Issue Position: Neighborhoods

Issue Position

While the quality of life in Brockton is diminished by health and economic disparities across the board--from a high number of Brownfields to polluting industries--we are also challenged by an increasing number of residents and business owners who are not complying with ordinances designed to keep the city beautiful. The proper maintenance of private property, from cutting one's grass to the removal of junk cars, is a critical ingredient in our effort to make Brockton an enjoyable city to live and work in.

As your At-Large City Councilor, I formed a Neighborhoods/Ordinance Working Group to explore the best ways--through the creation of new ordinances and enforcement strategies--to encourage the maintenance of private property. The working group's findings are below.

Working Group Executive Summary

(Scroll down to access the full report)

Problem

The Ordinance Working Group voted to concentrate on the enforcement of sole proprietor auto sales/repair licenses in the city, with a specific focus on Cape Verdean businesses. From various reports and observations, there is a chronic problem where Cape Verdean auto businesses are not following city ordinances and are adding blight to local neighborhoods. The Code Enforcement Team is aggressively pursuing these individuals. However, Cape Verdean businesses report feeling harassed, "targeted," and treated unfairly based on race. The Working Group agreed that a thorough review of the process for granting and enforcing auto sales/repair licenses would assess the merits of these concerns, while offering recommendations to better promote adherence to city ordinances.

Recommendations

The Neighborhood/Ordinance Working Group urges that the City of Brockton consider the following recommendations, which place critical, new responsibilities on all parties involved:

- For Cape Verdean businesses--Follow the 9-step licensing system used by the three "adoption" cities, including the presentation and approval of a viable business plan before a license is granted;
- For the Code Enforcement Team--Initiate a constituent services program to ensure team members have the communication and listening skills to be aware of cultural differences, among other expertise; and
- For the City of Brockton--Launch an extensive communications and community outreach campaign to ensure that small businesses and the general public are aware of--and buy into--the city's code enforcement efforts.

The Working Group also recommends that the city uses the auto sales/repair proposals to inform the implementation and enforcement of other ordinances.

Source