Quote:

What's special is that the South Orange application results in an inspector showing up "within hours" to confirm the violation and to then issue a fine, or determine the appropriate course of action.

With the JC RRC Fix-It app, you may or may not get any results. My personal experience has been very disappointing.

so just download the Jersey City RRC Fix-It app in the google or apple play store. This isn't special to just South Orange

Then again, they are doing what they can to help out seniors and the infirm. http://villagegreennj.com/community/s ... -orange-seniors-disabled/

I don't think the intent of his post was to champion ratting out granny.

If you're walking down a street and the sidewalk isn't shoveled, chances are you don't know who lives in that house and what their condition is.

Many neighbors would probably shovel for an elderly homeowner if they were aware. On the flip side, if you are elderly/disabled, that doesn't mean you don't have all of the responsibilities that come with home ownership. The City, family, or someone needs to guide that person to hiring someone to tend to their property maintenance needs.

Unfortunately, for many isolated people, that need only becomes apparent when something like an unshoveled sidewalk draws attention to the situation and then some social service agencies, neighborhood groups, etc. can step in. In other words "reporting" them could initiate the help that they need.

"If the resident is too old or too sick to shovel snow?"

Why the hell would you rat an elderly or sick neighbor who cannot shovel even if they wanted to? This shows what kind of neighbor YOU really are!

we have that too, on the city website...

(This is a great idea - particularly outsourcing timely snow removal to students (maybe second-chancers, too) or the city and billing the home/business owner)


By Jeff Goldman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on February 19, 2015 at 8:06 AM, updated February 19, 2015 at 9:18 AM

Residents in South Orange who'd rather not have a face-to-face conversation with a negligent neighbor about snow that hasn't been removed have a recourse.

A smartphone app, SOConnect, allows residents to anonymously alert village officials about sidewalks or public walkways which haven't been cleared, according to a report on the website of CBS-2.

Within hours of receiving the report, a village official will show up to confirm that there's a problem.

The owner will then be given 24 hours to remedy the situation or be subject to a $100 fine, the report said.

If the resident is too old or too sick to shovel snow, South Orange can call on Seton Hall University students to help as part of an arrangement with the school.

The village also can opt to instruct a municipal employee to do the work and then give the homeowner a bill.

Source