in a tough spot.

What we have found from the first year we held the toy drive is that we live in a very caring community. People are well aware of the stresses some families fell this time of year. It's a magical time of year and every child should have the opportunity to enjoy and have fond memories of it.


To maximize the success of this endeavor, the group would like to extend an open invitation to anyone interested in participating in this worthy cause. The group is collecting new, unwrapped toys for children up to the age of 12. The Toy Drive will run through Tuesday, December 14th when the group will collect the donated toys during their monthly neighborhood watch meeting. The meeting is held from 7:00 to 8:30pm at the Lansingburgh Boys and Girls Club where community members will also celebrate the holiday season.


The collected gifts will then be wrapped and distributed to the children and their families by Santa Claus at Whitney Young's Troy facility the following week. Councilmen Mark McGrath and along with the Troy Republican Committee will be providing food and beverages for the children and their families as part of the celebration.

If you would like to contribute, but are unable to attend the December meeting, you are encouraged to contact jgordon003@nycap.rr.com. Thank you in advance for your support and generosity.

For more information please contact Jim Gordon, 365-2270 or email jgordon003@nycap.rr.com.

National Night Out

Tomorrow residents across the city will be out celebrating National Night Out (NNO). NNO is an annual celebration sponsored and created by the National Association of Town Watch and designed for community members to get out into their community and show a since of unity and create a heightened awareness for crime and drug prevention ; generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

The North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch is one of the many neighborhood goups that will be celebrating the event in their community. Specifically, the NLNW will be gathering at the 112th Street Gateway Park that they were instrumental in the development of. The group work with Mayor Tutunjian to design and then build the riverfront park. While the park is currently waiting for phase two of construction the group plans to meet and do some minor park maintenance and landscaping while enjoying a bar-b-que cookout.

Additionally, the group is pleased to once again welcome Pastor Willie Bacote and the Missing Link Street Ministry. Last year the group "marched against violence" from the Harry Dahl Firehouse at 115th Street and Fifth Avenue and ended in Powers Park with a cookout.

The group is asking for plant donations to be added to the plant beds. We are also asking that you bring a friend with you. Lets use this informal setting as an opportunity to "recruit" new members for our group. Strength is in the numbers when it comes to neighborhood watch's. The more people we have scanning the street and reporting activity the greatly increase our opportunity for success.

If your free and would like to stop by our or any other groups NNO celebration, please do. For an outline of the evening events citywide, click here.

2nd Annual Children’s Safety Fair Scheduled for Saturday in Lansingburgh

The North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch will be holding their second annual “Neighborhood Children’s Safety Day” this coming Saturday, June 19th at Powers Park in Lansingburgh with the support of the Missing Link Street Ministry/ Feed-A-Kid Program and Pastor Willie Bacote during their bi-weekly flea market.

Several activates are scheduled to educate children and their parents on how to live and play safely. Members of the neighborhood group will be joined by the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department, Troy Police and Fire Departments, Whitney Young Health Services, and the Troy Family YMCA.

Last year we had over 60 children participate in the program. The timing of this event is intended to coincide with the beginning of school districts summer vacation. Our goal is to provide the children of the community one last refresher course on how to live and play safely. During the course of the summer they will be out playing, riding bikes, or in some cases, home alone and we need to do our job to ensure the kids know how to prevent an emergency from happening and understand the right steps to take in the event one does.

Each participating agency will present specific information to educate and bring awareness on how to prevent and deal with the everyday occurrences that children may encounter.

• The Sheriff’s Department will be conducting the state-wide initiative - Operation SAFE CHILD, which was created to raise awareness about child safety. The program will provide photo ID cards, which contain fingerprint and biographical data, to individuals under the age of 18. The goal of this program is to record and store the fingerprints, basic biographical information and photographs of children, who are not missing, information critical to expediting the return of a missing child.
• The Troy Fire Department will be educating attendees on the best fire prevention practices, how to react in the event of a fire, and how to prevent common playground injuries. Children will also enjoy the opportunity of “touring” a Troy Fire Engine.
• The Troy Police Department will be conducting a bike safety program and will be distributing a limited number of bike helmets on a first come first serve basis.
• Members of Whitney Young Heath Center’s Troy practice will be discussing the preventive dental and medical services they offer locally.
• The Troy Family YMCA discussing the summer, youth & teen programs, camps and other activities offered throughout the year at their facility.

“Summer is here and better weather means more opportunities to get out and play. It also means kids need to be more aware of safety tips when they’re playing, like wearing a helmet when riding your bike,” said Mayor Harry Tutunjian. “Safe communities are comprised of safe kids and it’s good to see our neighborhood associations like the North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch take the lead on issues like this.”

Many of the local public service agencies have outreach programs geared to educate people on specific information We have the finest public safety agencies and youth programs available locally and having them participate in this program once again will prove to be a great benefit to the children and parents of our community.

For more information please contact Jim Gordon, 365-2270 or email jgordon003@nycap.rr.com.

Who: North Lansingburgh Neighborhood Watch
What: 2nd Annual Neighborhood Children’s Safety Day Where: Powers Park, Third Avenue side between 110th and 111th Street, Troy NY
When: Saturday, June 19, 2010 12:00 - 1:30pm

Photos from last years Safety Day...

Curfew Crack Down

Since our neighborhood group began meeting, one of the most common complaints we receive from our members is juvenile nuisance. In Lansingburgh we have see at all the time, at all hours of the evening and night, groups of kids walking up and down the boulevards and loitering on various streets. True, not every kid is causing an issue, but like anything else in life a few bad apples spoil it for the whole bunch. The last two springs and summers we have experienced a heightened level of petty crimes caused by kids. Most popular among them are vehicular vandalism and break-ins and minor property damage. Why they do these things we’ll never know, but how can we prevent it is more important question.

We have asked for a number of years now why don’t we enforce the curfew law we have on the books as a start to break this habit of kids roaming the streets at all hours of the day and night. In the past we have been given a number of reasons why this wasn’t a feasible. Last month during our regular neighborhood meeting new Chief of Police John Tedesco addressed our group as our guest speaker. Once again the question of curfew came up. Chief Tedesco, without batting an eye, said this law will be enforced. This past weekend the Troy police picked up 20 kids who were in violation of the city’s curfew law in one night. This is a great start. Many of the everyday, petty issues that the residents experience and that frustrate us the most are caused by ill guided minors. I applaud the Chief and the police department of enacting and enforcing this detail as quickly as they did. Across the board I believe we are going to see a big change in the effectiveness of the police department as summer roles on, this is not to say it wasn’t effective in the past because it was. I just think that now the next generation of improvements will be put into place and will have a great and positive impact on the quality-of-life of our neighborhoods.

However, one aspect that I feel is missing is parental accountability. That's why I am glad to learn that the curfew ordinance carries a fine and community services for repeat offenders. The first time a minor is picked up will result in a letter and the violation notice sent to the parents, but each additional offense will result in the parents facing penalties. Starting with the second violation a fine of $100 and 25 hours of community service will be "awarded." The community service will be be performed by a parent and the minor. The fines and community service continue with each violation, but for those who are repeat violators notification will also be sent to the Rensselaer County Department of Social Services or child protective services. I would imagine that for the majority of kids that would be picked up for a curfew violation will never violate again, because I could only imagine what would have happened to me if my parents were called late in the night to pick me up at the police station for doing something I shouldn’t have been doing.

Along the lines of the City’s curfew law, educate yourself and your children so they don’t get picked up for being in violation and you make that take a trip down to the police department to pick them up. The city’s curfew for those under the age of 18 begins at 10:30 pm and ends at 6 am on weekday and Sunday nights and begins at 11:30 pm on Friday and Saturday.

Tonight, Tuesday June 8 beginning at 7pm is our monthly neighborhood watch meeting at the Lansingburgh Boys and Girls Club. If you’d like to join us, our guest speakers this month are Bob Reiter and County Executive Kathy Jimino on hand to discuss benefits available for Veterans who reside in the county. Also, because there have been several questions and concerns as to who receives and dispatches emergency and non-emergency calls (270-4411 and 9-1-1) and how it works, we will have Dir. of Rensselaer County Public Safety Kelly Paslow and Deputy Dir. Mark Balistreri to discuss their service and answer questions.