Mon
Jan 29 2007
04:10 pm
Beauties and Blemishes Awards
By: rocketsquirrel

Restore Knoxville wants your help in improving our community. You can participate right now by entering your choices in our "Beauties and Blemishes" contest!

This isn't some annual "best of the best" or "worst of the worst." This is an ongoing project to help improve Knoxville one block at a time.

Yes, we know, "ugly ain't (always) illegal." But we think shining a little light on some properties can encourage others to do the same.

Just fill out the form if you think a particular property is a Beauty or a Blemish. From cars parked in the front yard to piled up trash, we think a little public recognition will sometimes go further than a call to Codes.

At your choosing, you can remain anonymous. In every instance, we will contact the property owner and give them a chance to clean it up before publishing any "revealing" photos.

Do your part today and help clean up Knoxville.

Topics:
CathyMcCaughan's picture

property praise and criticism

Submitted by CathyMcCaughan on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 4:39pm.

Praising properties sounds very uplifting and encouraging. Complaining about properties sounds unproductive. Giving them a "chance to clean it up before any "revealing" photos" sounds like harassment. Unless you are offering to go help clean up that property yourself, you are not part of the solution.

Number9's picture

Unclear on concept

Submitted by Number9 on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 4:46pm.

Giving them a "chance to clean it up before any "revealing" photos" sounds like harassment.

I am sure the intent is well meaning but that is not worded very well. Don't be surprised if that turns off property owners.

rocketsquirrel's picture

criticism

Submitted by rocketsquirrel on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 4:47pm.

not harassment at all. We're personally contacting folks on behalf of neighbors and encouraging them to abide by basic community standards with regard to trash, parking, and other basic common goals. Do you think a neighbor has a right to make the public sidewalks their parking place?

StaceyDs Cat's picture

six of one, half dozen of another

Submitted by StaceyDs Cat on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 4:55pm.

your interest ends when "it" no longer impacts you, so they'll be some things that interest you and others that won't.

So for some, it may be harassment, for others a community service. Not that you asked what I think (or care), it might do some good.

Up Goose Creek's picture

Harassment

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 10:34pm.

It also helps to get your facts straight. I am in posession of a condescending letter from Kim Trent because the neighbor's house needeed painting.

"Your property at ______ is not as desirable in appearance as you would consider acceptable. ..... conditions can sometimes arise that you would not allow if you were residing there. "

Pissed me off royally.

And even if it had been my house that needed painting (it wasn't), where was the call of support? Can we refer a painter, are you going through a rough patch? What can we do to help?

No, just a snooty, condescending letter. "We want to make Parkridge a more desirable neighborhood in which to live" It's all about property values in our select gentrifying neighborhood.

But it seems that other neighborhoods can go to hell for all the historic preservationists care.

rocketsquirrel's picture

I agree

Submitted by rocketsquirrel on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 10:55pm.

Mamaw,

I totally agree. I'll give you an example where we're trying to help. Guy who doesn't have siding on his house, we called the building inspector, and, without telling him "how" to do his job, strongly recommended that the subject property owner be advised of the opportunities for low-income housing rehab rather than a nasty note on the door. We can all be part of the solution, but it takes the neighbors, the neighborhood. We also have to start somewhere with community standards, and if your neighbor has overflowing garbage and a visible rat problem and you have an eight-year-old kid, should you just keep your mouth shut?

Here's an example of one we received just tonight:

"house divided into 2 apartments, as many as seven cars there at any one time, Trash cans always overflowing back yard littered with debris and assorted junk."

If you're the next door neighbor, just how much are you supposed to put up with?

JaHu's picture

Just to what extent will

Submitted by JaHu on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 11:19pm.

Just to what extent will this be carried through and who is the high authority to decide what is acceptable and what's not? You always have neighbors who are not pleased with another neighbor's home, even in the richest of neighborhoods. Sounds like a 'Keeping up with the Jones's' nightmare and that someone is butting in where they shouldn't. Has a little Nazi Germany feel to it also, where neighbors turn in neighbors.

Adrift in the Sea of Humility

Up Goose Creek's picture

Cars

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Mon, 2007/01/29 - 11:21pm.

"house divided into 2 apartments, as many as seven cars there at any one time, Trash cans always overflowing back yard littered with debris and assorted junk."

Hey this is down the street from me. Though the landlord is a antique car buff and some of the cars/trucks are pretty cool. Well really, I don't know about the back yard. You can't see it for the cars.

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