I agree with your comments. The wannabe contractor built two handicap ramps(one on Clearview, another on N Rebecca) clear out to the street for his parent's use. Now the concrete ramps block the sidewalk for other neighbors. The neighbors with children in strollers have to fight to get over the ramps, or walk on the streets. If this guy had a clue, or got a permit, he would have built the ramps inside the fence, according to code. The streets/sidewalks and yards are littered with all kinds of construction equipment(fork lift) and materials. The sidewalk is no place to store gravel or 2X4s. Don't expect anything to be done, the brother of the wannabe contractor is a Department Head with the County and is hooked up politically.

Well, it's been a week, nothing has changed. Maybe the Mayor is out of town and not getting the email copy. Hopefully when he gets wind of this situation, Mr Doherty will send in the troops. Time will tell.

Nine (9) days without any results. Maybe the City is consolidating it's efforts to take care of the 1600 Block of N Main Ave and the 1600 Block of N Rebecca at the same time. Or maybe they don't want to offend the brother of the offender whose brother is a County appointee. We'll check back tomorrow and see if there is any improvement, but we're not counting on it.

My typo in the above comment. I meant the 1400 block of N. Rebecca. As if anything is going to happen anyway!

Any response from the City of Scranton on this issue?

Zero/Zip/Nada response, but at least someone is reading this. Thanks for caring Zak

With another weekend here, looks like this "reported" problem will reach 2 weeks with absolutely no action by the city. Has anything ever been accomplished by mentioning violations/blight on this page?? Feedback please.

Even google earth has pictures of this check it out mayor you dont even have to leave your desk to witness this!!

Almost 3 weeks and no improvement in this block. Maybe after the holiday weekend the city will take some action, maybe not. Time will tell.

I drove by there Saturday to see if the city had done anything, and was disappointed.

Maybe it's too hot for the city to do anything about this problem, wait till the weather gets cooler.

Don't get discouraged. The items posted that are "fixed" took about a month to be resolved. You can also edit your listing to add others to the email watch, ie the newspaper.

I took a look at google earth. Here is the link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=1444+N+Rebecca+Avenue+Scranton+PA&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=1444+N+Rebecca+Ave,+Scranton,+PA+18508&gl=us&ei=bz02TOO4NsP98AbX8-DfAw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA

Good News! (I think) A city inspector and police officer (Car D-4) were on scene this morning! Some of the neighbors were out talking to them, hopefully the wheels are in motion. While the city folks were there, a bread delivery truck arrived, must have been a relative of 1417 Clearview, and a younger guy had discussions with the officials about the truck box that was on N. Rebecca. Hopefully the inspector noted the fork lift, the stack of lumber, the gravel and the illegal handicap ramp (front and side) that impedes normal sidewalk traffic at that end of N Rebecca at Clearview. The 40' trailer has been parked in this block for months, there is a somewhat permanent set of steps to access the trailer, this certainly cannot be an acceptable practice in a residential neighborhood. Across the street from the 40' trailer is a landscape trailer with all kinds of construction material that has been there so long, weeds and grass are growing around and through the trailer. Next door at N. Rebecca and Albion is an unoccupied home with such an overgrown yard, it cannot be seen from the street. Getting closer to Wood St is a vacant lot that is completely over grown that has turned into a parking lot for old boats and a beautiful metal oil tank. Such a lovely sight on a nice summer day, why can't other Scranton neighborhoods look like this?? By the way, Scranton Police assigned case # 32383 to this problem. At least now there is a paper trail.

I told you there would be some progress. I hope the city stays on top of this. The blight didn't happen overnight, so the city may take a while to get it straightened out. I'll be watching!

My question is......Why did it take a newspaper web site comment to get the city moving on this?? The police officers, and especially the city inspectors, who are assigned to neighborhoods should have noticed this situation months/years ago.

If we keep the comments coming, and ask people to check out the website, and at least say "I want this fixed" this item will stay close to the top of the "Report Neighborhood Problems" column. Progress, one step at a time!

Well, it's been 2 weeks since the city inspector and the police department visited this site on N. Rebecca between Clearview and Wood Streets. What has changed?? NOTHING! A county department head has been in the area a couple times since the city inspectors and police were here, but no action by him either. Oh wait, he is the brother of the person responsible for most of this mess, why would we expect any action to be taken by him.

It's such a shame, this guy dumps all his construction equipment/supplies on or adjacent to his parents property. The parents worked hard to keep their place looking very nice, only to be undermined by this Fred Sanford wannabe.

What do you expect? Same old stuff, Scranton is Scranton

Don't give up

Well, the truck box is gone!!!(After 3 yrs) The 40' trailer is still there, no change. Forklift, lumber and piles of gravel still there, no change. The handicap ramps have been ripped out, and new sidewalks and legal handicap ramps are being installed. I can't see any permits, but hey, there's progress. The overgrown lot is starting to clear up, one more frost and most all the plant life will be dead. Now we will have a better view of the boat trailer and old oil tanks, very scenic in a blight area. Across the street on the corner, the yard is completely overgrown, but the leaves are starting to fall, will be much prettier after the first snowfall.

WEST SCRANTON NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH:
We invite you to attend an organizational meeting for our West Scranton-Hyde Park Neighborhood Watch.

The second meeting will be held on November 18, 2010 from 7:00 to 8:00PM in the Lower Meeting Room at St. Patrick’s Church, 1403 Jackson St., Scranton, PA 18504-3398. The entrance to the meeting room is the middle door on the rectory side of the church.

Bring your list of questions and concerns to join in the discussion. The Scranton Police Crime Prevention Officer and members of the other established Neighborhood Watch groups will attend to aid West Scranton in redeveloping our own Hyde Park Neighborhood Watch.

xxx