Thread: MD: Maryland City cracking down on invader slums

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bi ... _05-09/TOP

County inspectors sweep Maryland City
More code violation crackdowns expected

By JOSHUA STEWART, Staff Writer
Published February 05, 2008
Oversized vehicles, others without proper license plates, yard debris, structural damage and peeling paint on homes and too many people living in one house.
Those were just some of the 20 violations found earlier this month in a county government crackdown on health and code scofflaws in Maryland City, an older west county community near the Prince George's and Howard county lines.



Ordered by County Executive John R. Leopold after complaints from residents, the surprise enforcement on Jan. 12 was the first in a series of periodic sweeps of neighborhoods that he said are planned in the coming months.

During the crackdown, a number of Hispanic immigrants were cited for housing violations, a problem repeatedly cited by nearby residents.

Representatives from the county health, police, and inspections and permits departments participated in the inspection of homes on Old Line Avenue and Crumpton South near Maryland City Elementary School.

There are 276 homes on the two streets, and inspectors paid close attention to about 10 percent of those selected at random, said Gerry Zitnik, a program manager for the health department's Housing and Food Protection Program.

At least one violation was found at 25 separate properties, according to a county news release. But the county Web site shows violations at just 20 different locations.

Offenders were given a "pre-citation," a document that requires them to fix the offense within a certain time or suffer a more serious punishment, Mr. Zitnik said.

According to county officials, inspectors cited:

Eighteen homes for having vehicles parked without proper license plates.

Five for debris and junk in a home's yard.

Two for oversized vehicles parked outside.

One for structural damage and peeling paint.

Two for multiple dwellings built into a building that was designated as a single-family home.

At previous public meetings and forums, Maryland City residents have complained about too many people living in single-family homes.

"The thing we are seeing more and more, though, is multiple families living in single-family homes that were not built for that reason," said Russett activist Jeanne Mignon at a Nov. 12 town hall meeting.

"At some point we need to address the fact that we have a huge wave of immigration going on. It's not only those people, certainly, but there is a belief that we bring it, we bring it and this goes on. ... Can't immigration (officials) be called to see if they are illegal people?" she asked.

Ms. Mignon said yesterday that her primary concern is for young children who may also live under those conditions. That type of lifestyle could impact their health, she said.

"The parents may be strapped for cash - and I can understand that - but as a society, we have to find a better way than what's going on," she said.

Maryland City Civic Association President Ray Smallwood said that the over-populated homes are primarily occupied by members of the area's booming immigrant population, particularly immigrants from Latin America.

Some homes have up to 12 people living in the basement, he said.

"These aren't rooms, they're cubicles," he said.

According to property records, about 13 percent of homeowners in the inspected area are of Hispanic heritage. But citations show that 25 percent of the violations were given to homeowners with Latino surnames.

"Many individuals, unrelated individuals living in the house, have been reported by neighbors," Mr. Zitnik said.

He said complaints about too many people living in a single dwelling are uncommon, with his department receiving only about 10 a year.

Mr. Leopold said that the surprise inspection came after he received complaints from people in the Maryland City area.

"I heard quite frequently that they feel neglected by the county," he said.

Other areas of the county also have complained, and other surprise inspections are on the way, Mr. Leopold said. He would not say where or when they would take place.

The crackdown also came as a surprise to Mr. Smallwood. His civic group encourages its members to report their concerns about how their neighbors keep their property. The organization will then approach an offending homeowner and try to find a solution, Mr. Smallwood said.

By keeping the civic group out of the loop on the operation, some of the most frequent offenders and persistent concerns - typically littered yards or big trucks parked on small roads - were missed, he said.

"It would have been nice if they would have met with us," he said.

You watch the powers that be in pro-illegal amnesty Maryland will step in and stop this enforcement similar to when a task force in california was rounding up more illegals in a week than had been done in 5 years.The powres in california contacted then ASA Hutchinson the former arkansas senator who was in charge of the border patrol to stop the sweeps.Google it,this was in late june,early july 2004.

According to property records, about 13 percent of homeowners in the inspected area are of Hispanic heritage. But citations show that 25 percent of the violations were given to homeowners with Latino surnames.

They post about once a month all the citations in the paper. I would 99 9/10ths of the owners of these places are latino owners. Just about every single one is multiple families in a single family dwelling. It's even happening in the McMansions...legal family member buys it and illegal family members move in. To be honest I was surprised by that ...... I figured it would be more wide spread among other races of people trying to take advantage of their status......to think it's their own doing so..... Lord knows slum lords come in all colors and sizes. Guess it shocked me because they had a big whoopdie doo about landlords offering latinos sub standard housing as if we haven't always had that happen and as if they were the only people it's ever effected. Guess it's ok if they do it to their own.....just not anyone else.