Clubhouse Holdings rents to drug dealers

This drug bust on N 7th St last week took place at a property I profiled back in June 2009 . Nothing has improved here in the last two years. There have been quite a number of drug dealers renting in this building over the years which leads me to believe that the landlord, Clubhouse Holdings HAS to be aware of it!
Lots of landlords buy dilapidated properties in the city with the intent of renting them out to Section 8 tenants. Problem is, more times than not, there are other people living in these places besides the ones listed on the lease. And these other people are drug dealers.
Drug dealers are EASY to spot; young men that seem to always be hanging around, apparently not holding a regular job. To make a sale, they leave to go walking down the street, on the phone or texting, but come back a few minutes later from ANOTHER direction than they left in. The deals are made on the move, or they get picked up and dropped off somewhere else.
The dirtbags that were just busted actually sold heroin right inside the front door!
Now, if casually observant neighbors can see what's going on, how can the landlord not know about it?
Slumlords like Clubhouse Holdings need to be held accountable and screen their tenants better, and do inspections of their properties.
Keep calling the police on these people! The paper said this bust was in response to neighbor complaints, so keep it up!

Beth'lem Plays Musical Chairs

The Morning Call (How did they name this paper anyway? Who likes getting a call in the morning?) 's cover article today details how Bethlehem removed spot saving devices recently.
I have to say, this is bold. Necessary, but bold. As people are quoted saying, many feel this is a 'way of life' and 'everybody does it'.
As for the way of life; I'd imagine in a real well established neighrborhood of owner occupied homes, this wouldn't really be necessary. why? because people who know each other, are 'good neighbors', would know who cleaned out what spot, who parkes where, etc. for instance, my neighbor with a driveway, I know when she is home or not, and she doesn't mind if I park in her driveway from time to time.
Factors contributing to the problem/need of saving spaces:
1. people who don't clean out their vehicles. I've seen people that clean out just enough to remove their car, but don't necessarily park there when they get home, because they can choose a better spot later.
2. Too many cars. This is a problem all year 'round, compounded by the next problem;
3. No place to put the snow. Some of have yards to throw the snow, but most people don't. The Cities require us to clear the sidewalks, so the snow gets piles where a car could park.
4. Cars that aren't moved for DAYS. I don't understand this; if you can afford to be without your car for perhaps WEEKS, then why do you have it at all?

I think if people would just get together to clean the street after a storm we could all have a place to park.

What about Easton and collecting all the chairs and barrels? They say they aren't doing it, causes too many problems. I would suggest that they at least ticket the cars that aren't moved in 3 days, just like they do in the warmer weather. AND, ticket the cars that are parked too far from the curb!

*sigh* Spring is almost here...

The Peace Candle is Coming Down

As noted in today's Express Times, the 'Peace' Candle is coming down to once again reveal the 'War' Monument.
I note this myself here at UE because of what they do with it now; the article notes they 'put it in storage', which we all realize means 'pile up behind the City maintenance building'.
I'll get a picture of that when I can.

Be Careful Out There!

Most of the snow may have washed away, but the lower temps made all that water into some very unpredictable icy roads and walkways. Because not everyone shoveled out the remaining snow around their cars, the neighborhood now has crunchy and icy snow piles all over the place, making the roads all the more difficult to navigate.
Double parking while picking up passengers just adds to the difficulty. If people would just consider the other guy sometimes (you know, that other guy coming down the hill towards you that you didn't leave enough room for) then life in this West Ward would be a bit more pleasant.

And safe.

Township Bans Spot Saving

It's that time of year again folks, when the snow falls, the shovels come out, as well as the pylons, garbage cans and dining room chairs.
yes, I am talking about saving parking spots. I know, it's a treasured component of living in PA, but we all know it causes problems. At least one township is doing something about it . Darby Township is bold enough to tackle this issue head on with fines!
The most we ever get from Easton is 'maybe' a warning. A Police Officer 'might' tell someone 'hey, you can't do that', but people continue to save spots, as well as throw snow in the street when they clean out their car.
But what do you expect from a town where double parking is considered a God Ordained Right?
I would love to see neighborhoods get together to tackle this issue. When it snows, everyone agrees to move their cars and everyone pitches in to clean the street! Put all the snow in one place and everyone has a place to park!
If everyone took a little personal responsibility we could all have a place to park and and everything would be just a little more peaceful.
UPDATE: one of my favorite LV blogs, Lehigh Valley Transplant, posted a similar write up this morning, go check it out!

What To Do About Dutchtown

You've most likely heard about the plans afoot for the 600 block of Northampton St. the latest update is here, the plans for a project called dutchtown commons. basically it's a NY developers idea to build a grocery/parking deck/apartment building there. You can read about some other viewpoints at neighborsofeaston's coverage of the article.

I like the idea; I mean, why not? Some opponents of the idea are slumlords in the block, namely Terry Briggs, Paul Reaser, and Elliot Joseph. Well, I don't know if Elliot is a landlord, per se; his family 'owns' Jacob's Produce and the Armory, so they are a hinderance to any progress in that block.

Some arguments against the Commons are its height, that it won't fit the character of the neighborhood.

SERIOUSLY???

The character of the neighborhood is modeled on downtown Baghdad, but without the Federal rebuilding dollars. I am all for saving and restoring historical structures and drawing attention to offending buildings, but what is left in this block? They've knocked down the really unsafe ones, most all else have been converted/molested into slum apartments.

I would love to see the Commons built there. I would also love to see Jacob's Produce set up as an actual, viable produce distributor, something on the lines of Elias Produce, or even as a location for a Farmer's market. The Armory? I don't even know where to start, but if the City can get rid of the Hubcap store, they can get rid of the hindrances to developing the site.
I KNOW if Lafayette College was interested in these properties, things would be happening NOW.

Still Here, Still Ugly

When I 'discovered' blogs, I noticed that very few ever had any real readership; they are really a tool of the narcissistic it seems, not really providing anything in the way of real information or interest.
I never wanted to be 'that' guy.
I'm happy to say that I have 14 followers and I am grateful for each and every one. To you 14, I apologize for not keeping up with the ugly the last few months.
I would also like to say I am grateful to Lehigh Valley Ramblings , from whom I've received most of my traffic! It is one of those very useful blogs (to those residents of the LV at least) and I appreciate that they have me listed in their blogroll.
I might also mention Neighbors Of Easton , who, although Ms. Noel Jones would NEVER link to this blog, provides a nice counterpoint to Ugly Easton. The group of Liberal Zealots over there is of the mind they can change the world; or at least the idea that if everyone would just vote, all of our problems would be solved.
Any reader of UE knows that this is a politically-neutral blog; we're not out to change the world (Easton) but to just make some observations of the town in which we live, hoping to motivate people to be the best they can be.
I have some more pictures in my blackberry I've been meaning to get up here, and plenty more still to be shot, so please hang around, there will be more to see soon!
Thanks!

Ugly From Across The River Came

Any resident of Easton knows there is plenty of ugly over in our sister city, Phillipsburg, NJ (although we all know it's also easier to admit the shortcomings of them moreso than us, it's human nature).
But, not only is PBurg FULL of ugly, they actually had a CONTEST for ugliest home!

Maybe I'm not so crazy after all.

here's an idea; maybe after I've been doing this for a bit longer, we can have our OWN contest! I've gotten suggestions before and am always open to them, so if you have an homes of ill repute you'd like to nominate, perhaps we can get more participation here and get some notice! how about it?

S. Warren St.

Does this even need a caption? Well, OK, I guess I just answered that question.

But anyway, we know that the numerous alleyways in the West Ward have homes of more humble origins and that's OK; they have their place and many of them are very interesting and some are quite nice. What they lack in available (non-existent) parking they make up for in affordability.

The sadnees of this bit of ugly is there is a nice lady that lives next door in a well kept home; I'm sure she doesn't appreciate the condition of this house, nor the 'creatures' that surely inhabit it.

An Update!

 NOW                                                                                                   THEN  

You may remember I profiled this house back in Nov '09 and there's been some movement. I don't know if it was sold to a landlord or a homeowner, but either way, it's getting a fresh rock facade. Of course it now makes the red one look that much worse, but it's a start. Hopefully a new porch/staircase ins in the budget as well.
I checked on this the other day, and the rock work has indeed been finished. No new porch yet.