Living in LoCo
Sterling Park: Navigating the Blight
Erica Garman at 12:22 p.m., July 7, 2008 (16 comments)
In a continued effort to beautify aging Sterling Park, county-contracted mowers, accompanied by a sheriff's deputy, will be in the neighborhood starting today cutting the lawns of several private homes that have been neglected -- most often due to the nationwide foreclosure crisis.
Supervisor Eugene Delguadio (R-Sterling) told me yesterday evening that he was touched by the number of neighbors, realtors and concerned activists who voluntarily mowed some of these blighted properties in his district, and he commended their outreach. "Residents know that Sterling Park is worth fighting for. The community is united and they don't want to be ignored," he said.
Delgaudio is glad that other county supervisors are finally taking notice of the problems long neglected in his district.
Sandhya Somashekhar wrote about Sterling Park's clean-up campaign in June -- which includes a crack-down on overcrowding, cars parked in yards, 18-wheelers parked in driveways, trash on lawns, and overgrown grass.
"I'm going to continue to defend Sterling Park," Delgaudio continued. "Talking about it is not doing harm -- not talking about it is being complacent." Delgaudio was chided by critics last week for describing parts of his district as a "cesspool" on a nationwide radio show.
Home in Sterling Park that is subject to neighbor complaints. (Photo by Erica Garman)
Yesterday, I checked out a home in Sterling Park that has received numerous complaints of overcrowding. I knocked on the door to ask the residents some questions, and although two cars were in the driveway, no one answered. There is a for-sale sign in the yard and -- I'm not a real estate professional -- the property appears to be in disrepair.
An adjacent neighbor saw me lingering outside the home and she spoke with me at length about many problems she's had with the neglected property and its residents. She asked that I not reveal her name as she is afraid of retaliation.
This woman complained of overcrowding, a high turnover of transients, the property's rat infestation, and garbage piling up at the rear of the home. She was under the impression that the home was in foreclosure and that no residents should be living there.
Although Long and Foster advertises the property online as a foreclosure, both the realtor representing the property and Tony Arko, a realtor and blogger at LoudounStats, confirmed that the home is a short sale property.
The neighbor says she has complained to county officials about these problems several times. On occasions when zoning office representatives did stop by the property, she says the overflow renters simply moved temporarily to another location before officials arrived -- then later returned to the home.
After our conversation, I sat in my car taking notes, when a car of four adults and one child pulled up to the home. One of the women exiting the car told me she is a renter there, but when the group learned who I was, they answered no more of my questions. (I next asked how many renters were living there.)
What are your thoughts on "blight" and overcrowding in Sterling Park? Are zoning officials doing enough to enforce compliance? Is too much, or not enough, focus being placed on this community at a time when budgets are stretched?
At local blog sites where this issue is being discussed -- NovaTownHall and Too Conservative -- some posters suggest that organizing a homeowner's association would alleviate the neighborhood's problems. Some feel a majority of SP residents moved to the community because it indeed has no HOA -- no stringent property conditions and extra dues to pay.
Delguadio believes a better alternative to an HOA may be a CDA, a community development authority, upon petition of the property owners, where money would be raised for capital improvements via fundraising. There is an organization similar to this in the community already -- the Sterling Foundation, which, through dues and grants, recently funded the new landscaping along Sterling Boulevard.
Deal of the Day
Take 15% Off Lunch at Nick's Corner Grill!
Take 15% off your lunch bill Monday through Thursdays until 4pm! This is for a limited time only. Located in ...
• View all deals from Nick's Corner Grill | All deals
Urgent Deal
• Get Two Free Chairs With Table Purchase! expires: 10/12/08
|
Search Deals and Business Directory |
Your Thoughts...
As the financial crisis has worsened, have you found yourself avoiding a peek at your retirement accounts?
Comments:
Note: LoudounExtra.com does not necessarily agree with comments posted below — responsibility lies with the relevant reader alone. Peruse our reader agreement and privacy policy
People dislike having HOAs and dislike paying monthly dollars to maintain one.
Want your neighborhood to become another Sterling Park? Want to live next door to a house overcrowded with renters, rat infestations, and garbage piled up in thebackyard? Like looking at Commefial trucks parked in your neighbors front yard?
I'm guessing that $50 a month saved isn't looking so smart now ...
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
People dislike having HOAs and dislike paying monthly dollars to maintain one.
Want your neighborhood to become another Sterling Park? Want to live next door to a house overcrowded with renters, rat infestations, and garbage piled up in thebackyard? Like looking at Commercial trucks parked in your neighbors front yard?
I'm guessing that $50 a month saved isn't looking so smart now ...
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that if there is an unkempt home nearby with a realtor's sign on it, we should lean on the realtor to maintain the yard, at least. If neighbors would call the realtor--and continue to do so--maybe the realtor would act without Loudoun County taxpayers having to be on the hook. Then again, the realtor would probably act only by taking down the sign.........parasites!
Posted by kpschroe (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
People are blind if they don't think there are boarding houses in some of these more "upscale" neighborhoods. You can pack a home full of people and still have a nice looking property outside. The two are not always related. If Loudoun has a law limiting the number of residents in a home they better have an idea on how to enforce it.
Posted by mazman128 (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember when I first moved to Ashburn many years ago, there was a SFH in the Courts and Ridges w/ 7 bedrooms. It was a normal sized house that had been converted to maximize the bedroom space. Needless to say, it lingered on the market (it was a hot market at the time)...
Posted by qazwsxedcrfv (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 6:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is the Realtor responsible for the property?? Realtors are agents that represent the buyers/sellers. They are not responsible for the condition. You should be happy that a professional realtor is working to get the home into to the hands of someone who will maintain it. If Tiger Woods cannot play in a tournament, is HIS agent responsible for playing for him??
Posted by kmccorma (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They should take a wrecking ball to any house connected to a yard that hasn't been mowed for more than 2 months.
.
That might get the owner's attention ...
.
You can NOT tell me that $40 every other week is an unacceptable amount of money to keep neighbors/community happy.
.
No house = no more haven for rats & illegal aliens = no more blight
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 2:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Agents are paid by the seller so the agent SHOULD be monitoring the upkeep of the house, if the seller cannot (i.e. if they are out of town). That is my experience in working with the group of agents that I worked with. Why would you let a property go to the dogs? Don't you want to sell it?? Where did you get your license? I hope that other agents don't operate like you.
Posted by brewhm (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 3 p.m. (Suggest removal)
While I would gladly pay $40 to anyone living next to OTHumanity if they would stop mowing their lawn for the months of August and September, I don't see why tax dollars are being spent mowing private property.
Posted by AFF3 (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not much chance of that; I have civilized neighbors, and I doubt my hood will become a cesspool in at least the next 20 years.
.
Sorry AFF ...
.
Bums will drag down their neighbors with them.
.
Is your house ready for the wrecking ball?
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on July 8, 2008 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
kmccorma, if Woods doesn't play in the tournament, he doesn't get the money. Frankly, Realtors get an obscene amount of money... just for driving people around to look at homes? Sorry, but a chauffeur doesn't deserve the kinds of commissions you guys make. You guys insist that you're essential to the housing market, but then refuse to take any responsibility for anything whatsoever.
Posted by Hoqenishy (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 7:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If I was an agent, and my client refused to mow the lawn, I'd tell him to get someone else to represent them. What kind of moron thinks their house is going to attract buyers if the grass is 2 feet high? I seriously doubt the cases discussed in this article are just people on vacation. even if it is the case, is it resposnible to leave your house for 3 weeks and forget about it? I hope such indivduals don't have pets or houseplants.
Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Most of the problem homes are bank owned. And the same maintenance issues appear on foreclosed homes in HOA neighborhoods.
Posted by mazman128 (anonymous) on July 9, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dont have an account? Sign up!
Post a comment