Put these slumlords on the run
Good grief! What the heck is going on in Fresno? The pictures in The Bee story on May 8 about slum housing were creepy and disgusting enough, then to read that people, including little children, actually live in these infested homes was heart wrenching. It seems the Summerset Village Apartments were only the tip of the iceberg!
The ball is in the city’s court now. Mayor Ashley Swearengin has had a task force in place for 18 months, plus City Manager Bruce Rudd created an enforcement strike force in late 2015. Is there any child going to bed less hungry or less afraid of being bitten as they sleep?
What would happen if our mayor applied the same determination and persistence she showed while spending millions on the Fulton Mall revamp? The follow-through in levying fines and, here’s an idea, actually collecting those fines should be mandatory! The fines collected from the slumlords could contribute to paying for more inspectors and lodging for families exposed to vermin, roaches and mold.
Get out your pen and paper and write a letter to the mayor, The Bee and code enforcement. Let’s protest the inhumanity of slumlords!
Suzanne Lawson, Fresno
This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Put these slumlords on the run."