More trash in Jamaica

Dear Councilman Leroy Comrie, Councilman James Gennaro, Councilman Ruben Wills, Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall, Senator Malcolm Smith, Assemblymember Rory Lancman, Assemblymember Vivian Cook, Iggy Terranova, Community Board #12 Members and Other Concerned Individuals:

Finally after so long of complaining about the empty lot at the NW corner of 170th St & 90th Avenue (and surrounding sidewalks), the owner came out and cleaned everything, the surrounding sidewalks and the lot itself. But how long is this going to stay this way and what are you going to do about this irresponsible and negligent owner of this property? So far, he has come out twice, June of 2011 and June of 2012. What are you going to do to see that the owner of this property (who does not even live in Jamaica) comes out on a regular basis to clean this area? I know all about the red tape, bureaucratic BS involved, but this type of negligent owner needs to be held accountable and if that means changing the system, then change it - you are the leaders in the community, so do something about this, because this is a major problem in Jamaica.

For example, attached are photos of another property, an abandoned house surrounded by a not too steady wooden fence, which has a ton of garbage all over the surrounding sidewalk. The property is located at the 170-05 Cedarcroft Rd (corner of Cedarcroft Rd & Homelawn St). I have brought this to the attention of DOS. This property has been like this for over a year if not more. Not only is it an eyesore, but the building itself does not look too safe, not to mention that part of the fence can be opened and anyone can go inside the lot, which I looked and can tell people have done that. This property is in a very visible area and residential/business area. Again another irresponsible and negligent property owner, one of hundreds who are destroying Jamaica by tearing down nice 1 family homes and leaving the property abandoned to look like an eyesore or building a cheap, 3-4 story eyesore of an apartment building that destroys the quality of the neighborhood and attracts questionable individuals to these type of properties who in turn bring Jamaica down several notches.

The abandoned playground (not city owned, but privately property) at 109th Avenue and 171st St is a major eyesore, which has garbage in the inside and all on the outside of the property. Why is this allowed to be like this for so many years in a residential area? Why is the empty lot at Merrick Blvd and Foch Blvd right across from beautiful Roy Wilkins Park allowed to be a dumping ground for all kinds of garbage for so many years? Why is the 170th Street LIRR Tunnel continually allowed to be a notorious dumping ground? Can any of you answer this? Do any of you want to actually address these problems, find solutions and solve this? This is totally unacceptable for these situations to be allowed to stay this way for such a long period of time. Again I say that this would not be allowed to happen in Long Island City (and before it was developed), Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Astoria and Rego Park. So why Jamaica? It seems to be a combination of the kinds of people who live here, the absentee property owners and a true lack of leadership concerning this issue. It is like Jamaica is the Wild Wild West where people and property owners can pretty much do whatever they want without little retribution.

I do know that many of you are attempting to do something about this garbage/litter/dumping problem but you really need to come down with the hammer of Thor on this issue. You will never attract the kinds of businesses and people of quality with the current situation here in Jamaica. Right now Jamaica just seems to be attracting more and more of lesser quality people and businesses that do very little for Jamaica except to make it a place where you do not want to live and that is a shame considering the rich history of Jamaica and the possibilities that Jamaica has.

Sincerely,

Joe Moretti