‘This neighborhood is falling apart!” Our friend, a west Dearborn resident of over 30 years, was clearly upset as she rattled off evidence that our pretty, tree-lined street was going down the dumper: crime, empty homes, an influx of renters and new homeowners who were less than diligent with their property’s upkeep.On the surface, of course, she was right. We had all heard accounts of break-ins to cars and garages just down the block, reports that had some folks locking their cars and homes for the first time in years. Unfortunately, it was also hard to miss those homes that had reverted to the bank or to a new owner who didn’t maintain the standards of the neighborhood; flowers wilted, weeds grew and, in one particular case, an entire set of upholstered furniture was moved into a yard to be used as a patio set. At least, when it wasn’t spongy and wet from last night’s rain.
Situations like this aren’t unique to Dearborn. Communities around the state and the country are wrestling with neighborhoods that are in transition, with waves of foreclosures and rentals changing the dynamic of cities that have long weathered the ups and downs of previous economic recessions.
While it’s easy to tick off the worrying symptoms that our neighborhoods are exhibiting, we’re a long way off from pronouncing the patient dead. We’re pretty confident, as well, that our neighborhoods are far from ‘falling apart,’ and told our neighbor as much.
We think Dearborn already has the infrastructure in place to fight creeping blight and crime with a Neighborhoods Services division that, while sometimes too slow to respond to critical home violations, is a reliable bulwark against decaying homes and scofflaw homeowners. The Neighborhood Watch program put in place by the Dearborn Police is being adopted by more communities each week, and is a vital step toward keeping crime down in our city.
However, relying on these city agencies will only take us so far. The most important component to maintaining safe and clean streets and neighborhoods are Dearborn residents. No one group has more at stake. No one group has more power to affect real change. To that end, we suggest a simple three step plan to help roll back crime and decay in our community: Walk. Talk. Report.
WALK. Our neighbor who noticed the climbing weeds and old furniture strewn about a yard down the street only saw it because she was taking her dog for a walk on a route she traversed 5-6 times a week. More of us need to get out and walk our neighborhoods. There’s no better way to gauge what’s happening on your street than to walk down it. Look around. Breathe it in. Take note of any inconsistencies or oddities. We can’t help but think that the recent stories of armies of dogs and cats kept in homes in our neighborhoods wouldn’t have been caught sooner if nearby residents were more inquisitive.
TALK. Now that you’re out of the house, start communicating with the people up and down your street. Begin a dialogue with your neighbors, and you’ll be amazed at what you’ll learn. Maybe there’s an elderly neighbor down the street who needs help with yard work. Or another on vacation that could use an extra set of eyes on their property while they’re out of town. Most importantly, talk to those neighbors who are new to the community. Let them know the standards that are expected from the city and the neighborhood as a whole, and offer to help them out, if necessary. Also, find out if there’s an active neighborhood association in your area. If so, join it. If not, consider starting one of your own. Solving the problems of the entire city can seem daunting, but solving the problems of your particular neighborhood are achievable with cooperation and communication.
REPORT. We are firm believers in allowing city agencies to do their job and earn their pay. See a suspicious vehicle driving down your street or unlikely salesmen going door to door? Call Neighborhood Watch at 943-3030. Don’t hesitate and don’t apologize-just call. Or maybe you have a neighbor storing a pile of garbage behind his garage. Maybe another has allowed his front yard to go ‘au natural’ with waist-high weeds. Call Neighborhood Services at 943-2161, and keep calling until the issue is resolved. If you still get no response, get in touch with us. We’ll put up pictures of the violations every week until it’s cleaned up.
It’s our city, and it’s our responsibility to be the eyes, the ears and the voice for our neighborhoods. Walk. Talk. Report. It’s a good first step toward changing our city for the better.
That’s our opinion. Let us know yours at editor@DearbornNewsOnline.com
TALK. Now that you’re out of the house, start communicating with the people up and down your street. Begin a dialogue with your neighbors, and you’ll be amazed at what you’ll learn. Maybe there’s an elderly neighbor down the street who needs help with yard work. Or another on vacation that could use an extra set of eyes on their property while they’re out of town. Most importantly, talk to those neighbors who are new to the community. Let them know the standards that are expected from the city and the neighborhood as a whole, and offer to help them out, if necessary. Also, find out if there’s an active neighborhood association in your area. If so, join it. If not, consider starting one of your own. Solving the problems of the entire city can seem daunting, but solving the problems of your particular neighborhood are achievable with cooperation and communication.
REPORT. We are firm believers in allowing city agencies to do their job and earn their pay. See a suspicious vehicle driving down your street or unlikely salesmen going door to door? Call Neighborhood Watch at 943-3030. Don’t hesitate and don’t apologize-just call. Or maybe you have a neighbor storing a pile of garbage behind his garage. Maybe another has allowed his front yard to go ‘au natural’ with waist-high weeds. Call Neighborhood Services at 943-2161, and keep calling until the issue is resolved. If you still get no response, get in touch with us. We’ll put up pictures of the violations every week until it’s cleaned up.
It’s our city, and it’s our responsibility to be the eyes, the ears and the voice for our neighborhoods. Walk. Talk. Report. It’s a good first step toward changing our city for the better.
That’s our opinion. Let us know yours at editor@DearbornNewsOnline.com
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