What's Happening to the Neighborhood?

My very staid neighborhood has been stood on it's ear the last 3 years by having to put up with the intrusion of a drug dealer who rented a house on our street. The other day I was talking to neighbors and wondering if they knew who had caused the nightlong noise on Saturday night (until almost 5 A.M.) and was informed that another house on the street has been turned into student housing. What is happening here?

Maybe I'm naive but I thought that zoning changes in any neighborhood had to be approved by the people living in that neighborhood. Being retired, cranky, and having the time and temper to do it, I phoned City Hall to find out if we have a legal or illegal situation in our midst. No-one has phoned me back as yet but I'll keep at them.

Most of us are law abiding citizens who live our lives within the law, pay our taxes, and take care not to disturb our neighbors. We assume that our own rights will be quickly protected by these same laws but we're often disappointed.

I had a long talk with 2 very young police officers last week who had visited the drug house (again). They'd been there a few times knocking on the door which remained unanswered and then they'd leave. That particular morning they'd pounded on the drug dealer's door at 5 A.M. and it woke me up. The drug dealers slept on. When the police came back in the afternoon I was watering my front lawn and saw them again knock on the door, get no answer, and then get ready to leave once more. I hollered up to them, "You should be here at 2 A.M.!", and they came over to speak to me.

During the course of our conversation they admitted that they had no authority to break into the house. I told them that our small neighborhood was comprised of mainly seniors who shouldn't have to put up with drug dealers living among us and they agreed. Then they asked me if I'd keep an eye on the house and write down licence plate numbers of the people who went there. I was shocked. Our police department wanted me, a little old lady living alone, to do their work for them. Not to mention that by getting close enough to do this I'd be putting myself in danger. I told them no.

Now back to the student housing. My street is 4 blocks long and the houses on my block are mainly owned by people who have lived in them for 20 or more years. It will be interesting to find out if our rights have been violated or circumnavigated in this case. I'll let you know!

What's happening on my little residential street could happen anywhere.