Cleaning up Greencastle priority for Dunbar, Rout

It was a huge goal of hers after being sworn in, and now Greencastle Mayor Lynda Dunbar is ready to make code enforcement and cleaning up her city a major point of emphasis. 

And, that includes taking care of unsafe buildings, as well as a focus on homeless camps that have recently appeared behind residences along Arlington Street and Shadowlawn Avenue, as well as the wooded area between Kroger and Deer Meadow School and in the woods near the site of the former Monon Grill. 

"We have had a big push out of our planning department in cleaning up Greencastle. We are going into the slower season, but it is really important our businesses look nice and clean with no tall grass and things like that. We are starting to door hang people and you will be asked to call and we will talk about the issue in your yard. We are making a big effort in cleaning up the city of Greencastle. That is a big project we are taking on," Dunbar told The Putnam County Post. 

Planning Director Blaine Rout said by placing an emphasis on cleaning up the city broadly, those efforts will inevitably tie into homelessness.

"Homelessness is not just a local issue. It is a persistent and embarrassing national issue. The macroeconomic cycles play a part in the ebb and flow of homelessness over time. How we as a society deal with mental illness and disabilities is also a contributor. That being said, local communities are met face to face with the very real people that cannot obtain housing, whether it be a financial constraint, mental illness, chronic substance abuse, among other factors or a combination thereof," Rout said.  

According to Dunbar, unsafe buildings will be a priority. During the last few months, the city has seen several blighted and dilapidated structures be demolished.

"Unsafe buildings are a priority. A lot of them start to house homeless and it is not safe for them. They can get in there and start a fire and a lot of issues can arise from that. We are trying to work through the process, and if we have vacant lots, we have an opportunity for someone to come in and build a new dwelling," Dunbar said. 

Rout said when code enforcement is discussed, there are two main approaches the city will take -- through the Greencastle Police Department and through the Planning and Zoning Department. 

"The police are best suited for handling issues that have urgency to them, or problems that may apply to criminal code. Criminal trespass is one applicable offense, but for matters where there is a public nuisance, there may be overlap between planning and police, with, potential, municipal code violation citations. Excessive noise is one example. Planning and Zoning, through Code Enforcement, has the ability to address the issue in part by notifying property owners what issues are present, that may be unaware that a problem exists. Code Enforcement can bring property owners to the conversation and get them to take action, where, in many cases, the police cannot act until the property owner states whether or not persons are allowed on the property," he said. 

Rout said different legal challenges exist for different situations. 

"Homeless camps are different than squatters in an abandoned or vacant home. Once a squatter establishes residency, the property owner must go through civil eviction process, where police cannot take action. Sometimes, this can take months to go through court, where they can be forcibly removed," Rout said. 

Greencastle tries to combat any issue by using other means, according to Rout. He said coordinating with churches and non profits that can provide temporary shelter and get individuals mental health resources, job training and transitional housing are always the goals. 

"If these measures are successful, organizations like Fuller Center for Housing of Putnam County can work with individuals and families to obtain affordable and decent accommodations that allow them to have dignified living arrangements. Each person has a different situation, so it is likely a different approach for each," Rout said. 

And, the transient nature of the problem has not helped, Rout admitted. 

"When one area is cleared and cleaned up, another spot may see activity. That’s essentially because of the problem being relocated elsewhere until they are caught again, or leave town. We hope that our multifaceted approach will address both the symptoms of the problem in the short term, but also the source of the problems in the long term," he said.