Pavers would also be a good option. They make some designed to let the water permeate through the space between the pavers. These can help with snow removal too by preventing ice from forming.

What do you think of the idea of trying to start a community greenspace group on our street to fix up front yards and remediate for lead? If we can gather a group of 15 or so volunteers to pledge around 150 volunteer hours from late May to late July this summer, URI will provide tools, materials, design assistance, and plants.

Another reason to move out of New Haven. The owner of this property is SULEIMAN CHATER, manager of Mamoun's Falafel; he lives in Durham, so, do you think he cares what some dump in New Haven looks (or smells) like? Dwight Street borders a dangerous slum, so maybe he's trying to build a moat?

Good Afternoon

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Regards,

Kevin
Community Manager
SeeClickFix

Brian, thanks for your positive thoughts, but I think the property owner—in this case a suburban absentee landlord—should be properly maintaining his property. If this is truly Suleiman Chater's property, he should be doubly ashamed for making his money in this neighborhood and then running off to Durham with it and contributing nothing to the neighborhood that feeds him. I guess I won't be frequenting Mamoun's Restaurant anymore.

Mr Moat—a dangerous "slum"? Hmm...would you call Newtown a dangerous "slum"? How about home invasions and murders in Cheshire, etc.? I've lived on Dwight Street for 32 years and I've never seen much more than property crimes and drug gangs shooting at each other. The one time I was burglarized, it was because I'd left a door open. There's a rational basis for most urban crime...money. It's the same money that people like Mr. Chater extract from their urban businesses and properties to spend in the suburbs where crime is often much less rational.

I also live on Dwight St and have found it to be a pretty nice neighborhood, especially during the summertime when we are able to meet our neighbors at Rainbow Park. My house is probably one of the crummier looking houses when viewed from the front. I have grand plans for how to plant it up, remediate for lead, and improve drainage, but I don't know how much I can afford to personally spend on the project and I'm too shy to ask my landlord if he would be interested in chipping in. This is why I'm trying to see if there would be interest in starting a Community Greenspace group to fix up all of the crummy-looking front yards on our street.

As for drainage at 222 Dwight, I have been experimenting with how to build rain gardens that incorporate small dry wells to infiltrate runoff. I plan to build a small one in my front yard soon (I live in the blue house across the street from you, Mr. Martsen). If it works well, and if we could get the permission of the landlord at 222 Dwight, I'd be willing to build one there, too, especially if someone would be willing to volunteer their car or truck to go pick up a bunch of round stones and wood chips with me.

Chater is an excellent landlord and cares a great deal about his properties and New Haven in general. He is far from an "suburban absentee landlord" as his business is less that 2 blocks away from the property. Honestly, the personal attacks seem like veiled racism.