If indeed the goal of DNS is to maintain and improve the quality of the properties located in the city, then their efforts should be applied to all properties. Yet, sadly they are more focused on rental properties than other classes such as owner occupied homes. Here is one example of differential treatment of owner occupants to the detriment of the neighborhood. Here is another owner occupant getting a pass on a repair.
In the past five years our properties have been targeted for exterior inspections, while adjoining properties in far worse condition were ignore even after those adding properties were pointed out to DNS and the Alderman. A common thread in the properties selected for inspection is we had Black tenants who lived on a block that was primarily White or Latino occupied. You may see some examples below
The singling out of Black occupied housing on the near Southside for inspecting is not unique to properties we own.
On September 3rd, 2014 DNS preformed a mass exterior inspection sweep on South 5th Place. Orders were issued primarily on housing occupied by Black tenants; while White occupied housing in similar or far worse condition was ignored.
On November 24th, 2014 former DNS Commissioner Dahlberg and I walked 5th PL. He did not disagree with my assessment of those properties that were in bad condition, but ignored during the September sweep.
On April 28th and 29th DNS conducted another sweep was conducted again on South 5th PL, with DNS inspectors identifying in their report many of the White occupied properties in need of substantial work. No orders were issued during this sweep except a few request to clean yards.
The supervisor who orchestrated the sweep emailed Dahlberg with the results of the April sweep identifying many of the same properties that we identified as being the worst on that street. Yet, instead of applying the codes in an unbiased manner, DNS conducted a third sweep in July, again avoiding issuing orders on the White owner occupied housing.
We received orders on 1222 S 17th based presumably on a neighbor’s complaint. We did the few little things requested on the order and responded with our own photo survey of adjoining properties that were in very poor condition. Fast forward two years. The neighboring properties in worse condition remained ignored by DNS, yet we receive another exterior inspection Our upper tenant was the same African American single mom at the time of both orders.
Our property had vinyl siding, a new roof and vinyl windows prior to the first inspection, while the house immediately across the street had actual holes in the roof, rotten windows and an unsafe porch, but no order or complaints. A legitimate inspection by a properly trained inspector without bias would have had him saying, 'Hey wait a minute something isn't right here. Why this one and not the one next door with the hole in the roof and the broken window?’
By the time of the second inspection many of the adjoining properties had further deteriorated, yet they were not subjected to inspection, Ours was the only house on the block at the time with Black occupants. It was also the only house to receive a complaint and an exterior order, despite adjoining properties being in far worse condition.
1973 S 15th Pl received one of these 'need exterior survey' orders. The house immediately to the left and the house immediately to the right of ours need a greater amount of work, but were not subject to the survey request. The house across the street has a failed roof. Two doors north the garage had burned eight months ago yet was never razed or cleaned up and the house on that property is one of the worse in many blocks. After two years of asking why, DNS issued orders on the property to the south, but then signed off the orders on the ajoining property without the work being done.
2030 W Scott (both our tenants are African American) Our property had a new roof and vinyl windows at the time of the “complaint”. The house had asphalt siding, which was in okay condition. Across the street one property has a four-foot square section of roofing missing, the house next to that the siding is falling off. Again the adjoining properties received no orders or complaints.
A number of properties adjoining our property at 1405 W Mineral (both our tenants are African American) are in pretty bad condition, yet our property received an anonymous service request when the property two doors to the west is one of the worst within many blocks. I gave the attached pictures directly to Commissioner Dahlberg by hand, yet no orders were issued.
1611 W Becher (both our tenants are African American). This property was on our 2010 siding schedule. However equal to much worse neighboring houses did not receive orders while our property received a vague 'Needs Exterior Survey'
914 S 15th (both our tenants were African American). This property with a four year old roof, vinyl windows and a two year old paint job needed a minor amount of touch up. However equal to much worse neighboring houses did not receive orders while our property received a vague 'Needs Exterior Survey'
The inspector agreed with my statement that our property was the best on the block, yet we had some silly, petty exterior orders and the other properties on the block were widely ignored.
More examples:
1500 Block S 1oth (2015) and in 2010
1000 Block W Mineral Our property appeared to be only home on the block with Black residents at the time of the orders were issued. The adjoining properties on either side were in far greater need of repairs but were ignored, even after they were pointed out to DNS
1300 Block S 15th St Our property and a property one five doors to the north that also received orders appeared to be only home on the block with Black residents at the time orders were issued. A number of White occupied homes in far worse condition did not receive complaints or orders.
800 Block W Maple Our property appeared to be only home on the block at the time of the orders were issued that had Black residents.
1600 Block S 3rd Ours is the only home on the block with with Black residents
1500 W Scott Our property and the adjoining property that also received orders appeared to be only home on the block at the time of the orders were issued that had Black residents.
24th & Mineral Our property appeared to be only home on the block at the time of the orders were issued that had Black residents.
1900 Block of South 11th and 12th Repeatedly we received minor orders while adjoining properties were ignored despite being indentifed to DNS.