NPU-T Chair Teaches How to Report Zoning and Code Enforcement Issues

(The Following is a letter submitted by Nia Knowles of NPU-T)
Good day Community! I hope this will find you all well. 

As you know, NPU-T has struggled with both Zoning and Code Enforcement issues for many years.  Our leaders, term in and term out all have tried to grasp how we can be effective in making the laws work for us.  It has been a very *DAUNTING task with little results. The NPU-T Executive Committee is working on a strategic plan that will require your support and ACTIVE involvement.  The plan will have many parts, and I need your participation in all, below I will provide a general overview, although I do need volunteers to help fully execute and mobilize our residents.  

Firstly, at this weeks NPU meeting when you sign-in, I will need your signature on a petition. The petition is requesting the support of our city officials to help facilitate the process.  Secondly, I need you to continue to add homes and code complaints to the Code Compliance 404-330-6190 AND Accela System https://aca.accela.com/Atlanta_Ga/Default.aspx 

At every NPU meeting we are told HOW to report a home via accela. We have pages of reported homes with no activity and most recently have had NO Code Enforcement representation at our meeting after I specifically requested followup reports on a long time list. This is unacceptable! So, thirdly, we are developing a FACEBOOK- Code Enforcement Offender page. This page will display pictures of our greatest housing code violators- homes that have been properly reported to the city via their online system and have had NO action for an extended period of time. http://www.facebook.com/ATLCodeEnforcementProblems

What I need from you?  Photo's and addresses. You and I can review, add or file any complaints via the system to ensure they have been reported and WE ARE compliant with the city procedures.  We need people to "like" it and let your  friends/neighbors know- "Share" the page and this email.. Email photos and the address to atlcodeproblems@yahoo.com . The addresses are needed to ensure we are also properly reporting these to the city as they require.

On the back end, I will work with our Code Enforcement representatives and anyone else within the city to provide owner addresses or important data for citation delivery.  No, we are not posting pictures of homes with overgrown grass, or poorly planned gardens (I'd be the biggest offender LOL) but, we are posting those with NO roof, dilapidated,open, boarded for more than 6mths and those that have not only caused our home values to depreciate, but also our quality of life.

Public safety is a great concern to us, and we can not feel safe nor BE safe living next to abandoned, opened houses.  

Lastly,we will have a calling blitz. I will provide you with the appropriate numbers to those in office and in positions who can and should help resolve our concerns.  We will need to be diligent in calling, and in great numbers- daily until we get results.   Regarding Zoning.... rooming houses and residential properties improperly used as nursing or rehab facilities, are on the agenda.   More information to come- in the mean time, do your part and REPORT in   Accela System https://aca.accela.com/Atlanta_Ga/Default.aspx   

Questions? Comments? Send me an email :) niaknowles@gmail.com