Bringing Up The Hill: What It’s All About

Recently, this writer sparked some productive dialogue regarding illegal rooming houses
and property conditions in the Battle Hill neighborhood of White Plains, NY. Feedback has been
overwhelmingly supportive, but not without detractors. This writer now wishes to set the record
straight on a few important points.

Battle Hill is a Community I am Proud to Call Home

The first thing I wish to clear up is that Battle Hill is a wonderful community. I have
lived in about six cities over the past twenty years (career building has been exhausting.) I
moved to and from each one of those cities for reasons other than choice. Battle Hill is the first
place I chose as my home with the intention of never leaving. After two and one-half years in
Battle Hill, I can say I made a good choice!

Battle Hill is a welcoming community filled with families that have lived here far longer
than I have a right to desire. God willing, I will survive to make it to thirty-years.

When relocating to NY from CA I could have settled anywhere. Indeed, I looked in New
York City, Long Island, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut, Westchester County, and
Rockland County. After extensive research and touring towns, cities, and many homes, I selected
Battle Hill. The reasons for this selection are numerous, but here are the top five (in no particular
order):

1. Socioeconimic and Racial Diversity. This was a very important factor to me. I have lived
in homogeneous communities and felt sterile. I have lived in upper income communities
and felt elitist. I wanted to feel alive and I know diversity is a big part of that for me.
Diversity in every sense is important to me. Battle Hill offers one of the best mixes of
people I saw in the greater New York area.

2. Low Crime Rate: I am under no illusion that crime will ever be completely eradicated.
However, Battle Hill and White Plains have a low crime rate and an excellent Police
Department (thank you Chief FitzSimmons.)

3. Progressive Politics: I am a progressive liberal, so the thought of living in a Republican

dominated city is scary to me.

4. Friendly Neighborhood: On my first visit to Battle Hill two neighbors came out to say
hello and encouraged me to move to Battle Hill. Their sincerity was genuine and
heartfelt. They had me at hello.

5. Access to Train and Walkability: Access to Manhattan by train and the ability to walk to
restaurants, shops, and entertainment were very important. Battle Hill is an easy walk to
the train and only a little farther to an ever changing downtown.
 I love Battle Hill and know that most of the residents of Battle Hill feel the same way. It
is a wonderful community and I am proud to call it home.

Symptoms of a Larger Problem

As I have previously written about, there is a problem with illegal rooming houses and
property maintenance in Battle Hill. No, this issue does not impact every street in Battle Hill. As
a matter of fact, some are quick to point out that the problems are only a small percentage of the
overall number of homes in Battle Hill.

I understand that, but it is irrelevant. Percentages matter when one is watching their
cellphone battery drain. Percentages matter when one is asking about the chances of success for a
medical procedure. Percentages matter when one is calculating risk and formulating mitigation.
However, percentages do not matter when one is peeing on your leg and telling you it is raining.
Percentages do not matter when the neighbor’s dog consistently craps in your yard and the
neighbor does not clean it up. Percentages do not matter when one’s government is refusing to
enforce the law. Sometimes principals are more important than percentages.

The problem with the illegal rooming houses and property maintenance conditions is that
they pose significant safety risks to the occupants, neighboring properties, and first-responders.
Mayor Roach has refused to take these matters seriously. The result is a clear safety problem and
exploitation of the very demographic the Mayor claims to be assisting.

At least some of the occupants renting rooms by the hour, day, week, or month are low
income and perhaps undocumented. Slumlords take advantage of this vulnerable population by
charging high rates, permitting their properties to fall into disrepair, and threatening the
occupants if they complain. Of course, these slumlords also counsel the occupants that they are
not to permit anyone in the house for any reason. This feeds into the Mayor’s self-imposed
moratorium on inspecting these homes and enforcing the law.

In effect, what Mayor Roach is doing is shifting to the community his obligation to
protect and defend the general health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of White Plains.
Compounding the problem, when the community seeks assistance and offers solutions, Mayor
Roach is dismissive and refuses to engage. Let me be clear: It is the primary obligation of the
Mayor to uphold and enforce the law. The Mayor’s refusal to do so is tantamount to the Mayor
himself breaking the law.

No one in any town or city should be burdened with the obligations of its government.
Moreover, effective solutions can only come from the government. Sure, private citizens can sue
a neighboring property for private nuisance; however, that only addresses that one property.
Right now, in Battle Hill, this is a game of Whack-A-Mole. The unemployment rate is low,
economy strong, and work abundant (thank God for that.) The good economic times; however,
feed the demand for rooming houses so one-off solutions can never solve this problem.

The larger point here is that the illegal rooming houses and property maintenance issues
are a symptom of Mayor Roach’s refusal to engage and enforce the law. When a government
refuses to enforce the law and slumlords rein free, the entire City is at risk. This is a cancer that
is spreading. Mayor Roach may not be the cause of the cancer, but he certainly is the cause of its
continued metastasis.

N.B.: I do not want to see any of the current residents of Battle Hill leave. What I want,
and what we all deserve, is a housing stock that is safe and complies with the all local and State
laws.

The Larger Problem that is Causing the Symptoms

We all pay taxes to support Mayor Roach and White Plains. Whether it is property taxes,
school taxes, sales taxes, etc., we all pay. Why does Mayor Roach get to take our money, take
our votes, and take the oath of office, but refuse to listen to the people and refuse to enforce the
law.

Here’s why: Mayor Roach is singularly focused on development downtown. This is a

shortsighted view that will not fare well for the City. Downtown is surrounded by residential
neighborhoods – all of which are being neglected. Moreover, the revenue trend lines for the City
are not healthy. Sales tax revenue is down, school enrollment is increasing, and the City is
relying too heavily on revenue from violations (parking and soon red light cameras) to bridge the
gap. This is not a healthy trend line. This unhealthy trend coupled with the Mayor’s refusal to
enforce the law will lead to a slow but precipitous decline in all residential neighborhoods
outside of downtown. The Mayor is essentially cannibalizing the residential neighborhoods to
build his emerald city.

In summary, I am pushing hard on illegal rooming houses and property maintenance

because I need to start somewhere. No one has a magic wand to wave and solve all issues
overnight. Sure would be nice to start with the issues that have the most immediate impact on the
quality of life in Battle Hill. Make no mistake; however, these problems are symptoms of bad
government, not symptoms of a bad neighborhood.