Eastside Defender

The duplex at 2632-34 Polk Street NE is significant in the history of the Northeast Citizen Patrol. It’s why the NECP exists.

In the summer of 2005, a large group of teenage girls was wreaking havoc in the blocks around 27th and Polk. These girls, sometimes numbering more than a dozen, would occupy the width of a street intimidating passers-by. On one occasion the girls attacked a pair of Audubon Park residents who were walking home from Walgreens. The pair made it home, but suffered cuts and bruises.

This event precipitated a community meeting, to discuss the growing crime problems in Audubon Park. At the meeting, 2nd Precinct Crime Prevention Specialist Carol Oosterhuis suggested the neighbors start a walking group as an effort to exert a positive presence. John Schulte stepped up and set a date for this new group’s first meeting.

A handful of neighbors joined him. This was the beginning of what became the Northeast Citizen Patrol.

2632 Polk remained a problem property. In 2006, one of many disturbances at the address qualified as an “unruly assembly”, according to a recently-adopted City Ordinance. Rather than pay the fine and get more civil tenants, the landlord chose to dispute the facts of the event.

This became the first opportunity for NECP patrollers become part of the legal process. Three volunteers took time out their day to go downtown and testify about the trouble they had witnessed. The landlord was a no-show.

In 2007, what had been the Audubon Neighborhood Association’s (ANA) “Terrible 20” problem property list evolved into the 1st Ward Problem Property Group. 2632 Polk was always near the top of the agenda. Through the persistence of ANA and NECP, and with guidance from public officials, this dismal duplex was added to the City’s Problem Properties Unit (PPU).

The PPU gave the owner every chance to make the property livable and compliant with code. The owner resisted at every step. Finally, on July 23, 2008, copper thieves got inside the now-vacant building. Three feet of water had accumulated in the basement. The PPU propsed the duplex be demolished due to structural deficiencies.

With 27 open code violations and over $4,000 in outstanding fines, 2632-34 Polk was approved for demolition in August 2008. Now it awaits the claw.

Those interested in photos of what a problem property looks like on the inside can download 2632 Polk’s “death warrant” (6.3mb pdf).