Rejected in his bid for a landlord’s assistance, a Ross Street man tonight appealed to City Council to help him resolve an ongoing situation with his next-door neighbors.
“I’ve never been the squeaky wheel, but I’m hoping for a little bit of grease,” said Robert Cook of 172 Ross St. as he spoke during the public comments portion of the Business Meeting at City Hall Council Board Room.
Cook, who said he purchased the house last June, said he and his children have been subjected to intoxicated, verbally abusive and combative neighbors at 174 Ross St. (on the southeast corner of North Street). He added that he has learned that police have been called to that address more than 24 times since 2014.
“My children aren’t comfortable sitting on the porch or playing in the front yard,” said Cook, who noted that two or three families are renting at 174 Ross St.
Furthermore, he said that the property owner, Duane Preston, not only was unwilling to assist but sent Cook a letter that “was very dismissive and condescending.”
That left him no choice but to come before City Council, where he said he “humbly is asking for guidance to resolve this” and to set the wheel in motion to hold landlords responsible for their tenants’ behaviors.
His predicament spurred varied responses from council members and City Manager Martin Moore, ranging from Moore’s touting of the success of neighborhood watch groups in the City, to Council Member Paul Viele’s pointed words: “It looks like Mr. Preston doesn’t give a crap about Mr. Cook and that’s a shame.”
Council Member Kathleen Briggs asked if Moore had contacted Preston, who owns numerous properties in the City, (Moore answered "No") and urged someone to talk to the tenants and tell them that they’ve “become a disturbance.”
Council Member Patti Pacino confirmed that City police officers have been there many times, while Rose Mary Christian -- putting the blame on the tenants -- called for increased police surveillance in the area.
Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said his department’s efforts have been hampered by the lack of complainants to go on the record and by the fact that there hasn’t been an issue when police have arrived.
“We will reach out to him (Preston), but we can’t put a car there 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said. “We are aware of the property and have increased our presence there.”
Council President Eugene Jankowski suggested that several neighbors band together and also noted that if Cook’s neighbors are under public assistance, the bad behavior could put them “in jeopardy of losing the apartment and being moved out.”
“We need to let the police handle it and work with other agencies – parole, probation, HUD,” he said. “(Speaking with) the landlord is the other avenue.”
Following the meeting, Cook said he was disappointed in Preston’s response.
“He (Preston) said he was taking the same position as other landlords in the City – he’ll keep the properties up to code and let the police handle the tenant issues,” Cook said. “He said that I should have done more research before buying the house. I say that he should have done more research before renting to these tenants.”
