Pubdate: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC) Column: Council Comment Copyright: 2009 Kamloops Daily News Contact: http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/679 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) PROGRESS BEING MADE ON CRACK SHACKS Kamloops - If we burn ourselves out with drugs or alcohol, we won't have long to go in this business. - John Belushi It turns out that Kamloops is the first jurisdiction in British Columbia to successfully pursue civil forfeiture of a residential property because it was used in an illegal activity. The police, through exhaustive investigation, including undercover work, were able to establish that the home's owner was intimately involved in the trafficking of narcotics out of the residence he owned. For the neighbours I am sure this was something of a relief. Nobody deserves to live next to a drug house. This location was a problem for years and I am sure that the end could not come soon enough for the long-suffering residents of this street. As council members we hear about the traffic, noise and crime associated with drug houses. The process of dealing with these sorts of premises is slow and the delays only add to the frustration of the neighbours. It's nice for them to finally have something to look forward to at this location. From the perspective of the owner's family, the picture is not quite so rosy. The home at 861 Nicolani was originally purchased by the owner's Italian immigrant parents. Like most immigrants of their era, they probably came to our community with almost no financial resources, no English language skills and a modest education. Through sheer drive and hard work they were able to forge a new life in this country. They worked long and hard to acquire their home and savings. After mastering enough English to get by they proved themselves to be valuable employees and solid members of the community. I have no doubt that they took pride in their residence and I am willing to bet that neighbours remember the original owners as people who kept a tidy home with a good garden. Like any parents, they took great joy in raising a family. They would have celebrated all the family milestones like any other household. Their son would have attended the elementary school nearby and been given as much support as possible by his parents. This is a story that has played out in Kamloops thousands of times. Our community is full of children from immigrant families who have enjoyed remarkable success. Every occupation and profession in Kamloops is well populated with people who grew up in similar circumstances. One can't help but wonder where things went wrong in this case. The owner of the home inherited it from his parents. This once tidy property is no longer fit for habitation. The RCMP has published an online video of the interior of the house in its current state. It's going to take a lot of work to make this into a home again. Forfeiture of a home is a rare thing because usually the owner or the bank beats the government to the punch. Addicts will burn through their personal finances and mortgage or sell anything they have in support of their addiction. Their home has long been sold or foreclosed before the drug abuser bottoms out. The owner's parents chose Canada and came with nothing but will and a strong work ethic. They were seeking a better life for themselves and their family. Sadly, within one generation it has all collapsed into a pit of narcotics. One can only imagine the grip these drugs must have had. Clearly the owner of this property was prepared to give up everything to satisfy his drug addiction and that is precisely what he did. From a civic perspective, it is usually the threat of civil forfeiture that gets the job done. Drug dealers rarely own a home and once a landlord and their bank get served with notice of forfeiture, things start to happen. It's not completely fair to expect a landlord to take ownership of the conduct of their tenant, but at some point landlords owe a duty to the broader community to ensure that their premises are being used appropriately. The threat of civil forfeiture has been employed successfully in a number of locations around Kamloops. People who have suffered living next to a "Crack Shack" have seen some of these premises transformed back into attractive family homes. I hope that one day soon a family will move into a restored and updated residence on Nicolani. I also hope that they have better luck in this home than the last family. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake