 |
Shawn Stillman
Neighborhood Coordinator |
| Address: |
155 Deer Hill Avenue
Danbury, CT 06810 |
| Telephone: |
(203) 796-8026 |
City Line 311
Your Source for City Services
About Us:
Preserving the quality and character of Danbury’s neighborhoods is a top priority for its residents and for Mayor Mark Boughton. As a result, Mayor Boughton created The Office of Neighborhood Assistance which houses the Unified Neighborhood Inspection Team (UNIT) and the CityLine 311 information line.
The UNIT has become the state’s model in combating Health, Housing, Zoning and Fire code violations. The UNIT is represented by members of the following departments: Fire Marshal, Building, Health and Housing and Police. Additionally, the UNIT frequently partners with other departments, including Zoning and Public Works to further assist our city’s efforts of preserving our neighborhoods and our community.
The Office of Neighborhood Assistance is responsible for resolving various neighborhood concerns ranging from illegal apartments, blight, parking violations and overcrowded, unsafe living conditions. The team focuses on blight remediation, code compliance, safety and quality of life issues and strives to enhance Danbury’s position as a premier place to live, work, and raise a family.
Staff for the Office of Neighborhood Assistance understand that Danbury’s residents take pride in the preservation of their neighborhoods; therefore it is essential for the team to respond quickly and efficiently to their concerns. The UNIT will respond to every concern brought before the team and will work diligently with the property owners to resolve the issue in question. While some situations may be out of the realm of the authority of the UNIT; the team will do whatever they can to alleviate the situation. This may include personally referring those matters to the responsible departments within City Hall, or explaining to the local residents what actions they may need to take to further pursue resolution.
Additionally, it is a common practice for the Office of Neighborhood Assistance to follow up and give updates to the residents that alert the UNIT of their concerns. The team feels that there is an added value to calling the residents back to thank them for their concern and to provide any further detail in the solution of the problem. As a result of being proactive and following up, the office continues to receive positive feedback from our residents. Residents have expressed their gratitude of the UNIT to the members of the team, as well as to the Mayor and Common Council members.
Our Accomplishments:
The UNIT began to perform A.C.T.I.O.N. (Active Commitment Towards Improving Our Neighborhoods) in 2008 and now provide the service on a routine basis each month. This is a method in which the UNIT proactively patrols our neighborhoods and perform visual inspections, as well as interact with the residents to ensure that quality of life issues are being maintained. Simultaneously, the UNIT hosts neighborhood meetings with the Mayor and educates Danbury’s residents about community standards of health and safety, as well as zoning rules and regulations.
The Office of Neighborhood Assistance understands that its most notable accomplishments are measured by the overall appearance of Danbury’s neighborhoods and each resolved issue equals a small, individual success. One notable success story for the UNIT can be found on Rowan Street, where an abandoned residence was historically being used as a car repair business. At one point, there were over 25 inoperable vehicles on the property within this residential neighborhood. Upon receiving complaints from the neighbors, the UNIT immediately became involved in shutting the operation down. Currently, only 4 vehicles remain on the property and the building is in the process of being boarded up and a fence constructed to prevent anymore vehicles from being parked there. In addition to this improvement, an abandoned car was removed from the property across the street. The car was stripped and broken glass surrounded it. The UNIT recognized this not only as blight, but also a hazard and had it removed. As a result of increased UNIT activity in this neighborhood, residents are taking note and are asking for ways to become more involved with improvements to their neighborhood. Currently, a neighborhood meeting is scheduled for August 2009.