JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville resident is turning to social media for support after he said he is being harassed by the city.
William Helvitson, the owner of Duval Appliance, launched the website AbolishJaxCode.com in response to being cited a number of times by Jacksonville's Municipal Code Enforcement Division, he said.
"I'm a target," Helvitson said. "I feel I am wearing a big bulls-eye."
The latest citation was in December over nuisance, vegetation and trash, he said.
Helvitson said ever since he purchased property for his store at 6504 Leona St. 11 years ago, he's received 11 citations. City records show he's complied in the past, but after this recent round, he decided to fight back.
"I don't think the citations warranted," he said. "Not at all, not in my opinion."
He is making his frustration very clear. On Your Side saw his level of frustration in a profanity-laced email to city officials.
"I don't have any documentation telling me what to clean up, where to clean it up or what it is," he said.
With AbolishJaxCode.com, he is hoping his social media approach will gain traction and bring change to a code he claims is unfair to the citizens.
"The bottom line is I am being harassed by the city for no good reason, no good reason," he said. "It is not all code. It is specific codes."
He knows his effort to change the municipal code is an uphill battle, but one he said he is willing to fight.
First Coast News has reached out to the City of Jacksonville regarding Helvitson's citations, but we have not heard back.