An anonymous reader writes:
I feel the neighborhood needs to be aware of the squatting and riff raff that is a happening at 110 NE 40th St.The house has been vacant for sometime. The drug addicts from University Ave have been squatting in the house. The window on the front door has been broken so they can open the door. The police have been out on multiple occasions and I spoke with them last night. The neighbors on [nearby house number redacted] may have some association with the squatters according to the police. The police have spoken to them and told me they “tweek” as well. I always had my suspicion about them and their activites. The police told me the bank owns the property on 110 NE 40th St. and I have looked online to see if I could find which bank owns the property, but had no such luck. My neighbors have told me about a fight amongst the squatters on their front lawn Saturday night. A few have had their cars broken into on 1st Ave NE. This kind of activity does not belong in Wallingford. I really hope with neighborhood awareness and complaints we can eliminate the problem.
“Tweek” is slang for the use of crystal meth.
(Image courtesy of Google Maps)
I’m not sure that this kind of activity belongs in any neighborhood.
The house is owned by Deborah Moore and Tim Knowlton (Docs show they may live in Lyons, CO), but they have been delinquent on payments for a while. There was a notice of trustees sale on 5/22/13 that stated they would sell the house at auction on 9/27/13. If no buyers step up then Wells Fargo will take the property. Moore and knowlton have to pay $79k before the auction to keep the house.
I would hope anyone living in Wallingford (squatting or not) can get the help they need with the support of the neighborhood, and not simply be removed and then forgotten.
There is a fine line between supporting one’s community and simpleminded prejudice. I think this letter crosses that line, and I think Wallyhood should be more discerning about what it rebroadcasts.
sadly, people do nto always get the help they need. The owners apparently did nto get help with the payments. Will you pay the 79K?
the drug users- how wil they get the help they need?
The neighbors- who i sgoign to rpay them for anythign stolen from their cars?
the help we all need is group community awareness, solid efforts to alert police or other appropriate groups of trouble so we can get it stopped.
I am curious hwo close this is to John Stanford- an elementary school?If close, then this another potential danger to our kids- being approached on thei rway to or from school during school time or to school durign summer to play.. or to find drug paraphernelia?
Thi sinfo speaks ot unification of concern and alerts us to care as well as preventation and use of law to prevent further or worse problems.
We can take action to help squatters, but that is not something I would expect any neighbor to do. Calling the Police is exactly the correct action. Making unfounded assumptions is not.
Have drugs been seen in use? Have any children (or any school, even) been approached? Is it important to broadcast hearsay (“tweakers”) about our neighbors? Have car prowls increased in the area (they seem to be a constant problem in Seattle)?
In my experience (yes, actual experience with users/dealers/squatters in my old neighborhood), there is nothing to be gained by confronting them directly, by ignoring them, or by isolating them from the neighborhood. These actions build a feeling of isolation which can turn people against our neighborhood. Sadly, the police have more important matters that usually draw their attention.
Light but constant pressure on the police to increase their presence, question the inhabitants, and make it clear that everyone is concerned about what is going on is the best course of action.
If people are squatting in an abandoned house, they are someone’s daughter, son, father, mother or sibling. And they are probably not doing very well nor are they happy about the situation.
I knew some people who lived in squats, back in the ’80s, still see one of them around once in a while, nicer guy you never met. They were doing OK, and had some rationale that made them fairly comfortable with what they were doing – that’s easy, the situation with property ownership here being as screwed up as it is here. But so far as I know, if they weren’t actively good neighbors, at least they were discreet neighbors, which doesn’t sound like this crowd.
I appreciate and agree with New Neighbor’s perspective.
Which approach? he changed his tone.
From the article the police have been there a few times and corroborated the drug use.
yesyes, that is exactly the problem here.
This was NOT an article. It is an email someone wrote.
Nothing has been corroborated in any way whatsoever. But there are now many people who will read this and start talking about the druggies ruining the neighborhood.
Wallyhood editors/bloggers, please be more responsible! I know this letter was prefaced with “An anonymous reader writes,” but while you went far enough to explain what ‘tweaker’ means, you failed to differentiate this letter from other posts, many of which are articles.
Hello, everyone, and especially “New Neighbor,” and a couple of comments:
I’m inclined to believe the accounts of “squatting” at the identified address, but yeah, it would be much better if there were less editorializing and more facts and corroboration, as in, say, police reports.
And that’s a good introduction, in my opinion, to “Wallyhood.” New Neighbor, I think you’ll find that there are folks here that make a big effort to be accurate, to own their opinions, to be thoughtful and careful when posting. And yeah, there are also some others, more than willing to make up stuff, and even better, to pass off their personal opinions as speaking for All Of Us. It’s a mix! And for that very reason, I welcome you as someone who, it appears, is also careful when posting…and articulate, too. Welcome to the ‘hood…and I hope we will be hearing more from you in the days to come.
“There is a fine line between supporting one’s community and simpleminded prejudice. I think this letter crosses that line, and I think Wallyhood should be more discerning about what it rebroadcasts.”
@New Neighbor, talk is very cheap. As you said, they need help. Why don’t you help them???
Also, I’ve seen many comments such as yours and also on the development at N 34th St. criticizing the articles in this blog. I’m very glad this blog posts these articles rather than giving into those who are in favor of censorship. Perhaps you should start your own neighborhood blog which you could censor to your heart’s delight.
I heard the house was full of cannibals.
No one said anything about censorship!
Perhaps it is my mistake, but I have been reading Wallyhood for a long time now (before we bought our house), and when there are commercial postings, it is made clear. I just feel that this letter was heresay, and was posted (and clearly read) more-or-less as an article.
To be honest, if they were my immediate neighbors, or if I felt any concern for my, their, or anyone else’s safety based on things I had witnessed, I would be helping. By talking the police and my immediate neighbors about the situation and possible solutions, not by spreading my opinion as fact.
But I had a bad brush with cannibals in my last neighborhood, and make it a point to stay away from them. They’re probably libertarian vegan pet loving low income redneck poorly educated foreign terrorists too. At least, I think I read that somewhere… .
Hah. You think you have problems in your part of Wallingford? Check out the newer post above….there’s a FITNESS center opening at 36th and Interlake. *shudder*
right on evon!
NN is quick to criticize a lot. Has he/she done anything concrete to help any neighborhood concern?
new neighbor, you are hilarious! so the community ought to rally around these wonderful druggie squatters? you are the best!
sell me the house for 79K and I guarantee I will get rid of the squatters, tweekers, fighters and afore mentioned riff-raff.
This house has been an ongoing nightmare. Fortunately a private company hired by the lender has repeatedly secured the premises and the power is no longer active.
Is this hearsay, corroborated or an article or email?
Fact as I know it, but obviously my word is all you have.
per New Neighbor, that’s hearsay, blog material… I hhope the house is locked up til the sale and that someone gets a great deal and takes care of the house.