Must-read piece on the scam of government code enforcement

Radley Balko (one of the top libertarian journalists out there, imho) has an excellent new piece out about how municipal codes are weaponized against the poor in particular:

Code Snitching: Nashvillians Are Weaponizing Metro Codes Against ‘Undesirable’ Neighbors https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/coverstory/code-snitching-nashvillians-are-weaponizing-metro-codes-against-undesirable-neighbors/article_5e94bd56-0c67-11ed-af4e-e3d04ad7e500.html

"Benford says he and Ramey are the only black couple in the neighborhood, and for the most part, that hasn’t been a problem. ‘We get along with everybody,’ he says. ‘Everyone is friendly.’
But Benford says the first complaint that put the couple on the city’s radar came from a white neighbor in 2003. ‘That lady would ask me to come help her move things, or fix something,” Benford says. “She’d ask for rides to and from the bus stop. Come to find out she was reporting us to the city the entire time.’

Those reports attracted the attention of a particular Codes inspector, who then became a thorn in the couple’s side for nearly two decades.”…

Code Snitching: Nashvillians Are Weaponizing Metro Codes Against ‘Undesirable’ Neighbors https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/coverstory/code-snitching-nashvillians-are-weaponizing-metro-codes-against-undesirable-neighbors/article_5e94bd56-0c67-11ed-af4e-e3d04ad7e500.html

Some of the stories are infuriating – it’s a great article to share with any friends/colleagues/acquaintances who think local “quality of life” type regulations affecting peoples’ homes and property are harmless.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))