At the Henderson City Council Meeting on January 11th, 2016, a local group Citizens Aligned To Take Back Henderson, NC made a presentation to the City Council.
Audio of the meeting can be heard here:
[jwplayer mediaid=”69414″]
Statement from the group:
Our goal is to create a better environment for education in our public schools, and improve the quality of life in and the image of the City of Henderson by having all abandoned dilapidated buildings, both residential and commercial removed.
Sadly, the 400 plus abandoned dwellings in the City of Henderson house multiple types of criminal behavior. Many of them are on the same street as some of our elementary and middle schools. This is not an environment suitable for learning and is something that needs to be addressed immediately. There are also health concerns associated with these houses. Many have molds and asbestos, both of which can be deadly. Many of these dwellings are able to be entered without force. In neighborhoods with young, adventurous children, is it reasonable to think the children never go inside?
We believe Henderson is at a turning point and we are asking our City Council and County Commissioners to join forces and make this issue a top priority, for our future. Removing these structures will make way for growth, something that is vital for us. The City Of Henderson is the heart of Vance County and she needs you, your voice and your support. If our community doesn’t stand up and demand that our leaders make these ‘life saving’ changes, where will Henderson be in ten, fifteen or twenty years?
An abandoned structure in Henderson, NC is defined as:
ABANDONED STRUCTURES (Chapter 21A)
The purpose of the Abandoned Structure Ordinance is to enforce the repair, closing and demolition of any abandoned structure in accordance with provisions and procedures as set forth by law (N.C.G.S.160A-441). An “abandoned structure” is defined as a structure that is hazardous to the health, safety and welfare of the residents due to the presence of insects or rodents, conditions creating a fire hazard, conditions constituting a threat to children, or frequent use by vagrants as living quarters and the absence of sanitary facilities. In addition, any structure that has been without legal occupants for a period of at least one hundred twenty (120) days may also qualify as “abandoned”.
The group has a Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/cleanuphenderson
There is an active ppetition at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/citizensaligned/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=button
SMH……is this an example of poor leadership, lack of vision, fiscal irresponsibility, or elected officials not giving a rat’s a## b/c the dilapidated houses aren’t in their backyards? Here’s an adjective that describes any elected official who refuses to do what’s right by the children of any area:COWARD!!!!
If you live in Vance Co. & con’t to elect these idiots Vance County will look like a 3rd world country within the next 10 years! Even the shills & h8ers that troll HiH can probably agree on that. But, then again…..it is henderson which recently was ranked #1 ghetto city in a poll that I saw on FB. #COWARDLYELECTEDOFFICIALS=you reap what you sow!! Even a FOOL knows that if you con’t to do the same thing over & over you can expect the same results!!! Are you satisfied? This group certainly doesn’t seem to be……..either you’re part of the problem or part of the solution…….look in the mirror….which one are you?
J.D.
The old saying that “a picture is worth a 1,000 words” is very true. Whoever is spearheading this group needs to fix the FB page b/c it isn’t accessible from the hyperlink that is given.
I was however able to read many of the comments & see a few of the names of people who signed the petition. According to Vance County Tax Records I counted @ least 2 names of people who are in the rental house business & have properties that fall into the dilapidated category!!! Why would they sign the petition? Getting taxpayer $$$ to clean up their own mess? That’s the mentality that has caused this to manifest into the current situation. Whatever happened to the honest, law abiding citizens who “pick up their own trash?” SMH
#ydoitwhenicanletudoit