The owners of apartment buildings in Holyoke that are deemed to be “hot spots” for criminal activity will receive letters warning they must develop a security plan in collaboration with the local police or risk losing the building to receivership and possibly face criminal charges.
At a Holyoke City Hall press conference Monday, Mayor Alex Morse and Police Chief James Neiswanger held up a letter printed on red paper stock that was sent to the owner of a 40-unit apartment building where police were called more than 250 times in a six- month period last year.
A man was shot and wounded outside the building at 365 Appleton St over the weekend. Police arrested 21 people on drug charges during two separate raids at the building in March. The building is owned by Windsor Realty, L.L.C. of Bedford, Ma.
Neiswanger said the property manager has paid only “lip service” to police requests to help stop the illegal drug activity in the building.
" I want to stress the city will no longer allow slumlords to provide a safe harbor for criminal activity," he said. " Any uncooperative landlord will be held accountable for allowing drug activity and violent crime to continue on their property."
Neiswanger estimated there are 10 buildings that could be subject to the new crackdown.
" We are trying to address these one at a time. The biggest violators will get our attention first. It is calls for ( police) service and drug raids that are driving it," he said.
The city has several legal tools at its disposal, according to assistant city solicitor Kara Cunha.
"This includes seeking receivership through the Housing Court as well as under chapter 139 seeking an injunction through the Superior Court that the owner abate the nuisance that is being caused by the continued illegal drug activity. Also, under that statute the city can seek closure of the building or criminal charges against the owner. All of which we intend to pursue," she explained.
Morse said the budget he will propose for the fiscal year that begins July 1st will include $100,000 for the initiative. He plans to hire a full time building inspector and a new attorney for the city’s Law Department to work exclusively on the problem of nuisance and blighted properties.
" To residences this says the city is taking the issue seriously, we are putting resources behind it and expect to see positive results in the short term," he said.
The mayor and police chief have scheduled a public safety meeting next week with a group of landlords.
" I would say most landlords are cooperative. Most want to see their property clean and safe," said Morse.
Morse said the owner of an apartment building at 5 Adams Street invited police into the building last year to set up a drug sting and even paid for the police presence. There were 110 arrests during a single weekend.
The owner, Atlas Property Management, spent $35,000 on surveillance cameras, new locks, and other security measures. The 20-unit building, which had only five of the apartments occupied before the landlord partnered with police, is now fully rented.
