Since January 2019, the Council has been struggling between enforcement of the current code, which holds property owners responsible for the sidewalks adjacent to their property, and adopting a policy modeled on the one in place in the City of Ithaca, which funds sidewalk replacement and maintenance with an annual sidewalk assessment fee. At the last meeting of the ad hoc Sidewalk Committee, Councilmember Vicky Daskaloudi (Fifth Ward) brought up yet another means of getting sidewalks replaced or repaired: requiring sidewalk repairs at the point of sale. Daskaloudi suggested that buyers might be given sixty days to make any necessary repairs to the sidewalk adjacent to their newly acquired property.
Promoting the idea at the Legal Committee meeting on Wednesday, Daskaloudi said, "If twenty houses sell in Hudson next year, at least we will have those sidewalks fixed." Morris said the point of sale solution appealed to her because of the rate of turnover of properties in Hudson. She suggested, however, that sidewalk repair should be the seller's responsibility, but it could be done after the sale when the seller has the money from the sale to use to repair the sidewalk. She also suggested that point of sale might be combined with the assessment model.
There are five councilmembers on the Legal Committee, but only two--Morris and Theo Anthony (Fourth Ward)--were present for the meeting on Wednesday. The video recording of the meeting can be viewed here.
COPYRIGHT 2022 CAROLE OSTERINK
As I recall, a big part of the settlement agreement with the DOJ was that the city had to make certain sidewalks and curb ramps viable by the end of this year-- those paths from City Hall to important services like the Armory (where the old folks office is?), Oakdale Park, the Youth Center on 3rd and a few more. The city was forced to hire an engineering firm to look at all those sidewalks and curb ramps in need of attention, even measuring tripping hazards and noting missing or non-compliant ramps. Warren Street sidewalks were on there, even the still extant issues in front of City Hall! The detailed report, with pictures, was, as you might guess, quite extensive. The issues that the report noted were on the city to take care of, not to instead say "we will get the property owners to deal with these troubled sidewalks some year." I would bet that at best 1% of those hazardous sidewalks and ramps have been improved or created (from missing ramps) by the city, and quite possibly zero. And 2 of the 5 legal committee members show up to the meeting. And our Mayor and Tom want to pay the Housing Justice Coordinator $80,000 a year.
ReplyDeleteThe DOJ will likely extend the deadline when they see that city hall has done essentially nothing in 3 years. That extra time still won't get anything done, that's for sure!
Want to get this done? - Split up the DPW into 3 separate departments with 3 directors:. Streets and Sidewalks; Water and Sewer; and Parks and Recreation. This is what municipalities with a grip on reality do, and they probably have really respectable sidewalks and are not missing curb ramps, unlike Hudson, NY. Until there is someone competent in City Hall whose primary job is to deal with our Streets and Sidewalks, absolutely nothing will change in terms of our deplorable sidewalks. Otherwise, as history has shown, it will continue to be all talk by well-intentioned amateurs who would be better off staying at home and off the Zoom, which is what appears to actually be happening!
B Huston
Mayor's aide Michael Hofmann reported at the meeting on Wednesday that the City has requested $5 million in congressionally directed funding for the sidewalks you mention, those that connect principal city facilities.
DeleteOne big problem with the issue of getting the sidewalks improved is the contractors doing the work. My neighbor recently replaced about 30 feet of sidewalk and the contractor did a horrible job of it. I doubt the homeowner approached dpw or code to get the permit and show the plans for the work, as is required. Some of the concrete is already peeling - a sure sign of someone who does not know how to mix concrete properly. Who is going to do all this work all over town? Any old contractor, even if they aren't a paving professional? Hell, our friends at Colarusso replaced a bunch of curb ramps last fall for the city and a few started cracking within weeks. Concrete work is not simple, and it can't be done by anyone. But if you read the letter the sidewalk committee recently sent out to every home, all it says is "Find a contractor, do the work, have it inspected by code enforcement.". If it were so simple!
ReplyDeleteOn the sidewalk near the curb in front of 536 Warren, close to City Hall, there is a fresh example of City Hall's dysfunction, inability, lack of interest and negligent approach to our sidewalk situation. At least 3 weeks ago I noticed the vestige of a parking meter pole that once held 2 parking meters. There is a jagged, round piece of immovable metal still sticking out of the pavement about an inch and a half high waiting to put someone on their chin. No cone or anything has been near it to prevent someone from tripping on it, especially in the dark. Do you think Ed Moore, whose parking enforcers walk past it multiple times a day, and who does not live in Hudson, gives a crap? Do you think Rob Perry, Craig Haigh or Kamal Johnson give a crap? Obviously not.
ReplyDeleteThe problem isn't the common council's many failed attempts to figure out a sidewalk solution. The problem is ultimately the hands-off/"not our problem" approach by the full timers in City Hall. Until that pathetic culture at 520 Warren changes, our sidewalks will basically remain the same. No, actually, the sidewalks will only worsen the more 520 Warren dithers and ignores.
BH
Now that - application for $5 million -- is intriguing. Very. Many hundreds of feet of sidewalks could be repaired with a purse of those proportions. Is there more detail on the Federal agency or program budget from which the Congress would dedicate that money? And could the City, if this was Michael Hoffman's description, give more definition of what it would mean to "connect principal city facilities."
ReplyDeleteIt's all explained in the second half of this Gossips post from April 2022: https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2022/04/pursuing-ada-compliance.html It's a member item.
DeleteWill the 5 million go to repairing specific hazards or replace entire sidewalks and curb ramps? If it is not the latter, this is a waste of time and money. My guess is that the city's intention is the former.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone tried to step off or up to the curb at 5th and Columbia, to cross Columbia on the east side, in the past few years? How about the past 20 years? Where there is no ramp and the curb and the street are crumbling and the curb is up 4 inches or more from the street? It's beyond insulting. It is one of the worst of the many clear signs of failed government. Of a government that at times claims to care about safe and respectable sidewalks, but obviously does not.
We are going to need more than a few alders and a city attorney to get this problem solved.
Thanks, Carole
ReplyDelete