North Delta - "People used to have pride in their homes, yards and gardens, but that's not the case any longer. Drive down any given street and they should be renamed either Crack House Alley, Grow Op Lane, or Renters Avenue."

Excerpted from ‘North Delta needs cleaning up, says Delta mayor’s daughter’, The Delta Optimist, 11 Aug 2011 -
Barb Jackson conveyed her concerns about the state of North Delta in a letter to the Surrey Leader, writing, “Drive down any given street and they should be renamed either Crack House Alley, Grow Op Lane, or Renters Avenue.”
Jackson, who grew up in North Delta but moved away in early adulthood, has returned to live with her family since her sister’s death. She lives in a house with her mother, the longtime Delta council member who’s been mayor since 1999.
She said over the years it seems like rental properties have ruined North Delta, adding people used to have pride in their homes, yards and gardens, but that’s not the case any longer.
In a telephone interview this week, Jackson told the Delta Optimist her concerns were not intended to slam those in charge at municipal hall, but rather those buying houses as investments.
She said something needs to be done to encourage absentee landlords to keep up their properties and not allow neighbourhoods to run down.
“I grew up here but it’s really changed… there’s lots of places that are beautiful and well maintained but drive down 92nd Avenue and you’ll see what I’m talking about. It’s the pride of ownership of the homeowners and if they’re not given incentive to keep up the property, it devalues everyone else’s property in the neighbourhood.”
Jackson said more punitive tax measures for property owners who don’t live in the homes they own, or perhaps incentives to maintain their houses, should be introduced.