COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION

A clean city takes a lot of effort and cooperation on the part of its residents.  - The Community Education Campaign has provided education and instructional brochures to all households and businesses in the target areas concerning rodent prevention measures, trash storage and property maintenance.  Members of the “door knocking” committee made personal contact with residents, property owners, tenants, building superintendents, and business owners from November 1999 through August 2000.  Flyers were left at properties when no one was available.  Educational visits were timed to coincide with the abandoned and/or unregistered vehicle removal and property clean ups.

Community responses to the “door knocking” campaign varied within the target area depending on the extent of each neighborhood’s rodent problem.  Many community members were unaware of the rodent infestation, and how the conditions of properties in the City’s neighborhood contribute to the problem.  The census tracts where residents appeared less concerned were 5028, 5029 and 5030.  These three census tracts as well as others within the target area have been re-canvassed to stress the importance of the task force efforts.

                                     Survey results for the above discussed census tracts  

Census Tract	5030	5029	5028
Burrows	452	621	377
Cited	140	132	88
Vehicles	166	101	196

The conditions identified in the above three-census tracts show a high number of violations and rodent activity.  Residents unaware of how conditions on their properties impact the existence of rats are not going to make the necessary changes to prevent feeding and sheltering rats.     

HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

One of the earliest examples of the program’s efforts was implemented in the Hartford Public school system.  In November of 1999 several staff members of the Department of Licenses and Inspections held education and information seminars and classroom exercises designed to educate students at the Batchelder and Mark Twain Elementary School. Each presentation was well received by the school children. 

Aadditional educational programs under development include “Careers in Code Enforcement” and a possible “Code Enforcement Mentoring Program” that is being developed as a joint partnership between the A.I Prince Technical School and the Department of Licenses and Inspections.

CITIZEN INSPECTION PROGRAM

Another key aspect of the Rodent Control Task Force Program is the implementation of the Citizen Inspection Program (CIP).  The CIP is a program that forms a partnership with neighborhood organizations (usually NRZ’s) and has the benefit of having local residents become citizen inspectors under the direction of the local Community Block Organization (CBO).  Friendly letters can be sent to offenders requesting their support to correct violations on their properties.   Licenses and Inspections has provided training and education along with oversight of the program requirements to several Neighborhood Organizers.  Two CBO groups are scheduled for the official presentation of the CIP.  These are the South End Neighborhood Action Program (SNAP) and Vine Central Problem Solving Group.  Other groups have shown interest and will be forwarded information on the program.  It is the City’s hope to have every neighborhood group involved in the Citizen Inspection Program.

MERCHANT COORDINATOR PROGRAM

The Merchant Coordinator Program request Hartford’s Merchant Coordinators to become actively involved in the RCTF effort by educating local commercial vendors and establishments in proper code compliance requirements.  On October 29, 2001, the Merchant coordinators joined the coordination committee at its weekly meetings and a representative will be attending future weekly meetings.  The goal is to have every business in Hartford knowledgeable of the program and assume responsibility for cleaning their premises.

HEALTH FAIR

Other venues included Licenses and Inspections participation at the Village For Families & Children, Sanchez, Burns and SANDS Family Resource Centers, Housing Fair on June 21, 2001 attended by L&I’s Community Relation Specialist and assistant, giving classroom presentations and question and answer sessions.

ELEMENT MISSING FROM THE PROGRAM

The Community Education and Participation is no longer part of the integrated program.  This is one of the elements of the program that either makes or breaks the effort by giving it longevity.  Following the clean ups, residents were to be contacted in person by RCTF staff regarding efforts to maintain the cleanliness of properties and rodent prevention measures.  The CCP division was responsible for implementing the Community Education Campaign but the unit has been dismantled since August 2000.  A vastly condensed version of this effort is presently being done by some of the field inspectors by handing out flyers during their inspections.  While this method does not reach every household like originally planned, it does at least get the word on the street.

Empower the people who live and visit Hartford on how not to feed the rats - In order for this program to be a long-term success, the educational effort must reach all residents and property owners in the City.  This effort must at the least include door-to- door visits during day and evening hours to ensure all residents are reached.