Pubdate: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 Source: New Westminster Newsleader (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 New Westminster Newsleader Contact: http://www.newwestnewsleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1297 Author: Wanda Chow CITY KEEPS EYE ON 'PROBLEM HOUSES' Dozens of houses are currently under the watchful eye of city hall's housing integrated service team, charged last year with the task of ridding New Westminster of drug houses and other nuisance properties. The team is comprised of staff from police, fire, strategic services, engineering, planning and other city departments, as well as representatives from the health authority, BC Gas, and the ministry of human resources. Its mandate is to deal with problematic properties that have issues related to crime, extraordinary demands for police service, negative impacts on neighbourhoods, bylaw violations and safety hazards. The team is also implementing the Controlled Substance Property Bylaw adopted last summer to deal with marijuana grow operations and drug houses. According to a recent report from the city's director of strategic services, already the team has dealt with more than 60 properties. It has identified and shut down at least 22 marijuana grow operations since the summer. Water and electrical services are cut off until all safety hazards and bylaw violations are corrected. Several crack houses have been identified and vacated, and the problems resolved, including those at 905 McBride Boulevard, 437 Seventh Street and 905 12th Street. Approximately three dozen properties have been identified as "chronically problematic" by the team, which has already succeeded in addressing eight: 1305-1307 and 1325-1327 Kamloops Street - The buildings consisted of two duplexes which had been converted to fourplexes at some time without the required permits. In dealing with the concerns of "poor maintenance and ongoing drug activities and nuisances," the business licences for the properties were revoked and the building vacated until bylaw violations were resolved. The homes were converted back to duplexes then sold. 1221 Seventh Avenue - The property, originally a duplex, was illegally converted to a 10-unit residential building. The city obtained Supreme Court orders authorizing it to eliminate all but two units. 211 and 215 Royal Avenue - The two houses were converted without permits to rooming houses with about 12 units. Concerns included neighbourhood nuisances, criminal activity in and around the properties and serious safety hazards inside. The business licences were revoked, services were disconnected and the building has been vacated until it complies with city bylaws. 224 Third Street - A single-detached home converted without permits to a rooming house with seven units, the property is now vacated. 730 Fifth Street - A court order has been obtained forcing the owner to vacate and remove the unauthorized units in this property, a single-detached home converted without permits to a 12-unit rooming house. 1408 Fifth Avenue - The house was identified as a crack house and marijuana grow operation on several occasions in the past three years and also contained safety hazards. The property has been vacated and the services disconnected until it is brought into compliance with city bylaws. "New Westminster is on the cutting edge of these sorts of issues," city solicitor Michael McAllister told council. In fact, other municipalities are now calling city hall for advice and information. The team's success, he added, is due to its focus not on what can't be done but on what can be done. Assistant director of strategic services Keith Coueffin stressed that residents witnessing criminal activity "should not put themselves in harm's way" but rather, provide police and city staff with information to help them deal with it. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex