Wednesday, April 8, 2009
City cracking down on illegal apartments
Channels 4 and 7 are both reporting that at least one East Boston apartment was immediately cleared out after officials from the city's Inspectional Services Department checked a number of buildings looking for illegally occupied flats. Four residents from the basement apartment at 223 Saratoga Street were asked to leave immediately.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
27 comments:
what do you expect after Boston became a sanctuary city for illegals--plus now with Masshealth they know we are a haven for them. We're paying for it.I would estimate that there may be as many as 7500 illegal immigrants living in East Boston now.You can thank the entire city council and the Mayor for welcoming all these illegals,because the declaration passed unanimously.
How about thanking the property owners who try to squeeze as much money as they can from people desperate for a place to live? Why must you vilify the victims?
Jimbo this is 8:48 again--you hit the nail on the head with your point as well.This issue is not going away anytime soon either.In East Boston there are numerous extremely overcrowded apartments,basically an accident waiting to happen.
What does the amyor or the city council have to do withillegal immigrants? last time i checked the borders were controlled by the feds. I also must point out that resolutions put fourth by the city council hold no weight at all. If anyone iis to blame for the current situation with basement units it is Bill Clinton for opening our borders up.
Wow, 7500 is a very specific number. I'm curious where you got that number?
Its about time the city is on top of this illegal basement apartment issue, i know that there are several in my neighborhood, my next door neighbor an absentee landlord who speaks no english and owns 11 apartment buildings in east boston did not pay his electricity bill for the building next door to me, the electric company placed a red tag with locks on the meter attached to the outside of the house, the tenants were without power for one night, what scared me was the tenants had candles in the window sills with curtains waiting to flame up a potential fire disaster waiting to happen, i got nervous, i went to wallgreens and bought the tenants a handful of flashlights with batteries i told them to extinguish the candles,and use the flashlights, as i go to bed that night i wake up around 3am to see if they relighted the candles, sure enough 1 tenant did, the next morning i called inspectional services boston city hall and gave them my story that was 3 weeks ago still havent heard from the city, my eldery mother has owned the house which is attatched to a disaster waiting to happen because of an incompetant landlord for over 40 years unfortunately shes thinking of selling soon, the city needs to give strict fines to absentee landlords
10:06 - you are a good person and an asset to the neighborhood. It's great that you at least tried to prevent a potential hazard. I think if we took care of each other, we would all be better off.
The thing that worries me is that even if ISD kick people out of what are unsafe apartments, where are they going to go? It's not like anyone wants to live 3 families to a basement.
1:26 - you might want to check your history. The southern border has never been "closed." Indeed, if you want to blame anyone, blame the Reagan administration for causing instability in Latin America that led to the economic conditions that pushed migrants north to find work and the lax labor enforcement that incentivized employers to hire an easily exploitated migrant group.
Boston is one of 14 sanctuary cities in the US which means illegal immigrants are more than welcome.A resolution by the city council to allow illegals to vote in Boston last year was only defeated by one vote.It was the USPS that made that approximate 7500 estimate.Lets get some opinions on this. Do you think that figure is too low,or too high?? How many do you think reside in EB today?
Actually 8:58 is providing some old information.Today there are many more than 14 sanctuary cities in the US,but here are the current ones in Mass alone. Cambridge,Chelsea,Boston,Orleans,and Springfield.You may have meant just major cities,some of them are WashingtonDC,Detroit,SanFrancisco,Trenton, and Newark,NJ--its an epidemic my friends.In EB its quite possible that we have as many as 7000 illegals residing here.
8:58 - The US Postal Service made this estimate?
When I asked the question, I really wasn't thinking about whether the number is too high or low. I'm just curious as to the source. But now that I've had a chance to think about it and make some rough estimates, 7,500 seems a bit high. That is almost 19% of the total population of East Boston, which doesn't strike me as reasonable.
There are different ways to do estimates, but using a very conservative approach, I calculate that there would be around 1,600 undocumented persons in Eastie.
This estimate assumes that East Boston has grown at the same rate as the rest of Boston. Under this assumption there may be as many as 40,000 people living here.
This estimate assumes that the undocumented population comprise about 4% of Eastie's population, based on the national and Massachusetts proportion of undocumented immigrants as estimated by the Pew Hispanic Center, an arm of the Pew Research Center and the total population estimates from the US Census Bureau (12 million undocumented out of 298 million total population nationally or 250,000 undocumented out of 6.4 million in MA).
So, if there is a source or a report you can direct me to that says 7,000 or 7,500 I would be very interested in seeing it. As someone who studies research techniques, I would like to see their estimation method.
I went on a walking tour of Eagle Hill with the Eagle Hill Civic Assoc's problem property task force. The first stop on the tour was my wife's former home--the home she grew up in and married out from. That was 6 years ago. When she lived there her family knew everyone that lived in the 6 homes that made up the block. Today, out of the 6 of those families only one remains and apparently my wife's home--a home she has so many fond memories of--has been turned into an illegal rooming house with 16 names on the mailbox of the 2 family. This is the same case for 3 out of the 6 homes on the block.
It's a disgrace how quickly this block on Meridian Street has been taking down becuase of this epidemic in this neighborhood.
It's a disgrace. With so many fond memories my wife hoped that a nice family--despite thier ethnicity, culture, or background would buy the home and make thier own memories and raise thier own family in this once beautiful home. Instead the block now has landlords that are destroying the fabric of the neighborhood.
How long would the City and Mayor put up with illegal rooming houses in the Back Bay or Beacon Hill?
Maybe a day, maybe two.
Something needs to be done now becuase it's a dangerous disaster waiting to happen.
-John L.
0105701000 10 EMMONS YANES JOSE Map Details
0103592000 430 MERIDIAN YANES JOSE Map Details
0103606000 426 MERIDIAN YANES JOSE Map Details
0103608000 422 MERIDIAN YANES JOSE Map Details
1002063000 345 CENTRE YANES JOSE O Map Details
0106172000 1 DAVIS YANES JOSE Map Details
0104505000 99 WEBSTER YANES JOSE Map Details
0103551000 453 MERIDIAN YANES JOSE O Map Details
0103807000 114 BREMEN YANES JOSE Map Details
Search unsuccessful? Try Again.
This guy is this biggest slum lord in Eastie and should be run out of this neighborhood.
Yes, Jose Yanas is a big problem, but what about Aaron from Accorn Development? One of his buildings on Sumner Street caught fire last week and someone who saw it before said the electric wiring was done very poorly and could have been the cause of the fire. I am sure the tenants who lost their home and possessions deserved better than Aaron for a landlord.
We need to send a message to all these landlords--fun time is over.
Jose yanes is a big problem, I hope he loses his houses from foreclosures, italians spend their whole lifetime working and taking care of their homes, these people come over the border and ruin everything for this neighborhood, "nice country we live in".
Wait until Pollo campero comes to east boston, lombardo companies could well rent out one of there properties to polo campero, mama catina location or the new building being built next door to tellos.this means traffic jams on a daily basis with outsiders from brockton to rhode island traveling to east boston to eat crispy chicken, burger king and mickey d's will lose business tremendously. I heard a rumor that pollo campero might open up shop on orient ave .
If the population of East Boston is 40,000, and we have approximately 7000 illegal immigrants living here,that would be just over 16.5 percent.I believe that.I am a lifelong resident and am around the town alot,that figure does not surprise me at all.I have never believed the US Census figure of 12 million illegals in the US,I feel the figure is at least double that.
hello
159 Chelsea Street basement apartment,cited by ISD in November 2001 .
He applied to the City board of appeals to legalize it,and was DEnied.
Now one would think the next step is court,but its not. Thats the end of it,and the same family is still living in it.
Now to the owner ,he bought 3 parcels next to him after a fire,and rented on a Sat& Sun a back howe ,dug up the curb,and made a drive way,and now charges people to park there,who DO NOT register here so NO STICKER.
Now to Aron ,hes in the top TEN of the City of Bostons slum lords oweing close to 12,thousand dollars in un paid green tickets.
He was in his truck with his driver around October,and his driver got stopped for blowing a stop sign.
Guess what?
The driver is Illegally here,had No license to drive,and so they ran Arons social.
They were both arrested on the spot.www.cityofboston.gov for the top ten dead beats.
So to you who say what does the City Council,or Mayor have to do with it ,your wrong.
They made the rules ,and should enforce them.
Just think this November it will be 8 years for 159 to have an illegal basement apt,and stolen parking spots,I believe the width is 80 feet.
Go get them Sal.
I know you,Paul Scapicchio,Jeff Drago ,John Forbes,the last two isd Coms ALL knew about 159.
Good god only one way in,and out.
Nuts
Before you all got nuts,its ALL public records
So after all these years and clearly documented evidence,hasnt the city done anything about this in EB??Would this be tolerated in Hyde Park or West Roxbury?If everybody knew about 159,why have they ignored it? Maybe Forbes,Drago,or Sal could write in and explain.
About 159 Chelsea Street
I did some checking on the post about it,and to my shock,and surprise,its all true.
I called the Board of Appeals office at 1010 Mass Ave(but you need the case number),and sure enough there was a BOA hearing 11-02-01 for 159 illegal basement apartment,as well as the attempt to legalize the off street parking lot,and both were Denied.
So lets see criminal destruction of City owned property (our parking spaces),an Illegal apt. that is a death trap,and cash money for cars where people can't get a resident sticker.What a town.
To the poster man ,you uncovered a real ugly one,and I to would like to see those involved explain why nothing was done.
Why is it its always after a fatality,does anyone pay attention.
The Board of Appeals phone number is 617-635-4775
Mike
I guess that 100% factual posting,and the follow up ones were to much for even the Anons A.K.A.Menino ,and the machine
shut them up pretty fast.
I to called that number,and I to was told the exact same thing.
Maybe they will sit down with the blog owner for an interview to see why they as City officials have let this go.
If a fire happens ,and it is blocking the only exit,they will die in there.
Sick,and Tired of Basement Apartments
Just think about it they dug up the curb,and made a massive drive way,I went by today.UNREAL
there is an illegal basement apt next door to me and the tenant BBQ's at 2 and 3 in the morning playing music,and is drinking.We call the police and they send him inside,and leave.Have called social services and a woman "Ginnie" is how she identifies herself keeps telling me they have the info and they will be coming out but they never do.I am worried about a fire,he has the gate blocked creating a fire hazard,and no action from the city.How do I vote for Menino??
i have an apt next door to me. he blocked the exit with stolen city aluminum fences, tenants when there is a fire will be encased in six foot fencing. no way out. his apt has only one egress. my father was a fire fighter for thirty years i feel an obligation. called inspevtion service yesterday, spoke to ginny, 617 635-5300 she did not even give me the courtesy of asking the adress. which is 801 saratoga st. she said i will send the info along and hung up on me.
apathy is one thing, hating your job is another, but a total disregard for human safety?
what have we become?
If you can't beat them join them. I give up with the apt. next door. He lives in the cellar, one exit and cooks inside on a barbeque. Who cares? This weekend I am going to Bob;s and buying 10 mattresses and rent out my cellar. Will save the rent and go on four cruises a year. As long as Ginny is taking the complaints in Inspection services I have NOTHING to worry about.
If you want to have an electronic ,and Paper trail for a complaint !You need to wait until the City closes ,and call 617-635-4500.
Its on 24 -7 but the most effective is after the workers go home(lol)
They will take a full complaint,enter it into the e-mail system,and send it to the Building Inspector.
You must tell them Ward One East Boston.
It gets assigned a tracking number.
Dont complain,if you dont report these death traps.
Jimbo is correct,its the property owners(absentee of course),who laugh at us all the way to the bank,in towns like Marblehead,Saugus,Etc,and lets not leave out the ones who live in Florida.
P.S.
Its a felony to rent to anyone,ann apartment that does not have an Occupancy certificate.
did a little research and invite your readers to do as well--check some of these landlords names, and how they have contributed to some of our local elected pols over the last few years,especially Menino and Sal. HHMMM---think there is any connection to that and the city's lack of enforcement on illegal apartments here in East Boston??
I live on Chelsea St and often see scores of families going in and out the building at 157 Chelsea St. Does the city take a census of how many are legals and the safety factor? As for the building at 159 Chelsea.they are running a salvage operation from the yard and who knows what else goes on inside that building. Its time the INS does a crack down on the whole street. Some of these people expect the benefits of tax paying citizens but take no pride in the neighborhood.
Post a Comment