The Pogrom Marches On

Two of the apartment complexes originally slated for eradication in Dunwoody's failed Parks Pogrom have filed a federal fair housing suit against the City accusing the City (thru it's much lauded "staff") of harassment and discrimination. One might dismiss this as a desperate legal tactic by businesses attempting to preserve their right to unfettered profitable operation. One would be mistaken.

Or so says Dunwoody's own Municipal Court Judge  Rick Powell who swatted down nearly one hundred citations because the City failed to follow procedure and give proper notification. Is this mere arrogance with the City holding itself above its own procedures? Is it indeed harassment and discrimination that is a natural fall back position for a City determined to push those people out when more direct measures failed?

Or is it selective enforcement?

If this is selective enforcement then all the Citizens of Dunwoody and not just those renters along the PIB need to be very concerned. Selective enforcement such as picking off speeders on Chamblee Dunwoody often falls into the category of "worst first" due to limited resources. Like all other operational necessities even these situations must be closely monitored. Situations like the Chicken Ban have our City Staff instituting a policy of "enforce upon complaint" offering code enforcement as a big stick with which to beat your neighbor. More importantly it is well down the slippery slope of "we'll punish who we want when we want and to whatever degree we want".

When City Staff use selective enforcement to advance their own agenda and an unvetted, unsavory agenda at that then it is past time for our elected officials to step up, step in and put a stop to this. And we need to make sure they do. First because it is wrong--plain and simple. And if that isn't enough consider what you'll do and what recourse you'll have when they come after you.