What's happening at one Brisben low-income property (Springdale):
Mr. Osborn said on the Brisben property we are doing analysis of statistics related to police activities and they are very disturbing. This is a refinancing so even if this application is denied, essentially all that happens is that the financing in place just continues, but I thought it would be good to go on record to the agency that manages the funding, that we have some concerns about the way this property is being administered. We believe that given the level of activities on this property that require police presence, that it would be certainly justifiable for private security to be hired by the company. This facility is a subsidized housing program but that does not mean that there cannot be screening of the people who live in that housing. The only criteria I am aware of is that they have to meet certain income criteria. I would think that a property owner would have the ability to tell an applicant if they have less than a good background that they are not desirable as tenants. I would imagine there is a significant waiting list for subsidized housing so that?’s the tact we?’re going to take. I talked to the gentleman today who is the multi-family bond manager who is directly responsible for handling this renewal and I told him we were going to be undertaking this. He?’s asked me to get back to him within the next two weeks because they do have a subcommittee meeting coming up in the next two weeks but we have thirty days to respond. I think we would like to come into the next Council meeting with a recommended response that needs Council?’s support and signature.
Ms. Manis said I just hope the response is strong enough. It can?’t be not strong enough in my opinion.
Mr. Osborn said I think the statistics bear that out. There is an alarming increase in crimes. In Part 1 crimes which are serious offenses in 1994 there were 20; in 1995 there were 29; in 1996 there were 17 and in 1997 there 95. Thus far, in 1998 we have had 128. In 1996 there were vacancies as the property was rehabilitated but 1994 showed only 20 and 1995 29. It has increased 6 fold already in 1998. For all crimes we had 447 details to the site in 1997, and year to date 1998 we have had 718 details. So not only have the more serious crimes gone up but the routine requests for police services have increased significantly as well.
Ms. Manis asked weren?’t our police officers providing off duty service over there at one point?
Mayor Webster replied most off duty details are initiated by the owner. The Colony approached our Police Department to see if anyone would want to work additional hours. I don?’t think that Brisben has done that. I think that is the only thing we hope to get out of this. I don?’t think we are going to change the way they do business or the way they screen their tenants, but hopefully we can bring some pressure on them to make them belly up for some of the costs to try to help clean this mess up. I see the daily police logs. I had not seen that 718 number for year to date details but that doesn?’t shock me because every day I see two, three, four entries dealing with Hunters Glen.
Ms. Manis said I don?’t know if we have any control over the appearance of the driveway either with run down, junk cars in the parking lot. The whole appearance of the place has deteriorated.
By Mr. W. O Brisben
Mr. Osborn said on the Brisben property we are doing analysis of statistics related to police activities and they are very disturbing. This is a refinancing so even if this application is denied, essentially all that happens is that the financing in place just continues, but I thought it would be good to go on record to the agency that manages the funding, that we have some concerns about the way this property is being administered. We believe that given the level of activities on this property that require police presence, that it would be certainly justifiable for private security to be hired by the company. This facility is a subsidized housing program but that does not mean that there cannot be screening of the people who live in that housing. The only criteria I am aware of is that they have to meet certain income criteria. I would think that a property owner would have the ability to tell an applicant if they have less than a good background that they are not desirable as tenants. I would imagine there is a significant waiting list for subsidized housing so that?’s the tact we?’re going to take. I talked to the gentleman today who is the multi-family bond manager who is directly responsible for handling this renewal and I told him we were going to be undertaking this. He?’s asked me to get back to him within the next two weeks because they do have a subcommittee meeting coming up in the next two weeks but we have thirty days to respond. I think we would like to come into the next Council meeting with a recommended response that needs Council?’s support and signature.
Ms. Manis said I just hope the response is strong enough. It can?’t be not strong enough in my opinion.
Mr. Osborn said I think the statistics bear that out. There is an alarming increase in crimes. In Part 1 crimes which are serious offenses in 1994 there were 20; in 1995 there were 29; in 1996 there were 17 and in 1997 there 95. Thus far, in 1998 we have had 128. In 1996 there were vacancies as the property was rehabilitated but 1994 showed only 20 and 1995 29. It has increased 6 fold already in 1998. For all crimes we had 447 details to the site in 1997, and year to date 1998 we have had 718 details. So not only have the more serious crimes gone up but the routine requests for police services have increased significantly as well.
Ms. Manis asked weren?’t our police officers providing off duty service over there at one point?
Mayor Webster replied most off duty details are initiated by the owner. The Colony approached our Police Department to see if anyone would want to work additional hours. I don?’t think that Brisben has done that. I think that is the only thing we hope to get out of this. I don?’t think we are going to change the way they do business or the way they screen their tenants, but hopefully we can bring some pressure on them to make them belly up for some of the costs to try to help clean this mess up. I see the daily police logs. I had not seen that 718 number for year to date details but that doesn?’t shock me because every day I see two, three, four entries dealing with Hunters Glen.
Ms. Manis said I don?’t know if we have any control over the appearance of the driveway either with run down, junk cars in the parking lot. The whole appearance of the place has deteriorated.
By Mr. W. O Brisben
