If the Mayor and City Council members truly listened to their constituents, they would have downsized the buildings to only three stories. This would have helped to protect the existing neighborhood. However, the contrary to what the Mayor and City Council Members tout, they don’t care about existing neighborhoods.

Their constituents will not forget this come election time. Watch and see.

But seriously, you touched on (but only touched on) the issue. Slumlords, detox
centers, trailer parks etc are part of the “urban flight” problem. IMO, more
importantly are the city officials who don’t care.

I’m referring to city code especially. I live in “inner city” Bosie neighborhood.
Let me give you one recent prime example of what needs to change. Car wreck near my
house, car undriveable, car abandoned right in front of my house, 48 hrs go by, I
call BPD to report it, 2 weeks go by and car finally gets it’s red tag, another week
goes by car still there, after some phone calling (and not the friendly kind) plus
some string pulling, offending car finally gets towed.

I say bullsh*t. I know abandoned cars are not a code issue but it’s the same
difference. I’ve reported to code enforcement many violations, most get taken care
of, (after days or weeks) but guess what, the same person is doing the same thing a
short time later. Prime example #876: lot at east side of Boise Ave. and
Protest/Beacon, please go drive by this one yourself.

I say 3 code violations over the lifetime as owner of a property and then it becomes
a criminal matter. (jail time and large fines)

I went to see the Mayor at one of his Saturday lip service meetings and brought
this issue up. He agreed with me, what a surprise. But has anything changed, no.
What a surprise.

As far as the infill issue, specifically
“shotgun houses”—Hey those lots were platted out 90+ years ago, i.e. there’s not
much that can be done about that. And bear in mind the new “shotgun houses” are
lots-no-LOTS better than the crappy houses and weedy lots that were there before.

Liveablilty as related to urban blight is the issue that needs to be addressed.
Expand code enforcement and really go after the slumlords. Go after the renters
too. How about enforcing the muffler laws? Let’s not even speak about the barking
dogs and the piles of canine fecal matter in Hull’s Gulch (and many other places in
the “inner city).” Save Hull’s Gulch, the bumper sticker said, I had to laugh, but
it wasn’t really humorous, after I thought about it.

That concludes today’s rant.

PS. The helicopter that was shot at in New Orleans. UH, where’s the picture of a
Helicopter with a bullet hole in it? And, if you’re in a helicopter, just how the
hell are you going to hear a gunshot? I smell bovine excrement.

The loss of Idaho sunshine in surrounding windows will be replaced with a clear view of “infill” – all 200,000 square feet of it. Then our city council will learn why citizens of Boise are moving to Eagle, Star and Middleton.

If only we had a “sunlight ordinance”…..or if we only had council members that would honor what they said about neighnorhoods when they asked for our vote at election time. Those promises are now hollow.

Maybe we ought to just rename Boise, “Clarks”town.

It is a sad day for Boise.