Public Comment

I read about the new rules being approved, including the increase to parking costs and possibility that parking may no longer be free on the weekends. The increase in costs is necessary, however, no longer offering free parking weekends is counterintuitive. Visiting downtown Cleveland is more accessible when there is available free parking on weekends. I disagree with Councilperson McCormack's comments that residents of downtown park their vehicles for the entire weekend, clogging up spaces. As a downtown resident, I can assure this council that a vast majority of downtown residents pay for a garage space. I feel that the benefit of free parking on weekends, such as offering accessible access to downtown Cleveland for outweighs the possible benefits. Respectfully Submitted, Josh Friedman W 9th Street Resident

I moved into my property on June 14, 2023 to discover a number of health and safety violations. On June 15, a City Inspector with the Housing Departments Program conducted a complaints inspection; found numerous violations which he detailed in his report; and set a compliance deadline for July 6, 2023. During the City Inspector's reinspection on July 7, 2023, he found that many attempted repairs were unsatisfactory, if they were even attempted at all. Moreover, during this second inspection, even more health and safety violations were identified and a new compliance deadline was set for July 24, 2023. During the City Inspector's third inspection of the property on July 24, 2023 (for which I was not present), several items identified in the second inspection were removed even though no repair was attempted. Some violations persisted, and another new compliance deadline was set for August 14, 2023. I brought this to the City Inspector's attention on August 7, 2023, but I received no immediate response. However, no final inspection was completed and per the City Inspector's response on August 14, 2023: "the complaint has been closed due to the fact that all health and safety violations have been addressed." When I asked how this was determined, especially since no final inspection actually occurred, I eventually learned from the City Inspector: "Property manager emailed me pictures of repairs to remaining violations, pictures are in the complaint file #: [edited] as well as the emails I received from property manager. After receiving the pictures the complaint was closed, there were no other health and safety issues." On August 24, 2023 I asked Chief Housing Inspector Messina for a copy of the photos, as I could prove that these repairs were either not attempted or unsatisfactory, and that the violations still persisted, as well as new ones which we had discovered. Chief Housing Inspector Messina replied to me on August 24, 2023, "The inspector was recently there. [...] we will not come back out." The Complaint Inspections page of the City of Cleveland website states, "Complaint Inspections are an integral part of the housing program. It is the policy of the Inspectional Services Division to investigate all citizen complaints regarding potential violations of the Housing Code." As I have reported several times, there are outstanding and compounding violations that were identified during these complaint inspections, which include: 1. Original inspection date 6/15/23: #4 - Properly repair. OVEN DOOR INSULATION IS LOOSE AND FALLING OFF AND BOTTOM BAKE TRAY IS NOT SECURED AND UNLEVEL Section: 1351.23, 1369.02 Current concern - the oven door is not properly insulated and the exterior surfaces exceed 250 degrees F. Property manager informed us to replace it at our own cost on August 10, 2023. 2. Original inspection date 6/15/23: #11 - Properly caulk/seal at:. WINDOW UNIT SASH AT WINDOW FRAME AND PROVIDE SCREEN Section: 1351.23, 1369.02 Current concern - the window no longer closes to catch the lock latch, and we have an unsecured window on our first floor. 3. Original inspection date 6/15/23: #12 - Properly repair. LOOSE STEP TREADS, DAMAGED RISERS (REPAIRS ALREADY MADE ARE UNSATISFACTORY), AND FLOOR BOARDS AT TOP LANDING Section: 1351.23, 1369.02 Current concern - the second step tread is still broken and is getting worse. 4. Original inspection date 6/15/23: #15 - Repair/replace door to properly close. REPAIR DOOR JAMB AND REPLACE MISSING STRIKE PLATE Section: 1351.23, 1369.02 Current concern - the door jamb was never repaired as instructed 5. Original inspection date 7/7/23: #3 - Replace missing pull chain to light fixture. 's Section: 1351.20, 1369.09 Current concern - this work was not completed, there are still lights we can't turn off 6. Original inspection date 7/7/23: #7 - Replace damaged/missing area(s) of ceiling in a workmanlike manner. Area to be finished and painted to match existing ceiling.. CLOSE OFF OPEN SECTIONS WHERE 1ST FLOOR CAN BE SEEN Section: 1351.27, 1369.06 Current concern - this work was not completed, not all open sections were closed. 7. Original inspection date 7/7/23: #8 - Secure loose floor covering. CARPET Section: 1351.27, 1369.06 Current concern - no repair attempt was made, and problem is getting worse 8. Original inspection date 7/723: #15 - Replace damaged floor covering. OR REFINISH FLOOR (REPLACE MISSING FINISH TO FLOOR AT BARE WOOD) Section: 1351.27, 1369.06 Current concern - We keep cutting our feet on the floors. No repair attempted, informed by property manager on July 20, 2023 they will not repair at this time. 9. Original inspection date 7/7/23: #19 - Replace damaged floor covering. OR REFINISH FLOOR (REPLACE FINISH TO BARE WOOD) Section: 1351.27, 1369.06 Current concern - We keep cutting our feet on the floors. No repair attempted, informed by property manager on July 20, 2023 they will not repair at this time. 10. Originally identified on point of sale inspection - Garage. No work to address the garage has been completed since the removal of the tree on July 11, 2023. In addition to the outstanding violations, there are a few new concerns that we have: 1. The sink in the downstairs bathroom is about to collapse off the wall. We believe it was damaged by the property manager during the attempted repairs to the window in the same room. 2. The handrail to the basement is positioned too low to be effective, and it does not extend the full length of the stairs. 3. The floor in the 3rd floor bedroom south is in worse condition than the other rooms identified. Long splinters, broken boards, and large holes in the floor. 4. There is an active leak in the master bedroom ceiling. I am very frustrated by Chief Housing Inspector Messina's response that these issues are "aesthetic" when they clearly are far, far worse than that. Moreover, the taking as satisfactory evidence of the property manager's word that these repairs were complete and now the refusal to perform an inspection does not speak highly of the commitment "to investigate all citizen complaints regarding potential violations of the Housing Code." Moreover, as a result of these ongoing violations, the property managers are engaging in increasingly retaliatory behaviors, some of which are verbally and physically aggressive, which make us feel even more unsafe in our home. We reached out to the Housing Department to help us address these issues, but by ignoring them, it is contributing to this ongoing behavior.

The eastmost beginng of Chester Ave connecting MLK Jr Rd and Euclid Ave is a westbound segment of a road that is very poorly designed: it has 3 entrance lanes (2 straight, 1 right turn) and 4 exit lanes, 3 of which are straight, the last one a right turn. In practice, a significant number of drivers who entered driving straight aiming at turning right to exit this segment of road will have to either drive across at least two lanes in a short time, or make a right turn at lane 3 (while lane 4 is the only right turn lane). The above practice poses a hazard on those turning right to enter intending on driving straight to leave. Additionally, the traffic light governing this segment's exit has a right-turn light. As a pedestrian, I am worried that turning right is still seen when the red light is on.

Does destroying 40 mature trees in the Cudell Commons Park urban neighborhood to make way for an elementary school constitute an assault on its residents? The tree canopy helps to protect urban residents from the dangerous effects of the climate crisis. We know the tree canopy can lower ground level temperatures considerably, by as much or more than 10 degrees F. We know the dangerous effects from the climate crisis preferentially target urban neighborhoods like Cudell, whose residents are in no position to endure the urban “heat-sink” effects of rising climate crisis temperatures, which are highly likely to get much worse. And we now know full well that the climate crisis is here. So it makes no sense that the tree canopy in this park will be substantially reduced, especially in an area where residents and elementary school age children will recreate and seek shelter from the unreasonably hot days we know are ahead. How is it that decisions were made to remove the protection those trees provide in Cudell Commons Park? Were those protections understood? If not, why not? Was the effect on residents of destroying the tree canopy understood and ignored or thought to be inconsequential? Would the same decisions have been made in any Cleveland neighborhood, or is Cudell somehow unique? The thinking behind the decision is not just breathtakingly illogical, given the climate crisis, but appears to be driven primarily by concerns about construction cost. What about the cost to the quality of life of neighborhood residents, elementary school children and park users, given that these urban residents will preferentially suffer the dangerous effects of the climate crisis? It indeed looks a lot like an assault on the Cudell neighborhood residents: removing protections they will desperately need to help withstand the dangerous effects of the climate crisis, and putting their health in more peril than it otherwise would be. Yet this development project process and its predictably contentious outcome is very typical of the way property development is done in Cleveland and helps explain why the protective tree canopy here has been devastated, especially in disinvested neighborhoods, and why the project to restore the tree canopy is so far behind schedule. This city just does not properly value its trees and their health benefits for neighborhood residents. Trees do require maintenance, and city budgets are constrained. And property development here is conceived, designed and accomplished with lowest possible cost as the primary driver, so resident needs and preferences tend to be given lip service, at best. Destroying mature trees is the easy and least cost option for development, despite the many health benefits mature trees provide to the people that live, work and play near an urban green-space like Cudell Commons Park. And, painfully, public engagement with transparency and detailed information comes so late in the development process, it’s hard or impossible for residents to have an impact on the project. One has to wonder if that’s intentional. Because this development scenario repeats itself again and again throughout the city. Property development processes are opaque, inscrutable and impenetrable to the lay public. The processes are shrouded in mystery and secrecy, with the public invited in only occasionally to see conceptual pretty pictures and hear meaningless sales pitches marketing flimflam. Key decisions are made early in the process behind closed doors without effective public knowledge, understanding and input. Official meetings at the city are held when people have to work, and public comment is highly constrained. Then, at the 11th hour, the neighborhood gets a data dump about what is about to happen to it, and is asked for its opinion, which will have zero practical effect on the project. Over and over the bureaucratically esoteric, development-centric, tone-deaf, top-down, inequitable process repeats itself. And when the community routinely reacts with outrage at the manner with which they have been disrespected, misled and ultimately bullied, development proponents react with indignation, attacking and blaming the neighborhood residents for being NIMBY’s, or for not paying attention, or not participating or not understanding the convoluted process whose effects they will be forced to live with in their neighborhood. Accuse the accuser. A very typical, reflexive and predictable bureaucratic misdirection used habitually by development project proponents in this city. But that’s the way property development is done in Cleveland, and that’s exactly what has happened in the Cudell Commons Park planning to build an elementary school. The project as proposed will destroy 40 mature trees that protect the public, and the neighborhood’s residents are quite understandably pushing back.

The Walgreens in the corner Clark and Fulton are not taking care of the perimeter. The fence is completely destroyed. There is garbage all around it. The Stop sign (after the drive thru) is not even visible any more. I have contact the store manager multiple times and nothing happens. The residences have to deal with all the garbage from Walgreens. When Walgreens was being built they placed multiple trees on our side of the street. They would come and maintain them but with time they stopped. They are making the houses worst. There is no visibility at all because of the trees and all the garbage. There are usually people hiding in them either using drugs or hiding from employees after they were shoplifting. I have been a resident of the same area for over 20 years and it just gets worse and worse.

There is a house on my street , whose occupant(s) have animals (dogs) that are not secured. One dog in particular ( an Akita?) has bitten 3 people this year, one of which is my 12 year old granddaughter and nothing is being done. It has been reported several times but the dog remains at the residence (3657 E 147th) . Children will be going back to school soon , but cannot safely walk down this street as the owner does nothing to control his animal. They should not have to go around the block to by -pass one house. The dog owner always hides the animal when police are called and never has the animal leashed. The animal warden has been to the home several times each time leaving without taking the animal in custody…. Please do something before an attack becomes fatal.

We are a senior community. We have had at least 20 car break-ins, some having been vandalized multiple times within a few weeks. More over the course of the last year. We have called the police multiple times with little response. We understand police are working in a diminished capacity. We are a gated community, but this has not deterred vandals from accessing and wrecking havoc in our parking lot. Management states it can do little in terms of security for our residents. We do not feel safe or secure. My question is whether there is Rescue Plan money or other monies to help seniors pay for repairs to their vehicles. It is important for those who have vehicles to be able to get out to conduct their business. We have lost thousands and it seems no relief is available. We would like to speak with someone in the city, ward, and/or police to discuss options. Thank you.

Violent crimes and especially involving guns need attention by our city! There needs to be professional discussions on options to reduce gun violence. The public hears about certain council members being uncooperative and unwilling to work with our new mayor. While the public suffers over council's power trips. Stop it now and do your jobs for the people! Thank you

Each day I drive into Public Square on my way to work. The sidewalk in front of Jakes deli, across from the casino, is a mess. It is cracked, broken and slanting. A terrible visual for any visitor to see. Not only that. The garden boxes there make it look dark and unsafe. I know the bus stop is there but there is always trash in them, and along the sidewalk. I know DCA cleans the street, and I have called them. After the shooting at that store, it has a dismal look.

Councilman Michael Polensek (Ward 8/Chair of Safety Committee) consistently stokes division and a lack of progress. His comments show that he is an unserious person and should resign to make way for someone with their head in reality to take his seat.