Can CLIP fine you for whats INSIDE your yard?

[StrangeTanks]

I own a vacant lot next to my house that I use as a side yard. Its completely fenced in with a stockade fence, and well maintained. I still get these stupid letters from CLIP saying my property is in dangerous condition.

So today one of my neighbors told me they were out here again taking pictures between the slats and trying to climb over to take pictures over the fence.

I'm so angry at this intrusion of privacy I'm ready to go find their office and have a screaming match with someone.

[Polar Cub]

They do it all the time. Do you think a neighbor may have reported you ? That's usually how the backyards get noticed by CLIP. What are they trying to photograph back there ?

[nickster]

Yes. Unkempt property. What you have in the yard may be good stuff to you, but to your neighbors who have to look at it from their windows day in and day out, it simply looks like junk. Maybe you could just organize everything and the yard will look less unsightly.

[MuscleHead]

Broad Street Media LLC - NE man brings lawsuit against city's CLIP

A Northeast man is suing the city and former city workers in federal court for what he’s claiming are years of persecution by the Community Life Improvement Program.

The suit filed by Stephen Tengood, 63, of Saul Street near Cottman Avenue, asserts that CLIP, which was set up in 2002 to address quality-of-life issues in the Northeast, is a corrupt organization that crosses departmental lines.

In his suit, Tengood says he was given many baseless code violations and that the city’s solicitor’s office backed the CLIP workers when he appealed the citations. He said CLIP workers trespassed on his property to take photos of the interior to try to support the citations.

Tengood’s suit alleges the city violated racketeering and civil rights laws, maliciously prosecuted him, trespassed on his property and invaded his privacy.

[boxercrew]

They do it all the time. Do you think a neighbor may have reported you ? That's usually how the backyards get noticed by CLIP. What are they trying to photograph back there ?

I don't know what your back area looks like, but I have a neighbor whose back yard is full of weeds, tree branches at least 2 t0 3 feet high and whose side yard contains at least 200 beer cans. We've gotten rodents, bugs due to this. He is not the type of person you can reason with and this has been going on for over 2 years. He is a youngish person who could easily clean up or hire someone. Everyone else on my block maintains their yards, I have a garden in mine but can't enjoy it due to the eyesore next door. Some cases are legitiment

[Preesi]

Let us judge

Take a pic and post it

[StrangeTanks]

This is my yard.

[Preesi]

Tell CLIP to F*ck Off

[nickster]

This is my yard.

Seeing the weedwacker laying on the ground makes me think that you just cut down high weeds before taking the picture. I'm sure CLIP has a 'before' photo.

[StrangeTanks]

Whether I cut down high weeds or not is not the point. The point is, the yard is my private property which I paid for and pay taxes on. Its fenced in and there should be a reasonable expectation of privacy from city employees making an extraordinary effort to trespass.

I'm sure you would be similarly upset if you found out a city employee was holding a camera up to your living room window to take pictures inside your house.

[loveisnoise]

Whether I cut down high weeds or not is not the point.

Yes, it is.

The city may encroach upon private party to settle an investigation, and do any reasonable actions during an investigation. The problem is not whether the issue is unsightly, it is a matter of it such a nuisance can also cause a health problem. Weeds and other encumbrances provide areas for infestation which could lead to obvious problems. They do the same when looking for pools that are unkempt and possibly harboring insects that could spread disease.

[annie]

Even with the with weedwacker, I was picturing something more like so:



Is this CLIP only a Northeast thing?

[loveisnoise]

Even with the with weedwacker, I was picturing something more like so:

Is this CLIP only a Northeast thing?

Yes, CLIP is only in the NorthEast since it has been determined a while back that they are unable to tend to themselves. When left alone, they put pools out front, slash each others' property, and their town watch groups kidnap kids. It's an unruly mess, but CLIP is one attempt to lighten the burden placed on Philadelphia.

[StrangeTanks]

Even with the with weedwacker, I was picturing something more like so:



Is this CLIP only a Northeast thing?

Nope, basically they came down the street and issued a ticket to everyone on the block. If you had weeds coming out of your sidewalk, you got a letter stating that your property is a hazard and you have 30 days to remedy the situation. When the guy was taking pictures, it was his second visit to issue fines to everyone.

[Cya]

Nope, basically they came down the street and issued a ticket to everyone on the block. If you had weeds coming out of your sidewalk, you got a letter stating that your property is a hazard and you have 30 days to remedy the situation. When the guy was taking pictures, it was his second visit to issue fines to everyone.

Good! Does CLIP have an online reporting form? There's gotta be a half-dozen corner properties in my area with overgrown yards and weeds that I'd like to report- but I don't have time to sit on the phone with 311.
A corner house can set the tone for the entire block, IMO.

[mixiboi]

We have been down this road before:

http://www.philadelphiaspeaks.com/fo...t-c-l-i-p.html

City of Philadelphia

CLIPS Facebook Page

[nickster]

CLIP takes a picture when they issue a citation and, if you don't take care of the problem and they come back to abate it, they take a picture of the property after they are done making the repairs. This way, when the city sues the owner and fines them, they can't dispute that the problem existed in the first place.

On another note, overgrown lawns and yards aside, this thread reminds me of how many people these days think it's o.k. to have weeds as high as a foot growing out of their cement all over their walkways and sidewalks. Forget spending $$$ on those expensive Weedkillers. All you have to do is get a bottle of bleach and one of those spray bottles at the Dollar Store the next time you are there ($2.00 total). After it rains, you can pull the weeds out easily with barely a tug. Then just spray some of the bleach in the spot and the weeds won't grow back. It takes ten minutes. People are just lazy.

[ArcticSplash]

Yes, it is.

The city may encroach upon private party to settle an investigation, and do any reasonable actions during an investigation. The problem is not whether the issue is unsightly, it is a matter of it such a nuisance can also cause a health problem. Weeds and other encumbrances provide areas for infestation which could lead to obvious problems. They do the same when looking for pools that are unkempt and possibly harboring insects that could spread disease.

That's a bit different. It depends on what the authorizing act says that created CLIP whether they have this right. A typical L&I inspector does not have power by default to break seals and enter just any 'ol property--the property has to be declared imminently dangerous first, for instance, then they can enter. I've had this discussion at length with L&I when I argued with them over various buildings that I've complained about.

What you're talking about specifically in your example is the Vector unit at L&I under Health. In that particular unit, they do have the right to encroach by default. Everyone at Health does. If you work in an establishment that serves food to the public, L&I can not only enter your property, but they can go around every single square inch of your property as well.

Having seen a LOT of CLIP work in the Northeast, and the Lower Northeast is the biggest fan/user of CLIP, they do encroach by default and they do get up on ladders to peep over fences. They also look at photos that neighbors have shot from their upper floor windows of your yard. CLIP can take direct measures to get a property compliant with a whole range of issues in Title 4 and in Subcode PM.