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September 1, 2009

Mapping Slumlords

Bill de Blasio, who is running for Public Advocate, is making tenants' rights a key aspect of his platform: last Sunday, he joined a City Hall rally against negligent landlords, and he has launched a Slumlord Watch List on his website, where visitors can submit an address of a questionable building to see if it "meets minimum health and safety standards and has open, life threatening violations." The site doesn't mention the criteria, but de Blasio said in a press release that unacceptable conditions include "leaking pipes, exposed wires, no fire alarms, [and] broken locks." It is unclear how long the site will remain active (will he take it down if he is or is not elected?) and what, if anything, de Blasio plans to do with it or how he will use it to pressure landlords or take legal action.

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Comments

After reading the first sentance of this blurb, I will NOT be voting for Bill de Blasio.

Sounds like a Commie. . .

Posted by: IronBalls at September 1, 2009 10:35 AM

"The site doesn't mention the criteria..."

WOULDNT THAT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MENTIONED....unless you are a political HACK who just want press

....then again who would at the age of 42 he changes his name from Warren Wilhelm (wonder why?- not)

...oh and btw I love your TV ads Bill...we get it, your wife is Black (next time try to be a bit more subtle otherwise its too easy to see the cynical exploitation going on...and we know you would never do that!!!!)

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 10:45 AM

Just want to back up my snarky allegation that Warren Wilhelm (aka Bill DeBlasio) is the most cynical HACK ever, who EXPLOITS his wife's race in the most obvious and pathetic way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XxTw45Yi4M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EZDdn3fWd

This guy makes Willie Horton ad look subtle (in reverse)

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 10:51 AM

sigh of relief that I'm not on the list.

I like Bill. But not a friend of Bill's.

I didn't even know he was married so not exploiting anything about his wife to me.

Posted by: Petebklyn at September 1, 2009 10:54 AM

It does look like an election gimmick unfortunately.
Could be quite a good idea if done properly, by which I mean with criteria & reasons for violation of them set out.

Posted by: etson at September 1, 2009 11:10 AM

DeBlasio makes me sick.

Posted by: Brooklynnative at September 1, 2009 11:12 AM

His wife aside, I think it's irresponsible at best to create such a website about slumlords and not have the criteria listed therein.

Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at September 1, 2009 11:14 AM

When I was renting in BS, my landlord had the dubious honor of being named one of the Village Voice's Worst Landlords. She literally owned between 50 and 100 row houses and small apartment buildings in central Bklyn, and she rarely met one whose needs couldn't be postponed until it reached disaster proportions. I was lucky, I was willing to do a lot of work myself, and I didn't bug her unless it was a real emergency, and over 17 years, I had several. When she did have to make repairs, she would send over one of her cadre of substance abuser handymen, most of whom would do a really sloppy, half-assed job, for which they were paid peanuts. Most of them would then knock on my door after that for weeks, asking to do other odd jobs, or just beg for money. I had one guy whose mother died several times, and he needed money to go to the hospital to make arrangements. Pitiful.

Anyway, point being that her name on the list didn't change anything, and I'm sure she was ashamed all the way to the bank. I don't think it does any good for a small landlord barely eking by to be on this list. The big guys, who own a lot of buildings, most of which they've never seen, are another story. But if being listed has no teeth, it really doesn't serve much purpose. If Bill DeBlasio can get meaningful repairs and changes made, then this is a good thing.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 1, 2009 11:25 AM

Almost every politician shows himself as a family man- and in ads. Sarah Palin paraded her family around- including her youngest who has Down's. If you want to see anyone exploiting their family, Palin made it an art. What the hell is a newborn doing at a campaign debate late at night? But Bill is not allowed because his wife is Black? That's cynical exploitation? Oh, right.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 11:41 AM

Bxgrl - and EVERYONE called Palin on it(appropriately), and the press went after her family (appropriately) when she used them as the basis of her campaign (i.e. Hockey Mom)....but that has nothing to do with Wilhelm.

Please watch the ads - it is one thing to have an ad that mentions you are a family man - but if you cant see what Warren is trying to do here - especially Ad #2 - then you are blind or willfully ignoring reality.

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 11:58 AM

And I question whether you would have even noticed if Bill's wife was white? I don't care if you want to go after him because he put no criteria on the slumlord mapping- let's all admit- there are crap landlords and crap tenants. There. Done. But going after him for his interracial marriage is in my judgment, racist. If you don't see that, perhaps you're the one who's blind or willfully ignoring realty.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 12:02 PM

I for one am voting for Norman Siegel whose bonafides for decades makes him eminently qualified to be a public advocate. The slumlord list is a joke since HPD has its own hit list. Time for "career" politicians to get a real job and off the public tit. Yasky also needs to be retired; hooray for term limits and, by the way, aren't we all getting sick of Bloomberg's deluge of ads and phone calls (I get at least two a week and have to mute the tv when they come on.) Sorry for my rant.

Posted by: MarionG at September 1, 2009 12:14 PM

I'm not going after him for his interracial marriage (and not that it matters but as a matter of fact my family situation is no different from Wilhelm's)

I am going after him for EXPLOITING his interracial marriage...in a cynical way. Are you seriously saying you think his family is featured in a non-exploitive way. Could you please post a link to any other citywide candidate whose family is so featured in a TV ad (much less ALL of his TV ads)? Do you really think that the political consultants who he has hired didnt prominently feature his wife/kids for a reason - are you that naive????
And lets not forget that he changed his name from Wilhelm to Diblasio before running for political office. Seems pretty clear that Bill is well aware of how to play ethnic politics.

The guy is running for Public Advocate- what relevance does his family play AT ALL???

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 12:15 PM

http://www.politickerny.com/files/politickerny/f_0.w_417/mailer1.JPG

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 12:19 PM

"The guy is running for Public Advocate- what relevance does his family play AT ALL???

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 12:15 PM"

Well- if that were the case, why did you bring it up at all?

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 12:21 PM

"De Blasio is actually his mother's maiden name—he was born Warren Wilhelm Jr. Although he's been known as Bill de Blasio since his youth, he only legally changed his name in 2002." -cityfile.com

So what's your problem with this? Obviously there is a family backstory and it's probably none of our business.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 12:24 PM

And no-fsrg. I am not naive at all about racial politics. I speak from 18 years experience in an interracial marriage and what I do know is that there are a lot of folk out there who pretend to be so concerned about you and your interracial spouse you know the type-"I so worry people will attack you because you're an interracial couple; oh sorry- can't rent you that apartment because you're an interracial couple and I want to protect you from insensitive neighbors." But in fact they are actually offended by interracial marriages. Like I said- if she were white, would you have even noticed the family ads? Doubt it.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 12:30 PM

I tend to agree with bxgrl. On this conversation between fsrg and bxgrl, to me the question of whether he is just showing his family or exploiting them seems to lie in the use of the ads. I live in Prospect Heights (City Planning's Community District profile says is 78% black) and have gotten multiple mailings featuring DeBlasio's family. My sister lives on the Upper East Side (3.2% black) has received completely different mailings - none of which feature his family. If he is just showing himself as a family man, why so prominently in some neighborhoods and not at all in other neighborhoods???

Posted by: aysataba at September 1, 2009 1:12 PM

Change that first sentence to - I tend to agree with bxgrl on most things but have to disagree on this.

Not sure where my head was when I left out the rest of that thought!!

Posted by: aysataba at September 1, 2009 1:20 PM

"Sounds like a Commie. . ."

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means...

Posted by: northsloperenter at September 1, 2009 1:30 PM

being a Commie is a plus for me. A pinko commie is even better.
I think you should turn off the TV and not watch the ads.
Who has time to watch tv even commenting on Brownstoner?

Posted by: Petebklyn at September 1, 2009 2:11 PM

being a Commie is a plus for me. A pinko commie is even better.
I think you should turn off the TV and not watch the ads.
Who has time to watch tv even commenting on Brownstoner?

Posted by: Petebklyn at September 1, 2009 2:11 PM

Well- if that were the case, why did you bring it up at all?

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 12:21 PM

Because I find it offensive when politicians exploit their families to try to get elected.

So what's your problem with this? Obviously there is a family backstory and it's probably none of our business.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 12:24 PM

Well apparently his family IS OUR buisness.

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 2:13 PM

"If he is just showing himself as a family man, why so prominently in some neighborhoods and not at all in other neighborhoods???"
Posted by: aysataba at September 1, 2009 1:12 PM

Because as you imply Warren Wilhelm (aka Bill deblasio) is a total pandering hack as this phony map further demonstrates.

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 2:36 PM

aysataba- its a political reality that ads are tapered to demographics. My thinking is that the UES is interested in other issues and the neighborhoods that get his family ad mailings want to know why yet another white guy claims he can represent them. If that's exploitation than I suggest we make a law that only single people can run for office. If I were being really cynical I would have to say the UES is predominantly white and is made uncomfortable with intermarriage. (Let me also point you to the article about broker prejudice and also mention that the worst bias in NYC my ex and I ran into was in the very tony Bklyn Hgts, where we lived for years.) If anyone disputes that I suggest you look at the current news items which are filled with the racial comments of those opposed to Obama.

FSRG is pissed off about the landlord map so he is using anything to smear DeBlasio- including referring to him by a name that hasn't been used since early childhood. If anyone is naive about political campaigns its him. DeBlasio has been involved in a number of community issues that I've been. He's a good guy, whereas Yassky threw us to the wolves.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 3:00 PM

Sorry Bxgrl - any objective look at Deblasios ads make clear that he is pandering in the most cynical and disgusting way. Your 3:00 post makes clear you are either VERY naive or just dont want to see it.

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 3:28 PM

And your post, FSRG makes it clear you have a problem with interracial marriages and certainly don't understand what the African -American community is looking for in a representative. I'm done- we will never agree. But I will bring it up when Republicans are campaigning on their family values a la Mark Sanford.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 3:32 PM

And one last thing- I would hardly call you "objective" in regards to DeBlasio and you have made that very obvious.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 3:33 PM

FSRG;

Look at the bright side: he is tunning for Public Advocate, the most useless office in the city. How much harm can he do? The City Council has just cut the funding for the PA by something like 40%. Let him sit there and stew in his irrelevancy.

Posted by: benson at September 1, 2009 3:56 PM

"If anyone disputes that I suggest you look at the current news items which are filled with the racial comments of those opposed to Obama. "

Bxgrl, you're a trip! Would you please show us some examples of this assertion?

Posted by: benson at September 1, 2009 4:09 PM

oh please benson- read a few newspapers. For starters:

U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins quoted last week as saying the Republican Party needs a "great White Hope."

How about the lovely CD "Barack, the Magic Negro."

Rex Rammell? :Last week, a GOP rally attendee shouted a question about "Obama tags" during discussion of Idaho's upcoming wolf hunt, where hunters must purchase an $11.50 tag as a license to kill a wolf.

Rammell responded, "The Obama tags? We'd buy some of those."

Tammy Bruce who called Michelle Obama "Trash in the White House"- I could go on ( Using Barack's middle name to link him to terrorism, the documented rise of White Supremecists- and they ain't democrats-) but I'm sure you'll just blow it all off.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 4:24 PM

Bxgrl;

It's a lovely day out there. Good day to get some fresh air. Who knows? You might run into a real live Republican, and realize "Hey, they're people too - not some bogeyman on the internet!"

Posted by: benson at September 1, 2009 4:29 PM

Oh- you mean like the way you treated Montrose?

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 4:36 PM

Bxgrl;

Actually, yes, exactly the way I treated Montrose. If you recall, after labelling my in-law's religious belief as "venal", "self-serving" and "often murderous", I challenged her to meet my in-laws,look them in the eye, and make that statement again.

Posted by: benson at September 1, 2009 4:42 PM

Bullshit, benson- you took it personally and she meant it generically and frankly she told the truth. I've had more than my fair share of run ins with fundamentalists- has nothing to do with your in-laws as people. And considering how man times they told me I was going to hell for not believing in Jesus, well- what goes around comes around. You tell people that, they don't take kindly to it. Not to point out yet again, Montrose is a born-again Christian and one who truly lives her life as a true Christian. We're done here.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 4:49 PM

bxgrl - I have a couple of "problems" with marriage I'll grant you (jk) but the interracial aspects are not AT ALL an issue for me - in fact if you knew me and my family - you'd realize what a moronic statement you have made.

That being said - please do bring it up when republicans are running on "family values" cause I'll call that for the hypocrisy it is, right along with you....

Your problem is you see things through a left/right political prism instead of the cold light of cynicism, that reveals most people to be narcissistic self-promoters - left or right (DeBlasio/Sptizer or Mark Stanford/John McCain)

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 5:24 PM

Benson, thanks for taking my remarks totally personally, and out of context. You know perfectly well I was not referring to your in-law's, nor was I impugning the character of God, or any of the other things you accused me of. If you'd like to hold on to this issue like a dog with a bone, I can't stop you, but the negative reflection is more on you than on me. I could be just as, if not more, upset over some of the things you've accused me of being, including morally and intellectually bankrupt, simply for wanting to preserve a building. Your wide paintbrush smear of preservationists, Democrats and liberals over the years here is just as broad as any I may have smeared on fundamentalists of all religions, on one, and only one, occasion. I'm disappointed that your frequent moral outrages prevent any kind of rational discussion on important issues. I did not intentionally insult your in-laws. If you think so little of me as to think that, then there is no need to talk at all.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 1, 2009 5:32 PM

Montrose;

I am not holding onto any issue. It was Bxgrl who brought up my run-in with you, not me. Please read the thread above more carefully.

I did not take the issue personally, as I am not a fundamentalist. My point, which I maintain, is that it is very easy on the internet to disparage an opponent by means of caricature and breathless accusations. My challenge to you,via my in-laws, was to see if you would say the same thing if you were looking at your opponents in the eye. Doesn't have to be my in-laws,let's just pluck some fundamentalist off the streets of Brooklyn.

I made the accusation about the preservationist movement with regard to a particular issue (the Green Church in Bay Ridge) and I stand by what I said. The pastor of that church was maligned in multiple threads on this site. He was accused of defrauding his parishioners - serious crime- of being venal and unresponsive to the community, etc. All of these accusations were made without a shred of evidence, and without anyone thinking of giving the man a second to respond to the charges. Except for me and one or two other persons, no one objected to this mauling.

I'm sorry if it upsets you, but I still say that any movement that tolerates such behaviour, and there was nary a peep from the many folks who follow this site, is in a state of intellectual bankruptcy. That's just my opinion. I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

Peace. I have no wish to hold any hostlity to you and Bxgrl.

Posted by: benson at September 1, 2009 5:47 PM

fsg- I get it- you make an issue of a politician's campaign, run like every other's campaign because he is doing something you dislike about tenants. I am naive or willfully ignoring what he is doing because I don't think he is exploiting them- and you, in your crystal clear, omniscient great beam of light mind, do. My problem? I find it insulting to his wife to assume that she, an adult woman, is allowing him to exploit her rather than she deciding to support and help her husband in his campaign.

Other than that you and I certainly agree on politicians of every ilk. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 5:47 PM

no I think what he is doing is beyond what most politicians would do (granted most politicans cant play the interracial marriage card) - and I object to that - in an of itself

I also object to his slumlord map based on zero criteria - in an of itself

I am also suspect of any adult male politician who changes his name at age 42 - especially when he changes it from one that is clearly not politically favorable to one that surely would be more so

I also object to other things that Wilhelm does.....and so to me it all leads to the unmistakable conclusion that the guy is a sleazy hack - true that is like many politicians - but he is far from the only one I'd make that charge against.

Posted by: fsrg at September 1, 2009 5:55 PM

Just to inject one note of humour into all of this...

....as a person who is 100% Italian-American, I'm not fooled a second by Wilhelm's name switch. He's about as Italian as Swedish meatballs!!

Posted by: benson at September 1, 2009 5:59 PM

"true that is like many politicians - but he is far from the only one I'd make that charge against."

Well fsrg- we should me up at a b'stoner gathering and make our lists :-)

But FYI- DeBlasio has be known as Bill Deblasio (I think its his mother's name) since he was a child. For whatever reason, he finally decided to make it official. And I agree- he needs to have criteria re the slumlord list or every disgruntled tenant will make unsubstantiated charges. I've met several who have done that to my former landlady- accused her of racism. Considering I had been a tenant for many year with my ex, and there were several Black families who lived in her buildings, we all wrote letters testifying to her character. She was a great lady (still is).

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 6:04 PM

oops- sorry- "meet up" and many "years". Housing court dropped the charges against her too.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 1, 2009 6:08 PM

Here we go again. Benson, my family is fundamentalist and Catholic. You're being ridiculous.

Posted by: mopar at September 2, 2009 12:02 AM

Mopar;

What in the world are you talking about?

Posted by: benson at September 2, 2009 7:38 AM