New Ammunition In The Battle To Clean Up The 'Hood
Looking east across Victoria at the VLA neighbourhood
RCMP Superintendent Dahl Chambers admits the neighbourhood is often referred to as "the slum" or "the hood", but he says the VLA has a lot of outstanding individuals living there.
Individuals like Kathy Mueller, who, prior to Chamber's budget presentation to city council, used the public input portion of the meeting to plead for action in her neighbourhood. She called on councillors, "Please help us break this chain (of violence and addiction), which is choking the life out of our childrens' future." (click here, for full story)
The RCMP Superintendent used his time before council to make, what he called, a "bit of a speech" about the VLA.
"There is a lot of responsibility that needs to be taken for what happens in that community, and also some of the folks that are allowed to live there and for what reasons," says Dahl Chambers.
"You take a crack house: how did that come to be? How is that allowed to happen in our community?" says Chambers. "It's not just the police dealing with that and, certainly, we've got lots of work that we do with our city, but certainly there are landlords that need to be responsible, as well."
The City's Manager of Bylaw Services, Ken Craig, says he's very aware of what's happening in the VLA. Craig says there's a cooperative working relationship with the police, the fire department and other city departments, and Bylaw Services is trying to develop a more comprehensive program.
He says, he's hopeful that in the not-too-distant future, "We will be ready to come to council with a report and possibly some bylaw changes to help us out. We are very friendly with all the absentee landlords, we know who they are, and whenever there's a chance for us to upgrade things in the VLA, we do that."
Mayor Colin Kinsley says he knows there's been some successes in working in conjunction with the RCMP and using building, electrical and plumbing inspections to shut down homes rented out as crash houses. "So if you're coming up with something new that will help, that's even better."
"It's in the works, your Worship," was Craig's reply.
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Posted by: trusted on February 12 2007 10:58 AM
and tax adjustment to reflect the multi dwelling that it is.That would solve a few problems.Some landlords don't care about what is going on as long as the $$ is coming in.I speak as a former VLA resident.When cars and people are in/out in a steady stream every 20 mins,all hours of the day and night, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what they are running out of the house.The City Bylaw services and police were of no help believe me.I just started calling the landlord every time and I mean EVERY time, there was a problem and that would eventually put an end to it.Large out of hand parties,assaults,screaming,
& yelling,breaking beer bottles in the driveway,fighting,loud music and incessant barking dogs..we'd seen it all and on the rare incident (unconscious beaten man in front yard of rental) got a response from the one of the above agencies.
As long as this doesn't go on in your neighbourhood you don't care(NIMBY) Get your heads out of your butts this has been going on since I moved here over 10 yrs ago
and has gotten worse with the same rhetoric spouted from the same agencies.Maybe we need a "VLA revitalization study" to tell us how to make it better..like the downtown.