Dear Billy T and Somerville Speakup Line,
Who in this useless administration can address issues pertaining to shoddy, unscrupulous, arrogant developers who are working across this city!
There have been ongoing projects in Teele Square that neighbors have been complaining about for months. One began last Spring and still going on. Another began a month ago and both are close in proximity which makes it extremely difficult for neighbors.
Developers bring in oversized dumpsters which take up the narrow streets and also park their enormous SUV tanks parallel to the dumpster! They are morons!
We question the legitimacy of the projects and believe they are violating zoning and planning but nothing is done when complaints are obviously ignored. Are the developers making donations towards the upcoming election? Is that their ticket to fame and fortune?
How is safety and fire professionals going to maneuver through an extra-wide dumpster which should be placed instead on the property? The other developer just 100 feet away, did the same a few months ago which led the abutter to confront the workers because it was obstructing his ability to access his driveway safely.
A staff member from Traffic and Parking and members of the city staff have already been here frequently to speak with the developers on their many failures to comply and over use and abuse of parking too many large construction vehicles.
The workers hired at the sites are sloppy, rude and unprofessional—yesterday, one was on his cell phone just feet away from my bedroom window screaming for over 15 minutes.
Another directed the cement truck driver to drive up onto the sidewalk when I was walking my dog at the exact location, in order to back into the site. I was forced to move into my neighbors driveway for fear of being hit. The cement trucks used appear to be too heavy for the street and there should be concern about adjacent foundations. Generally, cement trucks are parked on the street not backed into old sites which may not be able to handle the weight.
Overall, there are always issues at these sites which prompt neighbors to contact the city officials. Also the sewer had undergone inspection due to 4-5 feet of standing sewerage from past flash floods. The sewer lines, I was told by my plumber are being tapped by developers and have reached over capacity.
We don’t know how many units are being built and the structures morphed into what appears to be a multiple condo complex.
The latest project cut all trees on site and dug a 12-14 foot ditch about 40 feet wide. Is this what they call renovation? I think not!
How many parking spaces on our streets will be lost? Are they not required to provide adequate parking on new development projects?
In addition to all that — we are now subjected to another water hike and rumors are that it’s going to be a big one. They think we’re all stupid. And having a meeting in the hot, cramped, stuffy cafeteria at the high school distributing same old photos of a 200 year old crumbling sewer system is going to convince us that that more money is going to make the problems go away?
For years our streets have been falling apart with the many visible deep potholes throughout the city.
So where’s the money going? Can the state do an independent audit on the city? With all the many lawsuits by residents, home and business owners, Wynn Casino, the soccer family, wrongfully terminated officers and other personnel— is that where our taxes are going? Or for a lavish lifestyle of the crooks running this city?
Another investigation should be underway on all the millions spent on social entertainment for transients and college students as a way to lure them into the city and hope their parents are dumb enough to buy shoddy condos.
Now they want rent control, subsidized condos, and transfer tax— all unwise proposals that hurt the very same people being negatively impacted by unethical developers and their protectors.
Are they all sinister schemes to keep forcing home and business owners to give up and sell to more developers without a soul?
They believe they can fool unsuspecting sellers who don’t understand how much they will be paying out to Bernie’s crowd for their cheating the system on free and discounted housing?
They attend meetings at city hall in rags and incognito, one disguised as a construction worker adorned with an orange cap and oversized clothing insulting long time residents and retired politicians.
Someone should do a background check on their residential status because their continued self aggrandizing will be their undoing. When asked were they live, they provided two addresses in two states and said they are not sure which one they reside. Last I checked you are required to vote in the town and state you reside. How many are abusing absentee ballot option?
They believe a college degree can teach them how life works. That’s why they don’t have real jobs or own property by doing it the hard way. Just look at the nationwide scandal on college admissions. That’s only the tip of the iceberg— that’s how they get ahead by cheating their way to delusional glory. They eventually get exposed and then blame someone else for their many failures.
All of what I’m stating ties together— you have the colleges in the background pulling all the levers while sending their students out to fight for what is not theirs to have- it’s our city.
They are hapless interlopers for the duration of their studies and first job. They could care less about our community and the people who built it.
The lazy millennials are always looking for a free ride and have no clue what the real world is like but one day they will learn hard lessons when their parents money train stops. In many cases I suspect they have trust funds but the lawyers and parents know how to hide them from public scrutiny, which constitutes fraud.
Those of us who grew up here had very little. We stuck it out as our parents and former generations, working low paying jobs and putting food on the table.
We got these so called town politicians elected and this is how they treat us?
Judy Locchi Jacobs
Good luck. Complaints from neighbors will prompt a visit from inspectional services, but no consequences, not even a fine. Document everything. Go to the building department and get copies of all pertinent documents. Attend all planning and ZBA meetings and let them know you’re watching them. Once permits are issued, the city wipes their hand and walk away. It’s up to the abutters to stay on top of things and make sure they’re following the permit. If they are not following the rules, especially on the weekend (such as they are not ever allowed to work on Sunday), call the Police. They’ll have to create a Development Unit of the SPD soon!
Here it is Easter morning. Were it not for the trucks backup beeping it would not be so bad. The machine noises are somewhat tolerable. I am not expecting everyone to respect the holiday but at least be quiet about it. Things are so different these days. Just can’t get a break from these contractors.
We are pretty much stuck with it. On Fenwick St we have called several times and Kelley was very nice and sent people out each time. Biggest problem were the clouds of plaster dust with horsehair. Brutal when you are allergic to it. Could not seal up my mother’s place well enough. She is 93 and had a quadruple bypass. Not that is mattered to them. They get very angry when I make them move from the front of my driveway they are blocking so I can get in. My wife goes out every day to clean up after them as they toss everything everywhere and litter up the streets. At 6am they awaken you with slamming of truck doors and the like. We know we are are stuck with it and just trying to make the best of it until they finish and leave. I have worked in construction for over 50 years and tried to be nice to the workers but these must be new ways of doing things as it never happened like this when I worked for contractors.
Mismanagement starts at the top; with mayor taking kick-backs and 2-10% of almost EVERY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT; if you want your permits. Then they milk you on the other end with changes allegedly required after sign-offs.