A Jamestown resident asked the City Council on Oct. 20 to allow neighborhood volunteers to remove trash from the exteriors of condemned properties, saying many neighbors are afraid to come to meetings and want to help clean up. Council President Golds and city staff responded that debris removal and demolition are proceeding but that legal and safety steps limit what volunteers can do.

The resident identified in the meeting as Mr. Dolce said he had taken about 45 pictures and spoken with residents while canvassing; he told the council “maybe 28 of them were here from Jamestown” and that many people feel “afraid to come” to meetings. Dolce said neighbors want to clean up exterior trash and that some reported increased police presence on Fulton Street in recent weeks.

City staff cautioned that entering private property is a legal matter. Crystal, a city staff member who answered questions during the public comment exchange, said the city has not obtained a court order allowing volunteers to enter privately owned properties and that a judge will not grant an order to remove personal property from an occupied home simply because someone calls it trash. “When it comes to trespassing on people's property, if there are several different property owners, that's several different court orders for different people,” Crystal said. She added that if properties are occupied a judge is unlikely to grant an order permitting removal of items from inside.

Staff described the demolition process for properties already slated to be torn down. Crystal said each demolition involves separate phases that are separately bid, including an asbestos survey and, if asbestos is found, mitigation. Bids for phases are posted for about two weeks to allow responses; once bids come back the city will select a contractor based on price and availability. “I just received today an email from our demolition contractor that bids have gone out for 3 of those properties for the actual demolitions,” Crystal said. She said debris and garbage at demolished properties will be removed with the demolition.

Dolce said some neighbors want to begin manual cleanups now. City staff suggested organizers could arrange neighborhood cleanups that avoid entering private property and the right-of-way, but reiterated that volunteers may not legally enter private houses without permission or a legal order. Crystal invited neighbors to coordinate with staff to identify safe, lawful cleanup activities and noted that formally condemned properties slated for demolition will be cleared as those projects progress.

The exchange closed without a new court order being announced; council members and staff encouraged residents to continue bringing specific property concerns to the city so staff can track which properties are condemned or scheduled for demolition. Council President Golds acknowledged the concern and reiterated the process timelines staff described.