Carbondale Properties and the City

D. Gorton, local landlord and husband of councilwoman Jane Adams, sent  this email to the city regarding problems he is having with a local landlord and what Gorton perceives as the city's lack of concern:  The edited email is published with his permission:

I think that you do not understand what we are arguing for in the neighborhoods. We are asking for a level playing field where code is enforced in the R-1 Districts, something that you ignored in granting the Fisher slumlords the variance on the warehouse on Oakland. I think that you take time with the concerns of  Fisher and don't respond when citizens actually invest their monies in our old neighborhoods. Otherwise how to understand that you were the only city official who did not acknowledge our efforts?

We have had numerous incidents with the Fisher property at 614 W Cherry St. They have pushed trash into our yard. They have parked cars in our yard. And they are over-occupied in contravention to our R-1 zoning. But nothing happens. We have complained bitterly, but your government can't figure out how to issue a ticket. Much less how to stop the slumlord Fisher from devastating our neighborhoods.

What I expect of government is a level playing field. I can compete with any slumlord as long as the terms are the same. Their business model depends on driving out residents, crashing the properties to get lower tax evaluations and for the city to turn a blind eye to their unlawful and illegal overoccupation in R-1 zones; their indifference to maintenance and the knowledge that the city won't enforce its own codes.

If in a year or so you find that Carbondale is still hollowing out with almost no residential development, then look at your indifference to the neighborhoods as a clue.