LOCAL ANGLES: GROUP ACTS, DOESN'T WAIT FOR GOVERNMENT TO

They drink coffee, discuss the issues of the day and go home with specific responsibilities to accomplish before the next Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting.

This might seem like something as innocent and safe as "Andy of Mayberry," but actually this group peers directly at a problem and asks the hard questions. What's wrong here and what can we do to change it?

It's refreshing to hear people talking about town hall meetings, educating folks about minimum housing standards and the appalling conditions that nobody wants to see but must if change is to occur.

I didn't know that there is a person in Cape Girardeau who chooses to live without heat, running water or a bathroom that works. It seems this person's family wants the city to force him to come back to civilization but he says no one can make him live a certain lifestyle.

Well, he does have the right to live the way he chooses as long as he's not interfering with the rights of others.

You see, that's the rub. If his lifestyle is such that he is putting his health, safety and welfare in jeopardy and there is a minimum housing standard on the books, someone can file a written complaint against him.

A building inspector would be summoned, and if things were really that bad, he would be forced to change or face a fine. If his squalor is bringing the value of homes down in his neighborhood, perhaps it's time to change things.

It's already taking place deep in the heart of downtown Cape Girardeau, and there's a busy agenda.

When these people discuss bridge, they're likely talking about the new one that's going to span the Mississippi. When they talk trash, they have designated a troubled area in the city that has literally gone to the dogs.

The association is already doing something about cleaning up the city. They have organized groups to walk down streets with trash bags and pick up debris. "We've even enlisted the services of the Girl Scouts to help our cause," said member Tom Neumeyer, who is a city councilman for Ward 2. "If problems are spotted, we make a note of it and address it at a future meeting. We're not vigilantes or anything, just active people with a drive to get things done now instead of two or three years from now."

"Students from the university come to me with horror stories about living conditions in the places they're renting," said Charles Kupchella, the group's president, who hosted Sunday night's Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting. "Some people think this only exists in third-world countries. It's going on right here and nobody seems motivated to want to do anything about it. We've got to establish a floor of minimum housing standards and move from there."

Rick Murray, supervisor of Cape Girardeau's building inspection services, spoke about the minimum housing standards and voiced his concern over the dangers inherent in renting out basements and attics.

"Basement apartments and attics scare me to death," said Murray. "With these minimum housing standards on the books, we're going to shut some homes down, no doubt about that."

Murray went on to say that communities with minimum housing standards are improving living conditions, but only because they care, not just because the law says they must.

That's what the Downtown Neighborhood Association is all about. People who care and are willing to make a difference. "It started with about a dozen people a year ago and now it's grown to about 80," said Neumeyer. "It's like that scene in "Alice's Restaurant." You start with a person, add another person, get to three or four and pretty soon you've got a movement."

Apparently the attitude is infectious. J.J. Williamson, a city councilman representing Ward 1, attended Sunday's meeting and walked away impressed. Williamson is thinking of organizing a neighborhood association in his ward.

Someone encouraged Williamson to do just that. Perhaps they could work together to make the city a better place to live and work.

Williamson asked if the association had any kind of a charter. Nah, someone told him, it's too soon for that. Too much work to be done right now to spend time on that.

"Maybe he could call it the Uptown Neighborhood Association," said Neumeyer. "We were the first and I hope there will be many more to join us in our effort to make this a better place to live."

~Bill Heitland is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.