Dignity for Disabled

Emails? Naw, we don't do emails. by Dignity

2009-12-16T08:37:00.004-05:00

In Miami-Dade County we do not have an organized code enforcement for disability laws. We have a helter-skelter maze of people in too many departments who let sites like 9299 SW 152 Street happen, exist and continue to exist, month after month, year after year.

People ask if any of my e-mails get things done. Surprisingly, yes. But, with some people, the emails fall on blind eyes... Here is an example of a real failure for my email letters:

For the past three years, email letters to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez have led to a failure of code enforcement at the Medical Building, at 9299 SW 152 Street. It is directly across from the Jackson South Emergency Room. Go see it. Look at the NEW winding drop off sidewalk. See the misplaced disabled parking access aisle. Take note of the cars parked in the aisle blocking the access to the dangerous winding sidewalk with drop offs. Watch the cops drive by, all day long and not ticket the abusers parked in the misplaced disabled parking access aisle.

After the parking lot was resealed and striped several years ago, I began sending in complaints as the disabled parking was configured horribly wrong.

The emails to the mayor were copied to the correct code enforcement people. Most notably the location was visited by Ilene Hyams, ADA Office director, as she visited the near-by fire station that also had ADA issues. In spite of the parking issues, she came back to report the medical building was temporarily closed due to fascia falling problems. Ms. Hyams shrugged the issue off. End of story.

Months after that, when the building reopened, the parking was still not corrected. Even worse, a winding sidewalk was installed with severe drop offs due to lack of safety landscaping. I reported this sidewalk too. This site represents a blatant disregard for the safety of the disabled at a MEDICAL Building, of all places!

All of those e-mails have accomplished nothing. In 3 years!!!!

Today, there is still a disabled parking sign missing. Cars routinely park on the misplaced access aisle, blocking wheelchair access to the winding and dangerous sidewalk, with no fear of ticketing from the county police.

For the lack of code enforcement and the policing of the disabled right-a-away I give full credit to the county's top cop, Mayor Carlos Alvarez and his Chief of Staff, Denis Morales. The list of e-mails on disabled issues to their office is huge. Their response is zilch. They chose to ignore them. Guess they don't like my style.

Disability issues have been locked in the proverbial closet under their watch. The mayor’s and his staff’s enforcement of building code and commercial parking laws is the worst ever, and with the budget changes, even the “go to” people have been moved around. Additionally, they kept a lot of bad people in positions of power much to the detriment of both the disabled and general public.

What has happened to code enforcement under Mayor Carlos Alvarez guidance will take years to repair after he is recalled or until his reign of “do nothing” politics ends under term limits. With this in mind, I think we should just go ahead and memorialize the current mayor’s eight-year administration by renaming the Medical Building, the Carlos Alvarez Medical Building as a symbol of his commitment to the disabled community. Fine job, Mr. Mayor.

Need a sidewalk? Call a Cop! by Dignity

2009-12-14T21:01:00.017-05:00

Saturday, on my way home from work, I saw at least two cars parked on sidewalks along my SW 107th Avenue route. Typical sight for a drive home from work. No police enforcement. This time I looked left and right on the streets and avenues along SW 107th Avenue that turns into SW 102th Avenue (which is best known as Fairway Heights Boulevard). The neighborhood is called Fairway Heights Estates. This time, I stopped to take photos of cars parked on the side streets, which led to more cars parked on the sidewalks, about 20 such photos until the camera battery wore out.

Who were the most notable parkees?

Among the most obvious was a Miami-Dade Police Cruiser parked on the sidewalk. And another notable parking job was a City of Miami Police vehicle, also setting the example of parking on the sidewalk.

When two cop cars in the same neighborhood routinely park on the sidewalk, they set the example for the community.

Equally notable is the photo with three cars in a row, all on the sidewalk. It is obvious there is no fear of police action. If you are disabled (or not, for that matter) there is only one way around this block and that is in the street.

The police dispatcher did not want the list of addresses I wanted to report. After a phone confrontation, a supervisor reluctantly agreed to take four of the addresses. I got a call back and another supervisor said that he would notify the Cutler Ridge station about my allegation of the lack of sidewalk ordinance enforcement. The next day, on my way to work, one of the offending vehicles from the side street was still parked on the sidewalk.

When the parking fine went from $28 to $150 at Miami-Dade County Commission people with disabilities did not get the support of Miami Dade Police Executive Director Parker, now retired. No educational program for the police was instituted. Miami-Dade police still do not know about the fine increase, or more importantly why. The blind and people in wheelchairs know about the problem.

Calls to the police dispatch number about parking on sidewalk abuse seem to result in the lowest of priority. The dispatcher actually wanted me to wait for police to come to give them the addresses. Wait for a police officer on the lowest priority call? I'd have been there for hours, if they showed up at all.

Cops that do respond have been witnessed not writing the ticket. "Let em go" was one response because the person came out and moved the vehicle.

The increase of the sidewalk parking ordinance fine to $150 is the best kept secret in Miami-Dade County. I suspect that ticket books do not include this increase, as this would have taken Police Administration action. (Good riddance to Miami-Dade Police Director Parker, who has resigned--He never helped on disabled parking issues.)

It will be interesting to see what the new police directors do in the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County regarding sidewalk parking. I suspect nothing.

The Miami Herald did not cover the fine increase to $150 and the reasons why our organization advocated for the fine increase. This publication's editorial staff could care less if a blind person or a person in a wheelchair is struck by a car out in traffic trying to get around a vehicle parked on the sidewalk unless they can assign reporters to cover the accident.

Of course, enforcement of parking laws is not something an able-bodied person thinks about about. They don't have to plot a course that avoids obstacles to get here to there. God forbid that they have to find out the importance of disability laws the hard way. One accident and they might find out what life is all about for some of their neighbors; the very neighbors whose sidewalk they blocked.

Open Letter to Miami-Dade County Manager Burgess

2009-11-10T22:50:00.005-05:00

Dear County Manager:

While checking out an old 311 (county answering service) complaint, I discovered that the 311 system still had the complaint and a report number. Much to my amazement, the records part of 311 system is working.

More unhappily, however, what I also discovered was the fact that the complaint was ignored. There was no enforcement action taken whatsoever. How much money is the county losing with these neglected complaints? How many disabled people are directly impacted county-wide by the lack enforcement diligence?

How many other 311 complaints get the "county treatment"?

Having this 311 complaint blown off must mean the owner of the property is connected. If you wish to prove my claim of "connected" is in error, then please examine each and every one of this property owner's properties and tell me how they resealed all the parking lots and did not provide disabled parking according to the code. Tell me how they are allowed to install all those speed bumps with no passage for wheelchairs.

However, since Miami-Dade's own Building Department has many improperly designed 42 inch counters in place when a 36 x 36 counter area is required, I know where part of the problem exists. It is a shame that a disabled person's only alternative for getting help with a simple counter issue has to come through the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice because as our County Manager you do not require your Department Directors be in compliance with the law.

So, in the end, it should not be a surprise that when a constituent follows up on a 311 reported ADA complaint that there would be no enforcement or follow-up completed. It is a page straight out of the Operating Manual from the Building Department's Code Enforcement Book or perhaps, it is more than just sloppy enforcement. Mr. Manager, if you are not interested in the how and why of enforcement issues, maybe the new FBI director might be.

Sincerely,
Dignity