Contact was made recently with the city of Vancouver staff regarding the condition of city-owned properties at the intersection of Northeast 18th Street and Village Green Drive. These houses were purchased by the city in May 2014 in preparation for the Northeast 18th Street improvement project. Though some preliminary work has been done, the properties have not been cleaned since the city purchase. The appearance of both has deteriorated drastically.
At one property on Village Green Drive, the yard is covered with trash is and visible from 18th Street. In addition, there is a pile of garbage and trash next to the garage. It has been there for six months and is a prime target for development of odor and vermin.
At a second property on Village Green Drive, the contractor hired by the city to complete demolition did not finish fencing, leaving the front yard a mess. It is also visible from 18th Street.
While the need to clear space for widening of 18th Street is understood, the response of city employees to the concern about the current appearance of the properties is shortsighted and unacceptable. In an e-mail, it was stated that “during this process the area will look worse before it looks better.” It should not “look worse” due to lack of proper attention.
