According to Middle Tennessee Listing Service, foreclosures and distressed properties in and around Metro are up a mind boggling 30% since the economy turned sour.
A side effect being noticed this summer is a growing number of properties that are not only distressed economically, but aesthetically.
High grass.
Weedy lawns.
General disrepair.
Nashville Codes and Metro Health have mechanisms to deal with violations.
Inspectors visit the property and if it is a health violation or not up to code, then the owner is notified.
According to Metro Health, this is the sequence of correction.
1. Upon verifying a Complaint, a Notice is issued with a specified time for correction;
2. If not corrected, we issue a Citation to Court;
3. If they do not appear on the court date, we request the judge issue a Mandatory Injunction (a court order issued by the judge ordering the person to appear in court with a new court date). Note, we can ask the judge to assess a $50/day for the violation;
4. If they still do not appear on the Mandatory Injunction, we ask for a Show Cause (served by the Sheriff’s Department) to come to court to explain why they did not appear previously; and
5. If they do not appear for the Show Cause, we ask for a Body Attachment where the officer is required to go and arrest the person.
This seems like a good way to get results.
The problem is, what if the owner is upside down in the property and the bank is about to foreclose. What motivation does the home owner have to correct high grass problems?
This would seem to be the case at 151 Elkmont in South Nashville.
The yard is a disaster. Grass is five feet high and filled with weeds.
Metro records indicate the owners have been ordered to correct the problem.
When the problem persisted, the owners were cited into court.
When the owners didn’t show up for court, the city issued a mandatory injunction ordering the owner to come to court or risk being arrested.
That is where this case stands.
The question I have is, how motivated are the sellers?
News 2 has determined that the house is being foreclosed on by the bank.
Do the owners really care about high grass and codes violations when they are going down the financial toilet?
Teresa and Mike Pillow live next door.
The pillows lawn is immaculate. There are cute statutes of frogs and angels.
The property line is as defined as Geraldo’s mustache.
Mrs. Pillow is fed up. She tells me that this is the second summer the house will look as it does.
She tells me that she cannot sit in her backyard with her grandchild because the mosquito problem is so pervasive.
Mike, her husband, tells me that raccoons and possums have been seen in the yard and he is afraid of his dog getting rabies.
The Pillows say they have notified the city over and over.
City inspectors tell me they have been to the home numerous times.
The inspector tells me he has tried to notify the owners but he is now uncertain where the owners are.
Anna Page is city councilwoman for the section of South Nashville.
Page says at a recent community event, umpteen residents came up to her complaining of properties in her district that are also in terrible condition.
Page says the increase in complaints is a direct result of tough financial times where homes like the ones next to the Pillows, are being foreclosed on.
“The sad part is this is not the only situation. With the foreclosure rate, what it is, this is not the only property that has three foot high grass where property is neglected,” the councilwoman says. “And it is a problem as the economy doesn’t improve we will face more and more of this.”
“It’s very sad, very sad,” Mrs. Pillow says staring at the property. “I want something done fast. I hope you can talk to the city. I really love sitting in my back yard.”
Sadly, Mrs. Pillow may have to wait till the new owner or the bank takes title to the property before that will happen.
Trauma doctors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center say they average two pedestrian versus car cases a week.
According to Dr. Rick Miller, the injuries can be catastrophically gruesome.
“When talking pedestrian hit by a car, even at relatively slow speed, 20 to 30 miles-per-hour, can cause significant injuries,” the unit director tells me.
“80% of people have lower extremity injuries and that makes sense since the car bumper hits them on the legs, then the body, moves forward after being hit. The legs are a fulcrum, and body moves onto the hood and they get head and chest injuries.”
“What is it like when a car full of metal hits a body full of flesh?” I ask.
“Have you ever seen the movie Meet Joe Black,” he says, his eyes searching the trauma room for memories.
“Joe crosses and doesn’t look. His legs hit the bumper. His head hits the hood. The injuries we see involving pedestrians hit by cars are incredible. 20 miles-per-hour and you are up in the ICU on a ventilator. Possibly operation, open fractures, injuries that could kill you.”
I think about that as I spend the next hour documenting jay walking from Murfreesboro Road near the News 2 studio to Church Street near the downtown library.
I watch as people run, walk, meander, and zombie their way across traffic. I see strollers and people reading and texting and doing everything they shouldn’t be doing. It’s amazing to me that only two people a week are hit by vehicles.
I read the Metro code regarding jay walking. It’s a run on sentence of legal ease, but it boils down to two things in my book:
1. Pedestrians must cross at the cross walk or signal.
2. If a pedestrian crosses anywhere other than a cross walk, then the pedestrian better
have his or her head on a swivel, because the cars and trucks have the right of way.
Kelly McAlexander is one of 185,000 Middle Tennessee Electric Corporation customers.
The 31 year old is very energy conscious.
As she walks us around her 1200 square foot condo, she tells us that she only uses lights when she has to. She tells us that she watches the thermostat like a hawk.
McAlexander pulls out a handful of bills representing several years.
The bills appear to average $100 a month.
Around Mother’s Day, McAlexander says she got this letter from the electric company:
Dear customer,
This letter is in reference to a billing problem that was recently discovered. It seems that when the meter was originally set for this residence there was an error made when recording the metering information which has caused a billing problem for you. We found that your account has been under-billing since you moved in and the billing information has now been corrected and is reflected on the bill attached. We sincerely apologize for this billing issue and are willing to make arrangements with the amount due if needed.
Please contact Mrs. McClain to discuss this issue.
Thanks Vickie A. Taylor.
"Oh my gosh!" McAlexander says from her kitchen. "You know, that is all I could think. How am I responsible? I try and do good on my bills. And they clearly say it is their mistake. $917 dollars, that is a lot of money. It is not 90-dollars. It is $900."
That’s right, McAlexander owes 917 dollars. It seems that the electric company has been under-billing her for the last 3 years. Electric company officials say her meter was mixed up with another unit. The people in that unit have been over paying during the same time span.
Now the electric company says it is going to offer a credit to the customer who over paid, and by the same token it expects McAlexander to pay her $900 bill.
Todd Palmer is a friendly man who represents the electric company.
Palmer tells me that Middle Tennessee Electric is a not-for-profit co-op.
Because it is a not-for-profit, Palmer tells me the agency cannot "eat" the 917-dollar mistake.
"We are apologetic," he says standing in front of the electric building in Murfreesboro.
"It is a human mistake. We are non profit. We can’t swallow it. We do want to be right and fair. The member customer who over paid will get a credit. The customer who underpaid will have to pay. We are apologetic for the inconvenience. We will work out a payment plan."
"Let’s say one of your drivers makes a mistake," I counter. "Every one of your 185,000 member customers would have to absorb the mistake. She says this is also a mistake that should be absorbed. It is the cost of doing business."
Palmer says it doesn’t work that way with a not for profit co-op.
"I think they should eat the cost," the Smyrna resident proclaims. "I am in business. I understand mistakes happen. They made the mistake, not me. They should eat the cost. I understand going forward, my bills will be higher. I’m ok with that, but to send me a $917 bill for three years? That I knew nothing about, that is not right!"
"You know what this is like," I say. "I sell you a hamburger. It’s a 5 dollar hamburger and I mistakenly sell it to you for 4 bucks. And then 3 years later, I say you owe me a dollar. You have eaten it and digested that hamburger, and that buck is gone, but I still want my dollar. I should eat that dollar, shouldn’t I?"
After she finishes laughing she tells me yes. She says it is messed up and she is not sure what plans to do.
The company says it will set up a payment plan that can be amortized over 36 months.
We showed you photo after photo of York Disposal appearing to operate in violation of the state’s tarp law. We also told you how the company was warned by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in January to obey the law of suffer the consequences.
The day we air that story, the THP cited York Disposal after catching them in the act in Rutherford County.
UPDATE: Take a close look at the photos above taken on May 14. That’s York Disposal of Smyrna truck #118 collecting garbage in Rutherford County without a tarp. The THP has been notified of the latest photos depicting them continuing to operate in violation of the law. We’ll keep you posted on this story.
To some motorists, the HOV lane promotes car pooling, reduces traffic congestion and minimizes emissions. It allows you to fly by single drivers stagnating in the other three lanes of traffic.
To some motorists, the HOV lane is a dangerous waste of concrete set up to give troopers one more chance to shoot high dollar fish in a barrel.
Now here’s something about the HOV lane that I didn’t realize; if your car is environmentally friendly, meaning it has reduced emissions and gets high gas mileage, you qualify for a pass that allows you to drive in the diamond lane regardless of how many people are in the vehicle.
It’s called the Smart Pass Program.
According to the TDOT web site, On August 10, 2005, a new federal transportation act was signed into law and included an exemption from the HOV occupancy requirements for vehicles certified as "low emission and energy-efficient," (Section 1121). The new provision required the EPA to issue regulations for certifying vehicles as "low emission and energy-efficient."
Tennessee adopted this federal law January 1, 2009. Starting on this date, if your car was on an EPA approved list, you could get a Smart Pass decal free of charge.
That’s what Darryl Leis wants to do.
Leis drives a 2001 Honda Insight which he says is the most fuel efficient car on the road.
According to the EPA, the 2001 Honda Insight gets 60 miles per gallon.
Leis say because he has learned to drive his manual transmission car, he gets 10 miles a gallon more than that.
"It is an aluminum body car; it has the lowest drag co efficient of any car. It is a 3 liter engine. It wastes no gas when you stop. The engine shuts off when you go below 20 mph. If you push in the clutch, it stops, it restarts when you push the clutch back out. It uses W -20 weight oil. It has special tires with the low rolling resistance; they made this car to be the highest gas mileage car bar none. And for the people who own it is unbelievable car."
Hearing all this, you would think that this car easily qualifies for the Smart Pass.
Just listening to Mr. Leis, I can’t help but think this car is the poster child for all that is Green in the world.
One visit to the EPA sanctioned list of authorized vehicles reveals no mention of the 2001 HONDA INSIGHT.
This Messed Up email of the day comes from a viewer who thinks emergency vehicles need to be more careful.
I just read a story regarding a women being hit by a fire official and dying. I understand that the gentleman was cleared but someone needs to check out the way the emergency vehicles drive. I understand that they are helping us but I see them ALL OF THE TIME driving absolutly crazy, instead of driving in the way the traffic goes and when vehicles pull over they don’t even wait they just go the wrong way down the opposite lane- it is really nuts how they drive. I have seen them have a clear lane in the correct lane and still blast through oncoming traffic- it really scares me.
Today’s email of the day comes from a viewer who has had it with the noise from airplanes over his neighborhood.
Andy,
I find that in the past year and a half, when I moved to Nashville, that the noise from airplanes flying over downtown Nashville has increased in volume and frequency.
When I was in my yard on Trimble Street, I was having a conversation with a neighbor who was only a few feet away. As a jet liner from BNA passed overhead, I had to raise my voice to be heard. Then I had to stop and wait for the jet to pass so that my neighbor could hear me. Minutes later, another low flying jet passed over, and I was forced to stop and wait for the jet noise to abate to continue my conversation. After the third jet interrupted us, we both gave up.
One morning at 5:47am (05/07/09), I was awaken from my sleep by a jet passing overhead. This was unacceptable. I live in a concrete block stucture with good insulation and very good windows that keep almost all noise at bay.
Our quality of life should not be diminished by an industry that has their bottom line as a priority. Since the FAA regulates the industry and has a noise abatement program in place, they should use that authority to make sure that the people’s best interest is being served by not allowing this industry to lower our quality of life to bolster their bottom line by taking a route that is convenient to airlines.
It would seem to me that the FAA would want to minimize the noise level by using routes that don’t fly directly over the most populated centers in the area.
The least amount of people affected should be the goal, shouldn’t it?
Today’s Messed Up email of the day comes from a concerned viewer who says police would not repsond to calls about a break in simply because the caller doesn’t own the property.
I live across the street from a rental property which was abandoned in Jan 2009. The place is literally falling apart and all attempts to contact the owners have thus far failed. My neighbor and I have both seen a red truck over there - not sent by the owners who are in another part of TN and may not even know the place has been abandoned.
Yesterday, my neighbor, who lives next door to the property asked me to come over there with her since she thought the place may’ve been broken into. We found a back window open that had previously been unopened. The front and back doors were locked. This morning, noises were heard coming from the property. This was around 2:30am. This morning, we found the back door open.
My neighbor phoned the police who refused to come out because she is not the owner of the property.
We are trying to prevent crime in our neighborhood and the neighbors all look out for one another. If the owners of the property cannot be located and the police won’t do anything when something like this happens, what are we, the public, supposed to do? Exactly where are our tax dollars going? This situation is definitely MESSED UP!
Today’s Messed Up Email of the Day comes from a viewer upset over Oprah’s KFC coupon fiasco.
Recently Kentucky Fried Chicken distributed coupons for their new grilled chicken. The customer could go to there website print coupon good for a 2 piece grilled chicken meal FREE. I went to KFC with my family and was turned away being told that they no longer will honor the coupons because they had received too many from customers. I cant believe that they will not do the right thing. They KFC promoted the product, ask customers to visit the site and print coupons and come receive the NEW PRODUCT. NOW THEY WONT HONOR IT! THATS MESSED UP!
Have you ever driven by a highway billboard and thought to yourself; man that thing is bright?
Now add fog or rain to the equation, and drive by that same billboard. You might find yourself muttering that the same billboard is dangerous.
At 70 miles an hour, there is little you can do except grind your teeth and hold onto the steering wheel.
There are rules that govern how bright these LED signs can be.
To understand the law you need to understand how they are measured.
If heat has temperature, and distance has inches, then brightness has foot-candles.
In Metro ½ a foot candle is the acceptable limit.
Anything more than a ½ foot candle is considered a violation.
So if a LED sign measures almost 3 foot candles it is many times over the acceptable limit.
In short, it means the sign is too bright.
That is the case with a Billboard on I-40 West at the Demonbruen exit.
Several complaints have been registered with the city.
Bobby Joslin is a well known sign man in Nashville.
Joslin doesn’t own this billboard, but he hears about it constantly.
"I go to neighborhood meetings, and public hearings and that billboard is the poster child at every meeting. I constantly have to defend my industry cause of that billboard."
Joslin calls this billboard dangerous.
"That sign is obnoxious. It blinds people. We have had people calling us here and we tell them we don’t do billboards. That billboard throws a knock out punch to everything we are trying to achieve in the community."
Bill Penn is the Asst. Director of Property Standards for the Metro Codes Department.
He tells me that he has received several complaints on that specific sign.
He sent out an inspector who measured it with a light meter.
The inspector reports that the sign was well over the ½ a foot candle limit, varying from 2.1 to 2.8 foot-candles.
"It is well over the limit," Penn says. "We have a situation that is well over the limit. Something that bright, driving 70mph, you will pay attention to it, you will look away from the road and look at the bright flash. That could be a dangerous distraction."
Penn says the billboard owner will be sent an abate notice.
I check with Metro Police. Officials with the agency say between December and March there are only 2 wrecks on the interstate at the billboard. It is unclear whether the sign plays a role in either wreck.
Ralph Mello owns the sign. I call him and we discuss the sign and the violation.
Mr. Mello tells me that he has had only 2 calls in 2 years about his sign.
He tells me that he has spent thousands of dollars to make it work correctly.
Mello says the recent storms have caused havoc with the electronics of the sign.
Mello tells me that he has hired programmers to adjust the power and he has spent thousands of dollars to adjust the brightness.
Mello tells me that he built and designed this sign, even traveling to China as part of the process.
"It is a technical thing," Mello says. "If it was as easy as just flipping a switch, we’d do it. To turn it off is easy. To calibrate the light from day to night is hard.
We spent thousands of dollars to do this. We recognize we have problems. We have spent a significant amount of money and we are addressing it as we speak."
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