8/12/2002 Partners Against Crime District II Minutes
CPTED
John Best, Jr.
Cora Cole-McFadden
Visions of Tomorrow letter
National Night Out
Treasurer’s report
Housing update
Impact team update
CPTED: Reyn Bowman of the Durham Visitors Bureau spoke on crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). Both the city and county of Durham have passed resolutions supporting the use of CPTED techniques, which have been proven to reduce crime. Reyn has served for the past two years on the city-county CPTED task force, an 11-person committee including representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Durham, the design community, and other entities. He distributed copies of their letter of recommendation and of their CPTED manual, which offers guidelines for implementing CPTED techniques on residential, commercial, industrial, and public property.
The most effective CPTED strategies are simple ones. The task force recommends that CPTED principles be woven into the new uniform design code. Reyn gave the example of a wave of computer thefts in an office building that was vulnerable due to its lack of an alarm system. If the building code had incorporated CPTED principles, the alarm system would have been part of the original planning. A positive example was that of BP convenience stores, which have mostly glass storefronts and are set horizontally to the road with the pumps in front of the store, so that the clerk has a good line of vision down the aisles and down the street. The only one of the local BP stores that does not follow that layout, the one on 9th Street, is also the one reporting the most drive-off gas thefts.
The CPTED task force recommends that the city and county adopt a crime reduction philosophy based on CPTED and on the “broken windows” theory. The “broken windows” name comes from the observation that a building where a broken window is left unmended will more quickly be afflicted with other broken windows, graffiti, litter, etc. The “broken windows” approach, like CPTED, does not involve pursuing major crimes; it’s a focus on minor crimes, such as loitering, prostitution, drug sales, panhandling, graffiti, and so forth. The idea is that when these petty offenses are tolerated, the resulting appearance of disorder and lack of control creates an environment conducive to the commission of major crimes. The classic example is that of the NYC transit police, where a focus on graffiti and fare evasion resulted in the arrests of people wanted on felony charges and in a perceived restoration of order in the subway.
On the streets of Durham, there are typically as many nonresidents as Durham residents. Sixty thousand people from outside the city of Durham come to Durham to work every day. A recent public opinion poll found that 94.5% of Durham residents felt that community appearance and upkeep were important. A similar percentage expressed resentment of paying local taxes when taxation did not result in such upkeep. Hence, there seems to be a circular effect; funding physical upkeep results in improved appearance, which inspires greater willingness to continue the funding.
The task force’s recommendation letter is now in the hands of the city and county managers. A draft of it was already approved by the city manager’s executive team.
Officer Eric Hester of the DPD conducts CPTED evaluations of homes, businesses, and neighborhoods free of charge. On the morning of Saturday, October 26th, he will be conducting a workshop on CPTED and landscaping at the Lowe’s on William Penn Blvd. A CPTED brochure is available on the PAC2 website in .pdf format. CPTED is largely common sense; the implementation of these principles doesn’t take a lot of money, just awareness.
Best: The principal reason for changing the PAC2 meeting schedule was to allow our city council members to attend. Council members John Best, Jr. and Cora Cole-McFadden were both present tonight for the first time and both spoke.
John Best, the member for Ward 3, is a Durham native and small business owner. After having run unsuccessfully in 1995 and 1997, he was elected to the city council for the first time last November, and is consequently the newest member. Best mentioned some issues the council is currently dealing with, such as downtown development, the American Tobacco campus, South Point and South Square; he then took questions.
The first issue raised was that of curbing panhandling, especially at freeway exits, which people find to be both a nuisance and a detriment to the city’s image. Best explained that the council had considered an ordinance on this, but had ultimately rejected it because they saw no legal way to prohibit begging while allowing newspaper sales on the street. This led to further discussion of public begging, charitable solicitations, and newspaper sales. Some people have been intimidated by panhandlers coming up to their cars and knocking on the windows. Best said that we do have laws restricting aggressive panhandling, and that the police can be called for habitual problems of this nature.
With respect to soliciting for charity in the street, the point was made that the alleged charities are not always legitimate, and even when they are, it still constitutes a traffic hazard. In response, Best attempted to distinguish between solicitors who are actually walking around in the street and those who merely hold signs on the side of the road and try to get drivers to pull over to them. He pointed out that roadside soliciting, and fundraising activities such as car washes, are also done by local organizations that enjoy wide support, such as school groups or the fire department; an ordinance prohibiting street solicitation would impede their fundraising efforts.
The people who sell the Herald-Sun at intersections are private contractors; the Herald-Sun makes no profit off these sales, and supports them essentially as a charitable activity, to allow those individuals to have a means of livelihood. People expressed concern about seemingly underage vendors and about problems with paper vendors leaving shopping carts and other trash at the intersections where they work. Some also felt that the curbside newspaper sales simply give Durham a negative image, and that other means of selling papers should be explored. Best said that the Herald-Sun does have strict guidelines for the paper vendors, but that they may not always be followed.
Although the panhandling ordinance idea is on the back burner, the council is still concerned about these issues and plans to give them further consideration. One possible measure is an ordinance requiring a permit for any kind of street sales or soliciting. An annual fee of $5-$20 for a permit might discourage transient panhandlers without constituting an undue hardship for legitimate charities or newspaper salespeople.
The next question was about speed bumps and other traffic calming measures; Best said that this was one of his top priorities, but that new traffic calming projects were currently on hold because of the budget shortage.
Someone then raised the possibility of raising additional revenue for the city through stricter enforcement of municipal ordinances—parking tickets, code violations, etc. Best pointed out that although this was a possibility, it would require a significant expenditure of resources for the city to collect on these violations.
Several people had questions and complaints about enforcement of the noise ordinance. The noise ordinance and other city ordinances can be found on the City of Durham website at www.ci.durham.nc.us. Someone complained about the problem of cars driving by with loud music; Best informed us that Chapel Hill has recently started enforcing their noise ordinance in these situations. Others complained about the failure of police to give citations even after repeated calls for noise to the same residence.
The next issue raised was the recently closed South Square Mall; people wanted to know what was going on there and whether there were any plans to revive it. Best said that the mall owner is trying to attract new midscale stores, but that South Square is heavily indebted, which makes it a less attractive proposition for new owners who would have to take on that debt. The property would also have to be brought up to code in compliance with recent ordinances, although Best raised the possibility of a ‘grandfather’ exemption.
Someone then asked about a house on Singlewood that has been a center of criminal activity for several years. The police had said this house would be padlocked, but drug dealing is still going on there. Lt. Sarvis explained that the term ‘padlocking’ in this context should not be taken literally. Padlocking is a civil action, carried out by the sheriff. The sheriff handles the eviction, but it is then up to the property owner to actually lock and secure the property against further trespass. The police and the city can try to bring pressure on the owner to see that this is done, but that’s all they can do.
Newman raised the issue of the East End Connector, reporting on a recent email he had received from Rep. Paul Miller about an amendment to the language of the highway fund. The proposed amendment, which would open the door for those funds to be spent on the East End Connector, is now a part of the budget, but still must be voted on by the Senate. Newman urged everyone to email our senators in support of this amendment, and asked Best to support the East End Connector on the council. Best stated that the East End Connector, in his opinion, would not cure the traffic problems in North Durham. He promised to support the East End Connector, but said that he would also support the construction of either Eno Drive or some other east-west route.
The final question posed to Best was about his vision of Durham’s growth, and the clash between sprawl and downtown revitalization. Best emphasized the need to look at the big picture, saying that the area needs jobs and a strong tax base. He argued that any costs imposed on developers would be passed back down to the public.
Cole-McFadden: Council member Cora Cole-McFadden spoke next. She identified the three most important issues she had campaigned on as crime reduction, fiscal responsibility, and smart growth, and she spoke briefly about each.
Cole-McFadden stressed the need to deal with the root causes of crime. One of these contributing causes is a lack of decent affordable housing; she spoke of the poor housing stock in Durham and the amount of abandoned housing. We need to get rid of of all housing, especially city-owned, that is substandard; it should be rehabilitated when possible, or if not, demolished. She pointed out that one option for demolition of condemned houses is to let the fire department burn them down for practice and training for its personnel. Cole-McFadden reminded us that the police can’t reduce crime single-handedly; all parties in the community need to work together. She specifically mentioned the contributions of the Weed & Seed program (which we’ll hear about from one of next month’s speakers) and the Barnes Avenue Initiative.
Cole-McFadden defined her vision of fiscal responsibility as making sure money was spent where and how it should be. She cited the request of an audit for northeast central Durham, stating that she considers it her duty to be responsive to such requests. Cole-McFadden is available to constituents during her daily office hours at City Hall.
Finally, Cole-McFadden spoke about the need for ’smart growth’, emphasizing how growth affects the environment and the water supply. She argued that we should try to steer further development to East Durham rather than saturate the South Durham area. Equally important is the development of people through strong neighborhoods. She pointed out that wholesome traffic patterns are important because traffic problems increase levels of stress in the community and possibly even contribute to violence in the family. Cole-McFadden also questioned where the water will come from for new residential development. It’s the city’s responsibility to provide water to residents; consequently, planning is essential to ensure that the future water needs generated by growth can be met.
Cole-McFadden would like to see greater involvement of young people in local government. She suggested an initiative to expand local boards and commissions—such as the transit advisory, park and recreation, or housing boards—to include youth representation.
The floor was then opened to questions; the first one was about future plans for water-saving initiatives. Cole-McFadden referred to a recent workshop on reducing the impact on water resources, and told us that the city manager has a team currently studying how to design development to reduce that impact. The council is discussing how to be more proactive in anticipation of future growth, and awaits a report from the water impact team. One water-saving measure Cole-McFadden encouraged was the purchase of rain barrels to conserve and use rainwater.
Asked whether there were any city bond issues in the offing, Cole-McFadden responded that to her knowledge there were none. She further pointed out that many people are not aware of the cost associated with a bond issuance.
Another questioner, claiming that 80% of crime and blight is caused by rental properties, asked what can be done to keep landlords from renting to criminals. Cole-McFadden said that she is looking at existing legislation to see if it can be better enforced. The city is also funding nonprofit homeownership initiatives. The need to hold absentee landlords accountable is a major concern for the council, and they are working to make sure the housing appeals board is not permitting landlords excessive delays. The chair of the housing appeals board spoke up in response to this, pointing out that their responsibility is a weighty one, and they don’t want to err in the other direction and tear down potentially useful properties. Tearing down a house merely creates a vacant lot, which can also be a negative factor in a neighborhood. Cole-McFadden responded that the council is examining every element in the process, including community life court and the housing appeals board.
A representative from the Self Help organization suggested that Walltown be considered as a model for what can be done. Bond money is helping them make second mortgages available to low- and moderate-income people. Self Help buys blighted properties, rehabilitates them, and offers a zero-interest mortgage to first-time homeowners. Cole-McFadden recounted the unfortunate results of similar efforts in another neighborhood; housing rehabilitated in the 90s has depreciated due to poor quality workmanship. The houses now have HVAC problems, rotting exteriors, no gutters, etc., and their residents are still paying for what is now substandard housing. To avoid problems of this nature, Cole-McFadden argued that city inspectors should ensure that contractors meet building codes.
Another questioner asked whether there is any way to make landlords responsible for the number of people living in a house, citing his personal experience of living next door to a house with twelve residents. A Housing Department representative responded that the city ordinance prohibits more than five unrelated people from sharing a dwelling. However, this is very difficult to monitor, and the city has no resources to do so, so it’s the responsibility of the property owner.
Visions of Tomorrow letter: Next on the agenda was the letter to Chief Chalmers from Visions of Tomorrow, copies of which had been distributed at the beginning of the meeting. The letter, for which Visions of Tomorrow was seeking PAC2 support, urged Chalmers to assign the two DPD officers currently residing in Walltown, and a third who would soon be buying a home in Walltown through the Self Help program, to the beat that includes the Walltown neighborhood. The letter presented this as a community policing initiative, arguing that resident officers’ knowledge of their own neighborhoods would allow them to do the most effective job in policing them.
Lt. Ed Sarvis spoke in opposition to the Visions of Tomorrow letter, citing both safety and career development issues for police officers. If the police department established policies requiring patrol officers to be assigned to their own neighborhoods, this might limit the opportunities for individual officers to seek promotion within the department. Even more importantly, working in the neighborhood they live in puts officers in the position of having to arrest their neighbors, and of having the criminals they deal with know where they live. This creates a dangerous potential for police officers or their family members to become targets of retaliation.
PAC2 voted unanimously to refuse support to Visions of Tomorrow on this issue.
National Night Out: Newman offered thanks to the various neighborhoods that had held events for National Night Out, and to the police officers who participated.
Treasurer’s report: Treasurer Fred Lamar gave us a brief update on the state of the exchequer. We have $7,780 left from the 2000 block grant; this money must be allocated by the end of September and spent by the end of December. Projects to be funded from the 2001 block grant must be approved by March 2003. At the next meeting, Fred will present a detailed outline of these deadlines. Newman will bring some neighborhood funding requests, and others are welcomed.
Housing update: Larry Rochelle of Housing spoke about the creation of a city website (http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/housing/VacancyMenu.cfm) showing vacant housing. The District 2 information is not done yet, but should be going up soon. Rochelle anticipated that District 2 would have the lowest vacancy rate. If anyone knows a property that should be included and hasn’t been, please send it in.
Impact team update: Mitch Archer of the Impact Team reported that last month they made 80 trips on 54 complaints and collected 11.82 tons of trash and debris. They also made 16 trips to clean up 5 illegal dump sites. The impact team is focusing on picking up grocery carts from Kroger, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Winn Dixie, and is seeking a city ordinance to address the problem of grocery carts in neighborhoods. Their other focus was the Walltown cleanup, which generated 17 trips to the dump with 23.81 tons of trash. Archer thanked neighborhood residents for their support and participation. The summer litter program ended July 26th, having collected 336 bags of litter, or 3.19 tons. The impact team has removed graffiti at locations including 731 Broad, 1008 Sedgefield, and Riverview Shopping Center. They are becoming more active in the Old Farm development, where there have been problems with illegal dumping to evade yard waste charges.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m. The next PAC2 meeting will be on September 9th.