[Permit and License Appeal Board on January 18, 2024.]
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GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF THE PERMIT AND LICENSE APPEAL BOARD FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT IS NOW 8 41 ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 18TH, 2024.
WE'VE GOT ONE HEARING ON TODAY'S AGENDA FOR CHEROKEE VILLAGE APARTMENTS, APPEALING THE NOTICE OF A FINAL DESIGNATION AS A HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL DO A ROLL CALL AND IF PRESENT, PLEASE SAY, HERE I AM.
ABSENT FROM THE MEETING ARE TORRES AND JEFF, AND I MUST SAY I AM GRATIFIED TO SEE SO MANY MEMBERS HERE IN PERSON.
UM, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT AND THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.
UH, WILL OTHERS PRESENT AT THE MEETING? PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, BEGINNING WITH THE BOARD'S GENERAL COUNSEL.
AND FROM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, MES LAVA MARTINEZ, NC SANCHEZ.
AND, UH, WHO DO WE HAVE FOR THE APPELLANT'S REPRESENTATIVE BYRON WOOLLEY, REPRESENTING THE CHEROKEE VILLAGE APARTMENTS.
AND, UH, MR. WOOLLEY, DO YOU HAVE, UH, WITNESSES WITH YOU TODAY? I, I HAVE MY WITNESS RIGHT BESIDE ME HERE.
I'M SORRY, THE LAST NAME AGAIN? BOLT.
AND FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY, AZIZA TRAVIS, EMILY WARLAND, DETECTIVE ANTONIO GOMEZ, DETECTIVE GOMEZ.
UH, AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND, UH, THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ANY PARTICIPANTS ON THAT, UH, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO KEEP THEIR CAMERAS ON AT ALL TIMES DURING THE MEETING, AND PARTICIPANTS MUST HAVE THEIR CAMERAS ON ANYTIME THEY'RE ADDRESSING THE BOARD.
UH, ITEM ONE ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC SPEAKERS, HOWEVER, NO SPEAKERS ARE REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
ITEM TWO WILL BE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 4TH, 2024 PERMIT AND LICENSE APPEAL BOARD MEETING, UM, WHICH YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED.
IS THERE A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? MOTION TO APPROVE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
I, WHO'S, UH, SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH WHO SAID IT FIRST.
IS THAT MS. WILLIS? NO, IT'S ME.
I, I ONLY SEE YOU ON A VERY SMALL SCREEN, UH, TODAY.
SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY, UH, MR. QUINT, SECOND BY ARIANO, UH, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 4TH, 2024 MEETING.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. QUINT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON YOUR MOTION? ALL RIGHT.
UH, ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE MOTION? UM, ALRIGHT, AND NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE SAY NAY.
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE APPEAL.
UH, ITEM THREE, THE APPEAL HEARING FOR CHEROKEE VILLAGE APARTMENTS.
UH, WE WILL HEAR THE APPEAL REQUEST OF CHEROKEE VILLAGE APARTMENTS APPEALING THE NOTICE OF FINAL DETERMINATION AS A HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY UNDER
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SECTION 27 DASH 51 OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE.THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE APPELLANT.
UH, AT THIS TIME, ANY WITNESSES WHO WISH TO TESTIFY IN THIS HEARING WILL BE SWORN IN.
SO YOU MAY BE SWORN IN BY THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
AND, UH, UH, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CAMERA IS ON.
IF YOU WILL BE, UH, TESTIFYING TO BE SWORN IN.
UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, THE TESTIMONY YOU'LL GIVE BEFORE THIS BOARD TODAY WILL BE THE TRUTH? I DO.
UM, AT THIS TIME, UH, MR. WOOLSEY, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU ANTICIPATE NEEDING FOR YOUR PRESENTATION? UH, 30 MINUTES OR LESS.
AND HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE CITY NEED? ABOUT 45 MINUTES.
UH, THEN WE'LL DO 30 MINUTES PER SIDE, AND, UH, IF YOU NEED MORE TIME, IT CAN BE APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
UH, WE HAVE ONE EXHIBIT FOR, UH, CHEROKEE VILLAGE APARTMENTS.
UH, NOW IT MIGHT'VE BEEN, UH, IT MIGHT'VE BEEN CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE, BUT THERE'S 19 SEPARATE EXHIBITS.
I'VE GOT, YOU SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED PAGES.
HOW MANY PAGES DO WE HAVE? 4 44 PAGES.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? UH, THAT PROBABLY CORRECT FOR BOTH THE CITY AND CHEROKEE.
THE CITY'S IS A LITTLE MORE VOLUMINOUS THAN OURS.
OURS, I THINK OURS AND ROUND NUMBERS IS 125 PAGES.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR, WHAT WE GOT FOR YOU ACTUALLY INCORPORATES ALL OF THE CITY EXHIBITS AS WELL.
AND, UH, FOR THE CITY, WE'VE GOT ONE EXHIBIT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
UH, WOULD THE CITY ATTORNEY PLEASE READ THE RELEVANT ORDINANCE? UH, MR. SAPP? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
UH, SECTION 27 48 PRESUMPTIONS FOR A HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
A PROPERTY IS PRESUMED OF HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
IF THE PROPERTY IS THE SITE OF FIVE OR MORE AAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES WITHIN 365 DAYS, RESULTING IN EITHER A REPORT OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DOCUMENTING AN INVESTIGATION OF AN AVAILABLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ON THE PROPERTY OR ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEBATABLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ON THE PROPERTY, AND AT WHICH PERSONS HAVE HISTORICALLY COMMITTED DEBATABLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO RECENT CRIME DATA.
UM, MR. EY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT? UH, YES.
UM, THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE, UH, BOARD FOR, UH, YOUR SERVICE ON THIS MATTER.
WHAT WE ARE APPEALING ON HERE TODAY IS THE NOTICE OF EVENTUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY SERVED JULY, OR DATED, UH, BY LETTER DATED JULY 13TH, 2023.
UH, I BELIEVE WHAT THE EVIDENCE IS WE'RE GONNA PRESENT, AND I THINK THE EVIDENCE WHICH WILL BE CONFIRMED IN GREAT, UH, IF NOT TOTAL PART BY, UH, THE CITY, IS THAT THIS IS A, A PROPERTY THAT, UH, HAS SOME PRIME ISSUES AS A LOT OF OUR PLACES DO IN THE CITY, BUT THAT THE ACTUAL NOTICE THAT WAS GIVEN IN JULY 13TH AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY, UH, FINALIZED, UH, IS NOT DESERVING IN THE SENSE THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A BASE STATUTE, IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S DISCRETIONARY, IT IS NOT MANDATORY.
UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S, UH, APPROACH TO THIS, AND, AND FAR AS I CAN TELL IN ALL OF THESE MATTERS IS THAT THE PROPERTY WILL BE PLASTERED WITH A PLACARD DECLARING TO ANY PROSPECTIVE TENANTS, ANY CURRENT TENANTS, BASICALLY, THE WORLD THAT IT IS A HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
I THINK WHAT'S GONNA BE SHOWN HERE IS, IS THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY, IT WAS VERY RESPONSIVE, UH, TO THE REQUEST, WHICH WERE FIRST PROVIDED TO THEM WITH THIS NOTICE OF JULY 13TH.
AND THEN IN THEIR FOLLOW UP LETTER, I THINK THERE WILL ALSO BE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS AND SHOWS THAT, UH,
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THIS IS NOT A OWNER THAT JUST IGNORED ANYTHING.THEY HAD A NUMBER OF THINGS IN PLACE.
THE PROBLEM THAT I BELIEVE WE HAVE HERE IS, IS IT WASN'T WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTED OR WANTS, BUT AS SOON AS THAT WAS INFORMED TO THE LANDLORD, UH, MY CLIENT, THE OWNER AND THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY PROCEEDED TO IMMEDIATELY JUMP ON BOARD AND GET THEM WHAT THEY WANT.
A MINOR EXAMPLE IS THEY WANT LED LIGHTING.
I THINK WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS REGULAR LIGHTING AND MORE LIGHTING.
THEY WANTED MORE LIGHTING, WHICH IS, IS THERE, SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO KIND OF LISTEN TO, IS THAT THE, UH, THIS, THIS ORDINANCE HAS IS ITS INTENT IS TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, HELP DETER SOME OF THE CRIME THAT GOES ON IN THIS CITY.
UH, IT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, TO, TO SOME DEGREE, WE HAVE SOME OWNERS AND LANDLORDS IN THIS CITY, I'M SURE ARE DESERVING OF THE GREAT WEIGHT OF THE LAW ON THIS.
THIS IS ONE THAT I BELIEVE THE COMMITTEE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SAY, NOT ONLY BEFORE THE HEARING, BEFORE THE, UH, NOTICE CAME OUT, THEY HAD CERTAIN THINGS IN PLACE LIKE PATROLS AND LIGHTING AND, AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS.
THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT UP TO THE SCALE THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE.
BUT AS SOON AS THE CITY TOLD 'EM WHAT THEY WANTED, THEY STARTED WORKING ON THAT.
MOST OF THIS STUFF IS COMPLETE NOW WITH A FEW ODDS AND ENDS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETED DUE TO VENDOR.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE PANDEMIC SLOWED EVERYTHING DOWN.
UH, SO GETTING PEOPLE TO COME IN WITH THE MATERIALS AND LABOR TO FINISH A FEW THINGS IS AN ONGOING PROJECT.
UH, AND SO WE'RE GONNA ASK THE, THE BOARD TO, UM, OVERRULE THE, THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DETERMINATION IN THIS INSTANCE, NOT REQUIRE, UH, A PLACARD TO BE PLASTERED RUNNING OFF TENANTS AND SCARING THE PEOPLE THAT DO LIVE THERE.
UH, ESSENTIALLY REWARDING A GOOD LANDLORD FOR BEING RESPONSIVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, IN THIS APPEAL.
UH, DOES THE CITY HAVE A BRIEF OPENING? YES.
UM, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY AND THE RESIDENCE OF DALLAS.
IN THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW YEAR IN MAKING OF RESOLUTIONS THAT GROUND AND CENTER US, I'D LIKE TO GROUND OUR CONVERSATION TODAY IN THE PURPOSE OF THE CITY'S HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY ORDINANCE.
UM, THE PURPOSE IS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS BY OBTAINING AN ODOR COMPLIANCE WITH LAWFUL OPERATIONS, WHICH COMPLIANCE IS LIKELY TO REDUCE CERTAIN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ON PROPERTY WHERE THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS SO PREVALENT AS TO RENDER THE PROPERTY A HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
REDUCING THE CRIME RATE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS IS ESSENTIAL TO MAKING PROPERTY SAFE AND FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OCCUPANTS OF SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
NOW, THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT ABOUT A PLACARD AND A FEE, IT'S NOT PUNITIVE.
RATHER, THE ORDINANCE SERVES TO ENSURE THAT PROPERTY OWNERS WITH ONGOING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE AND REASONABLE CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES FOR THEIR BENEFIT, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR TENANTS, AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UH, MOST PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY WILL DO THIS WITHOUT THE INTERVENTION OF THE CITY OF DALLAS OR THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT A SMALL MINORITY OF PROPERTY OWNERS WILL ONLY DO THIS WITH THE INTERVENTION AND ASSISTANCE OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY PROGRAM PROVIDES THAT SERVICE.
IT ALLOWS THE DALLAS POLICE TO COME ALONGSIDE THE PROPERTY OWNER TO RECOMMEND REASONABLE MEASURES TO ABATE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AT THE PROPERTY.
ITS SCOPES AND SEQUENCES, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE REASONABLE MEASURES TO USE RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY.
BUT LIKE ALL THINGS, THAT SERVICE COMES AT A COST, AND THAT COST IS BORE BY THE TAXPAYERS.
SO THIS ORDINANCE DOES REQUIRE A FEE.
UM, IF I MAY SHARE, MAY I SHARE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION? UH, I MEAN, THIS IS JUST YOUR OPENING, BUT OKAY.
IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN SKIP, I'LL GO FORWARD.
UM, TODAY YOU'LL HEAR THAT THE MULTIFAMILY APARTMENT COMPLEX CHEROKEE VILLAGE AT 72 50 ELAM ROAD, UM, WAS THE SITE OF FIVE OR MORE AAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES WITHIN A 365 DAY PERIOD BETWEEN JULY 11TH, 2022 AND JULY 11TH, 2023.
IN FACT, IN THAT PERIOD, YOU'LL HEAR THAT THERE WERE 12 SUCH DEBATABLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND OVER 300 CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU'LL ALSO HEAR THAT THE PROPERTY AT 72 50 ELAM ROAD IS A SITE AT WHICH PERSONS HAVE HISTORICALLY COMMITTED DEBATABLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.
ACCORDING TO RECENT CRIME DATA, DETECTIVE GOMEZ WILL TESTIFY THAT EIGHT AB OFFENSES OCCURRED AT THE PROPERTY AND A 365 DAY PERIOD BETWEEN JULY 10TH, 2021 AND JULY 10TH, 2022.
AND YOU'LL HEAR THAT PRIOR TO THE CITY'S NOTICE OF THE 20 DEBATABLE OFFENSES IN THE TWO YEAR PERIOD, THE PROPERTY OWNER FAILED TO TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO ABATE THE DEBATABLE
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CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AT THE PROPERTY.UM, THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY WILL ARGUE AS MR. WOOLEY HAS JUST KIND OF FRAMED THAT IT PRESENTED EVIDENCE OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION OF REASONABLE CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES AT THE ACCORD MEETING.
HOWEVER, THAT EVIDENCE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO REBUT THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE PROPERTY IS A HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY PRESENTED SOME EVIDENCE OF THE INTENT TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES, BUT EVEN TODAY, NEARLY FOUR MONTHS LATER, REASONABLE MEASURES TO ABATE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AT THE PROPERTY REMAIN UNIMPLEMENTED.
IN FACT, YOU'LL HEAR THAT SINCE THIS PROPERTY WAS DESIGNATED, SEVEN DEBATABLE OFFENSES HAVE OCCURRED AT THE PROPERTY.
AS SUCH, THE CITY ASKED THE BOARD TO UPHOLD THE CHIEF OF POLICE DESIGNATION THAT THE PROPERTY AT 72 50 ELAM ROAD IS A HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY, SO THAT DALLAS POLICE CAN CONTINUE TO COME ALONGSIDE THE PROPERTY OWNER AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO SCOPE AND SEQUENCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REASONABLE MEASURES TO ABATE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AT THE PROPERTY IN A WAY THAT IS EFFICIENT, UM, AND IS TO THE BENEFIT OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, ITS TENANTS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UH, WE'RE NOW BEGIN THE PRESENTATIONS, UH, STARTING WITH THE APPELLANT.
WE WILL CALL, UH, MS. REBECCA BOLDEN.
MS. BOLDEN, WOULD YOU CALL THE COMMITTEE, UH, YOUR FULL NAME? REBECCA BOLDEN.
AND HOW ARE YOU EMPLOYED? UM, I'M EMPLOYED WITH SUN RIDGE MANAGEMENT GROUP.
IS SUN RIDGE MANAGEMENT GROUP, THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR A CHEROKEE VILLAGE? YES, THEY ARE.
AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND IF I SAY CHEROKEE, I'M TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX KNOWN AS CHEROKEE VILLAGE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY 72 50 ELAM ROAD, LLC IS THE OWNER, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UH, WHEN DID YOU, YOUR COMPANY, FIRST START? UH, UH, MANAGING? WE TOOK OVER THE PROPERTY APRIL 28TH OF 23.
UH, AT THAT TIME, UH, WHEN Y'ALL TOOK OVER, UM, WHAT, WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE IN, IN, IN, IN THE ORGANIZATION? IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR POSITION THERE, YOU'RE NOT THE ONSITE MANAGER, CORRECT? CORRECT.
I'M, UH, VP OF OPERATIONS, SO I'M TYPICALLY AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE.
BUT YOU OVERSEE ALL OF THIS AND YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, CORRECT? TYPICALLY, YES.
NOW, UM, THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU BECAME AWARE THAT THERE WAS ANY ISSUE WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THIS BEING A HABITUAL CRIMINAL, UH, PROPERTY DESIGNATION WAS APPROXIMATELY WHEN, UH, SOMETIME AFTER JULY THE 13TH, THE LETTER WHEN THE LETTER WAS RECEIVED.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO OUR EXHIBIT ONE? YES.
UH, FOR THE BOARD, THIS IS THE FIRST, UH, EXHIBIT.
IN OUR EXHIBIT, WHICH WE'VE LABELED AS ONE.
I THINK THERE'S SEPARATE EXHIBITS, BUT, UH, SHOULD THERE BE ANY QUESTION? IT IS BATES STAMP CHEROKEE 0 0 0 1 0 9, UH, THROUGH ONE 15.
UH, AND I THINK THIS IS NO QUESTION ON THIS, THIS IS THE SAME DOCUMENT THAT THE CITY WILL BE, UH, PRESENTING LATER ON AS ONE OF THEIR EXHIBITS.
I THINK THEIR EXHIBIT NUMBER THREE.
UM, THIS IS INDICATED TO BE A NOTICE TO OF CHEROKEE OF DESIGNATION OF, OF, UH, CRIMINAL, CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
PRIOR TO, UH, SOMETIME AFTER JULY 13TH, 2023, UH, WERE THERE A ACTIONS THAT WERE ACTUALLY HAD BEEN TAKEN BY THE PROPERTY TO COMPLY WITH WHAT YOU FIND ULTIMATELY FOUND OUT THAT THE CITY WANTED TO BE DONE? WE HAD ALREADY STARTED, WE HADN'T BEEN THERE FOR VERY LONG, BUT WE HAD ALREADY STARTED.
THERE WAS, UH, A SECURITY COMPANY IN PLACE.
THERE WAS, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS.
THEY POINTED, ALL THE UNITS WALKED.
WE WERE ALREADY SENDING NOTICES AND FILING EVICTIONS ON, UH, TROUBLED RESIDENCE.
THOSE TYPE OF THINGS WERE ALREADY HAPPENING.
SO AS YOU UNDERSTOOD THE, UH, EXHIBIT ONE, WE'LL CALL IT THIS, THE NOTICE LETTER, THE JULY 13TH, 2023.
YOUR HONOR, UH, AS YOU UNDERSTAND IT, DOES IT SAY THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU DID AFTER JULY 13TH, 2023, IT'S ONLY WHAT YOU DID BEFORE JULY 20, UH, 13TH, 2023, THE COUNTY.
AND IS IT CORRECT THAT, UH, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT THE C THAT THE CITY, AND WE'LL CALL IT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND INTERCHANGE WITH THE CITY, THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY WANTED ARE THINGS THAT WERE ALREADY IN PLACE? CORRECT.
AND WE'LL GO OVER THAT IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, AND
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THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO BE DONE.DID THE OWNER GIVE YOU PERMISSION AND YOU JUMPED RIGHT ON GETTING THAT DONE IMMEDIATELY IS, BUT IS IT ALSO TRUE THAT AT THE COURT HEARING, BASICALLY THE ATTITUDE WAS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU DID AFTER JULY 13TH, 2023? YES.
NOW, AS WE SWITCH OVER TO EXHIBIT OUR EXHIBIT THREE, I'M SORRY, OUR EXHIBIT, UM, TWO, UH, WHICH IS THE SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2023 LETTER FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, STATING THAT, UM, YOU, YOU, YOU FLUNKED THE TEST AT THE ACCORD HEARING, AND IT'S, UH, THE DECISION IS FILED, UH, AND FOR THE RECORD THAT STARTS WITH THE CHEROKEE BATES NUMBER, UH, ONE 10, AGAIN, THAT'S THE SAME DOCUMENT, I BELIEVE YOU WILL FIND AS THE CITY'S, UH, EXHIBIT NUMBER FOUR.
THIS DOCUMENT BASICALLY SAID THAT AGAIN, YOU, YOU DIDN'T REBUT THE PRESUMPTION AT THE ACCORD MEETING THAT YOU HAD ALL THE STUFF THAT THE CITY WANTED DONE, DONE BEFORE SEPTEMBER OR JULY 13TH, 2023.
IS THAT A FAIR SUMMARY? A LOT OF THE THINGS WERE ALREADY IN PLACE YES.
AND THEY ACTUALLY OUTLINED, UH, MAY HAVE ALMOST THREE PAGES OF THINGS THEY WANT YOU TO DO.
I ASKED YOU TO DO THIS IN PREPARATION FOR THIS HEARING.
WOULD YOU TELL THE COMMITTEE ON THESE MATTERS, THE ITEMS THAT WERE, WERE GENERALLY ALREADY DONE BEFORE JULY 13TH, 2023? JUST IN GENERAL, THEY'VE GOT, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'VE GOT HEADINGS HERE, CONTROLLED ACCESS.
THEN THEY HAVE THREE ITEMS UNDER LIGHTING, THEY HAVE TWO ITEMS AND SO ON.
SO IF YOU'D TAKE THOSE HEADINGS AND TELL THEM GENERALLY, AGAIN, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE THEIR APPROACH THAT IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT, HOWEVER, YOU MIGHT END UP KNOWING IT BEFORE JULY 13TH.
SO BEFORE JULY 13TH, WHAT WAS ALREADY IN PLACE AT THE PRODUCT PROPERTY? UM, WELL, THERE IS FENCING AROUND THE PROPERTY, BUT THE CONTROLLED ACCESS, UM, WAS NOT IN PLACE.
UM, BUT THERE IS A, A FENCE THAT CONTAINS THE PROPERTY.
UM, LIGHTING, A LIGHTING OF UPGRADE HAD BEEN DONE BY THE FIRE MANAGEMENT.
UM, SOMETIME AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
I, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHEN, UM, WHEN WE GOT THERE, WE DID REALIZE THAT A LOT OF THOSE LIGHTS HAD BEEN BROKEN OUT AND WERE NON OPERABLE.
SO OF COURSE WE HAD TO GO IN AND REPLACE THOSE.
WE'VE ALSO STARTED ADDING MORE LIGHTING, UM, IN ANY AREAS THAT, UH, THAT NEEDS IT.
WELL, THIS, RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THINGS BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG ISSUE WITH THE CITY.
THEY, THEY SOMEHOW, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT ALL THE CITY WANTS TO BE DONE BEFORE THEY SEND YOU THE, THIS, THE SECOND LETTER, THE NOTICE OF FINAL DETERMINATION.
SO LOOKING AT THEIR LIST OF THINGS THEY WANT IN PLACE, WHAT WAS IN PLACE BEFORE JULY 13TH? THE PARKING WAS ALREADY IN PLACE.
THERE WERE CAMERAS, UM, BUT THEY DID NEED TO BE UPGRADED.
SO, BUT THERE WERE CAMERAS IN PLACE.
UM, THERE WAS A SECURITY COMPANY IN PLACE.
UM, UH, BACK BACKGROUND SCREENINGS THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN PLACE.
UM, UM, I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT.
SO IS IT A FAIR STATEMENT TO SAY THAT YOU NEEDED TO DO SOME WORK ON THE CONTROLLED ACCESS AND THAT'S THE ACTUAL GATE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WAS THAT IN PLACE BEING WORKED ON? JUST HADN'T BEEN DONE.
THEY HAD STARTED DOING REPAIRS TO THE FENCING AROUND THE PROPERTY? YES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRIOR MANAGEMENT, UM, WAS WORKING ON.
WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT.
UM, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR FOR THEM, BUT YES, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT SINCE WE TOOK OVER.
SO, AND, BUT Y'ALL TOOK OVER AT THE END OF APRIL, SO THAT'S BEFORE JULY 13TH THAT YOU, THAT WAS ON THE TARGET TO GET DONE? CORRECT.
IT WASN'T THAT THE OWNER WAS IGNORING IT? NO.
AND I THINK YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE SOME BROKEN LIGHTS AND THAT THEY WERE BEING REPLACED OR HAD BEEN REPLACED? MM-HMM.
THAT'S JUST ME BEING FROM WAXAHATCHEE.
EVERYTHING'S FANCY
BUT Y'ALL WERE WORKING ON THAT AND ACTUALLY HAD REPLACED BROKEN LIGHTS? YES.
THE CITY, THE DEPARTMENT WANTS MORE LIGHTS? CORRECT.
BUT BEFORE JULY 13TH, THERE WERE LIGHTS AND BEFORE JULY 13TH, THERE WERE CAMERAS.
IT'S JUST NOW WE KNOW THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE 'EM UPGRADED.
SO IS IT A FAIR STATEMENT TO SUMMARIZE THAT OF THE THINGS THAT THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OUTLINED IN THEIR LETTER, THEIR FINAL DETERMINATION LETTER OF SEPTEMBER THE THIRD,
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THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE ITEMS WERE ACTUALLY IN PLACE JULY 13TH, 2023.THEY JUST WEREN'T AS REFINED AND, AND FINESSED AND UPDATED AS THE CITY WOULD LIKE? CORRECT.
NOW, ONCE YOU GOT THIS LETTER, DID THE, AND YOU SHARED THIS WITH THE OWNER, DID YOU ACTUALLY JUMP RIGHT ON GETTING EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY WANTED DONE, FINESSED, LED LIGHTING, MORE LIGHTING AND MORE PATROLS, FANCIER
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN IN PROGRESS, CORRECT? YES.
AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, WHERE ARE WE ON THE LAST NCE OF ITEMS THAT, UH, ARE STILL IN PROGRESS THAT YOU'RE WAITING ON VENDORS TO FINISH OR, OR GET DONE? UH, THE CONTROLLED ACCESS, THE PEDESTRIAN GATES ARE BEING WORKED ON AS WE SPEAK.
UM, AND THAT WAS THAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO THOSE FIRST, SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE WORKING ON THOSE NOW.
UM, THE CONTROLLED ACCESS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT FOR THE VEHICLES, AND WE CONTINUE TO UPGRADE THE LIGHTING THROUGHOUT IT.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF, OF THE PROPERTY, BUT, UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO UPGRADE THE LIGHTING.
NOW, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THIS IS A HUD PROPERTY, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT.
WOULD YOU TELL THE, THE MEMBERS JUST GENERALLY WHAT'S INVOLVED WHEN IT'S A HUD PROPERTY AS FAR AS MAINTAINING AND KEEPING THE PROPERTY UP? THEY'RE ALSO VERY INVOLVED.
THEY DO YEARLY INSPECTIONS, UH, AND THEY, UH, REQUIRE THAT WE WALK THE UNITS TWICE A YEAR AND DOCUMENT THE CONDITION OF THE UNITS.
AND, UH, THERE'S, UH, REACT INSPECTIONS THAT REQUIRE THAT THE, UH, RESIDENTS ARE SCREENED.
UM, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE REQUESTED, A LOT OF THAT IS REQUIRED BY HUD ANYWAY.
AND WAS BEING DONE AS FAR AS YOU COULD TELL, EVEN BEFORE Y'ALL TOOK OVER MAT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
IT CERTAINLY WAS DONE BEFORE, UH, JULY 13TH, 2023.
NOW, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS? UH, OVER 20 YEARS.
YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF FAIRLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE BUSINESS? YES.
UM, WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU HAD KNOWLEDGE AND FOCUSED ON THESE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE CITY WANTS TO IMPOSE UNDER THIS ORDINANCE? AND WHEN DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE ORDINANCE PER SE? I MEAN, THE, THE DETAIL OF THE ORDINANCE WHEN WE RECEIVED THE LETTER.
NOW, YOU'RE ACTIVE IN, IN MANAGEMENT, CORRECT? YES.
AND TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, HAD THE CITY ACTUALLY SENT OUT SAID, HEY, ALL LANDLORDS, ALL MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, BE AWARE WE HAVE A NEW TOOL.
THIS WAS ENACTED IN THE MID 20 TEENS, CORRECT? AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL, CORRECT.
NO PUBLICATION OF THAT TO THE GENERAL POPULACE OF THE PEOPLE IN BUSINESS BUSINESS.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YES.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A, A SAFE TEAM.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE WOULD'VE TO GET TOGETHER, BUT TO THIS EXTENT AND TO THE EXTENT OF, UH, OF WHAT HAPPENS AND, AND WHAT THE OWNER IS REQUIRED TO DO, NO, I WAS NOT THAT AWARE.
AND SO IS IT FAIR TO TO SAY THAT THE COOPERATION, I MEAN, MANAGEMENT COMPANY CAN ONLY DO WHAT THE, UH, OWNER FUNDS AND ALLOWS YOU TO DO.
IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS OWNER, AS SOON AS YOU SHARED WITH THE OWNING ENTITY WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, THEY SAID, GO DO IT.
THEY DIDN'T PUSH BACK AND SAY, WELL, WE'LL GET AROUND TO IT WHEN THE SPIRIT MOVES IT.
SO NOT HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE BEFOREHAND BECAUSE IT WASN'T PUBLICIZED WAS A GREAT IMPAIRMENT TO YOUR ABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB AND THE OWNER TO DO WHAT THE CITY SAYS IS THEIR JOB.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ISSUE HERE AS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT AVAILABLE CRIME.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT AN AVAILABLE CRIME MEANS? NO.
I'LL SUBMIT TO YOU, I'VE RESEARCHED IT.
I HAVE LOOKED IN GREAT DEPTH IN THE DETAILS OF THE CASE LAW.
WHAT IS DEFINED AT THE, IN THE ORDINANCE IS REFERENCING TO A CIVIL STATUTE, WHICH IS A NUISANCE, UH, STATUTE.
AND SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HOW ARE THE LANDLORDS SUPPOSED TO KNOW? HOW ARE THE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHEN I 48 YEARS O OF PRACTICING LAW CAN'T EVEN FIND A CASE IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS THAT DEFINES IT? HOW DID, HOW WOULD YOU KNOW? UH, I'M NOT SURE.
I GUESS SOMEBODY WOULD'VE TO EXPLAIN TO ME
SO ALL I CAN DO IS LOOK AT THE CIVIL STATUTE THAT SAYS, WELL, THIS IS A NUISANCE TO HAVE DISCHARGE OF GUNS, THINGS OF THIS NATURE.
NOW, THERE WAS A MURDER ON ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THE CITY CITED, CORRECT? CORRECT.
[00:30:01]
IS IT TELL, IS IT CORRECT THAT THAT MURDER DIDN'T HAPPEN ON, ON THE CHEROKEE VILLAGE PROPERTY? THE SHOOTING PORTION OF THAT MURDER DID NOT HAPPEN ON OUR PROPERTY.UM, THE PERSON THAT WAS SHOT WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY AND PASSED AWAY ON OUR PROPERTY.
HAPPENED TO COME ONTO YOUR PROPERTY? CORRECT.
CAN YOU, IN YOUR WILDEST IMAGINATION, FIGURE OUT HOW YOU, THE PROPERTY COULD HAVE STOPPED THE SHOOTING FROM ANOTHER PROPERTY TO END UP ON YOUR PROPERTY WHERE THE PERSON, UH, PASSED ON? NO.
UH, WHAT ABOUT ISSUES SUCH AS DISCHARGE OF GUNS? IF YOU HAVE A POLICE FORCE CIRCLING OUT THERE, THE PAX ACTUAL POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CIRCLING, MAYBE THAT'S ONE THING, BUT THE SECURITY PATROLS, EVEN IF YOU HAVE 'EM 24 7, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DISCHARGE A GUN, CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW YOU PREVENT THAT? I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TRAINED BY THE CITY OR INFORMED BY THE CITY OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON HOW TO DO THAT? NO.
YOU'RE JUST SUPPOSED TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
NOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT IS A, OF A GREAT CONCERN TO OUR OWNER AND, AND THAT'S THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, IS ALTHOUGH THE STATUTE SAYS THAT THIS IS DISCRETIONARY THE CITY WITHOUT FAIL, IN MY EXPERIENCE AND THINGS I HAVE LOOKED AT, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF OTHER HEARINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON THAT ARE RECORDED, UH, ALWAYS GOES AFTER, WE WANT YOU TO PLASTER A BIG PLACARD ON THE, THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE THAT THIS HAS BEEN DESIGNATED HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YES.
IN YOUR 20 OR SO YEARS OF PRACTICING IN THIS AREA, WOULD YOU TELL THE, THE COMMISSION WHAT YOU THINK IS THE END RESULT OF THAT BEING PLASTERED ON THE PROPERTY AS IT RELATES TO PROSPECTIVE TENANTS AND CURRENT TENANTS? I THINK IF THE PROPERTY IS TRYING TO QUALIFY GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD PEOPLE WHO WANT A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, UM, THAT'S DEFINITELY GONNA TURN AWAY THE PROSPECTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN.
UM, IN FACT, I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY IT MIGHT EVEN ENCOURAGE A CRIMINAL TO BE THERE BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY SO MUCH GOING ON THAT THERE'S DISTRACTION, BUT IT WOULD DEFINITELY, ANYBODY WHO WAS PROBABLY THE PERSON YOU WERE LOOKING TO GET IN THE DOOR IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO LEASE THERE.
SO IN ALL DEFERENCE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO PROBABLY HAS NEVER MANAGED AN APARTMENT, MAYBE EVEN OWNED AN APARTMENT, THIS IS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO THOSE OF YOU IN THE BUSINESS AS TO WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT THE VERY ISSUES THEY WANT.
TO TRANSITION THE PROPERTY, I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO TRANSITION GOING PROBLEM, AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST DESCRIBING THE COMMISSION, KIND OF HOW IT'S LOGISTICALLY, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT IS AS FAR AS IN, IN RELATION TO OTHER APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
SO IT'S ON THE CORNER OF, OF A VERY BUSY AREA.
WE'RE ACTUALLY VERY CLOSE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO, SO WE'RE FORTUNATE IN THAT MATTER.
BUT, UM, IT IS, IT BACKS UP TO TWO OTHER PROPERTIES AND, UH, WE LITERALLY SHARE LIKE A DRIVEWAY.
IT, IN FACT, MOST OF THE TIMES PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW, THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING WHICH PROPERTY THEY'RE AT.
SO THERE'S ONE THAT'S DIRECTLY BEHIND US, AND THERE'S ONE THAT'S TO THE SIDE, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AS A WHOLE, IT LOOKS LIKE ONE BIG PROPERTY.
UH, YOU SAID THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THERE'S A, THERE'S A POLICE SUBSTATION NEAR YES.
IS THIS A HIGH CRIME AREA? IT IS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AT THE VILLAGE, CORRECT.
THE CHEROKEE VILLAGE, CORRECT.
OR THE TWO ADJACENT PROPERTIES, CORRECT? CORRECT.
IT THIS IS A HIGH CRIME AREA, JUST THE WHOLE AREA.
IT IS NOTWITHSTANDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET? CORRECT.
BUT NONETHELESS, EVEN WITH THEM BEING DOWN THE STREET, AGAIN, WHAT YOU SHARED WITH US EARLIER, YOU WERE NOT AWARE, AND AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THE OWNER WAS NOT AWARE AND PROBABLY NOBODY ELSE IS AWARE UNTIL THEY GET THIS LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT SAYING, YOU'RE HIGH, UH, YOU'RE HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY AND WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO ABOUT IT, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT.
UM, HAVE YOU HAD SOME PROBLEM GETTING SOME INFORMATION OUT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? UH, AFTER ALL OF THIS CAME UP, DID YOU START REQUESTING SOME INFORMATION? WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE, UH, WITH COOPERATION.
UM, YES, WE HAVE REQUESTED, UH, SOME
[00:35:01]
ONSITE VISITS.WE'VE REQUESTED SOME THINGS THAT HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.
UM, I KNOW THEY'RE BUSY, UH, CALLING SOMETIMES, NOT, SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES WE'VE TRIED TO HELP, UH, RESIDENTS CALL FOR WHATEVER SITUATION THEY HAVE AND WE DON'T GET A RESPONSE.
I'M SURE THAT THERE'S AN ORDER TO THINGS, BUT YOU WOULD THINK WE NEVER GET A RESPONSE.
I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO SAY.
SO, AND WE ALL APPRE WE ALL APPRECIATE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE UNDERSTAND THEY'RE OVERWORKED.
UNDERPAID AND UNDERLOVED, BUT TO THEN EXPECT US TO BEAR THE BURDEN THAT APPARENTLY THEY DON'T EVEN THEIR PRESENCE DOWN THE STREET DOESN'T HAVE TOO MUCH OF AN EFFECT ON IS WHAT WE'RE REALLY APPEALING HERE IS SAYING, HEY, WE JUMPED THROUGH HOOPS AS SOON AS YOU TOLD US WHAT YOU WANTED.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S GONNA BE ANY QUESTION THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON IT AND THAT YOU INTEND TO FINISH IT.
THE STUFF THAT'S IN PLACE, THE OWNER INTENDS TO GET FINISHED AND DONE.
AND YOU THINK IT'S GONNA BE DONE SHORTLY? YES.
IT'S, IT'S, YOU GET BACK DOWN TO THE POINT OF WHY PUNISH SOMEBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY RESPONDING TO WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED WITH LITERALLY HAVING YOU PLASTER PLACARDS THAT'S GONNA SCARE THE LIVE IN DAYLIGHTS OUT OF PROSPECTIVE TENANTS, CHASE 'EM AWAY.
OR AS YOU SAID, WHICH I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT, BUT IT DOES MAKE SENSE.
IT MIGHT BE A WELCOMING, BUT TO THE BAD GUYS.
THIS IS, THIS IS, I BET YOU A COME ON DOWN.
THAT'S JUST, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, DOES IT? NO.
MR. WILLIE, YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES REMAINING.
THE, UH, GIVE ME JUST A SECOND.
I THINK I'M ACTUALLY THROUGH WITH THIS PARTICULAR WITNESS.
MR. TRAVIS, DO YOU CITY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THIS WITNESS? YES, JUST A FEW.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, YOU HAD A HARD TIME GETTING SOME INFORMATION OUT OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
DO YOU HAVE DETECTIVE GOMEZ'S CONTACT INFORMATION? YES, WE DO.
AND HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO HIM FREQUENTLY? THE MANAGER HAS.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FIRST COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE ASKED OF YOU TO DO ON THE PROPERTY WAS TO FIX THE VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN GATES AND CLOSE THEM.
ARE THOSE CLOSED TODAY? NO, THEY'RE NOT.
IT'S IN PROCESS, BUT NO, THEY'RE NOT CLOSED.
DO YOU, UM, ONE LAST QUESTION.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE DESIGNATION LETTER, UM, WAS HELPFUL FOR YOU TO HAVE A GUIDELINE ON HOW TO GET THE PROPERTY UP TO STANDARDS? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT LETTER WAS HELPFUL AT ALL? OF COURSE, YES.
I, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT NEEDS TO, UH, HAPPEN, UH, NO ARGUMENT WITH THAT.
ONE, FOLLOW UP ON, ON THAT, IF I MIGHT, UH, IN THAT LAST QUESTION THAT IT IS HELPFUL, OF COURSE, IT'S HELPFUL, AND IT'S JUST, IS IT A CORRECT SUMMARY OF YOUR TESTIMONY THAT IT WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION PRESENTED TO YOU BEFORE? YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT ANYTHING IN THE EYES OF THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? CORRECT.
SO IF THEY HAD ACTUALLY SENT YOU THE, THE NOTICE LETTER INFORMATION, AND THEN HERE'S WHAT IT TAKES TO FIX IT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, START WORKING ON THIS, THAT IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE NO QUESTION BASED UPON THE RESPONSE YOU'VE GOTTEN FROM YOUR OWNERS, THAT THEY WOULD'VE GOTTEN TO GOTTEN ON INTO DOING THAT.
THEY DIDN'T NEED THE HEAVY HAND OF THE LAW COMING IN AND SAYING YOU'RE HABITUAL CRIMINAL PROPERTY.
KNOWING ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND WOULD BE USEFUL.
AND IF THERE'S ONE MIS MESSAGE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEND TO THIS DEPARTMENT, IS THAT PLEASE TRY TO REWARD THE GOOD RESPONSIVE LANDLORDS YES.
WITH, WITH THIS, THIS KIND OF INFORMATION AND DEAL WITH THE LUM PARTS OF THE WORLD AS UNIQUELY.
NOW, UH, IS THAT YOUR ONLY WITNESS, MR. WILLIE? UH, YES.
OTHER THAN THE CROSS OF, OF OFFICER GOMEZ.
THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY OTHER ONE.
DO I HAVE 10 MINUTES LEFT? CORRECT.
IF I NEEDED ANOTHER WITNESS? UH, YOU HAVE GOT, UH, NINE MINUTES LEFT.
UH, WE'LL NOW PROCEED WITH, UH, BOARD QUESTIONING, AND I WILL GO DOWN THE LIST OF MEMBERS.
[00:40:01]
WE'LL DO A THREE MINUTE ROUND AND A TWO MINUTE ROUND.MS. ANO, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, NO QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, PLEASE PROCEED.
MY QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE OWNER'S, UH, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE OWNERS AGAIN? WHO ARE THE OWNERS? THE 72 50 ELAM ROAD, LLC? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? OKAY.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE, UH, THAT CHEROKEE VILLAGE.
THE LLC IS CALLED 72 50 EL UHHUH.
UH, MR. JEFFERSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YES, I DID.
UH, I'M CONFUSED, MR. WOOLLEY, BY WHAT YOU ARE DEFINING AS A RESPONSIVE, UH, MANAGE MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR THIS PROPERTY WHEN, UH, THERE'S NO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE THAT'S SET ASIDE OTHER THAN WHEN YOU ARE REPRIMANDED BY, UH, THE POLICE OFFICERS.
UH, WHY ISN'T IT, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY DOESN'T THE MANAGEMENT TAKE ACTIONS TO, UH, AND I'M JUST USING, FOR EXAMPLE, SECURE THE PROPERTY FIRST.
IF, IF YOU'RE GOING, I'M, I'M SAYING WITHOUT ANYONE TELLING YOU TO DO IT.
IF YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS, THIS IS A HIGH CRIME AREA AND YOU CAN SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING MURDERED AND DOING DRUGS ON THE PROPERTY, WHY DO YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE TO COME AND SLAP YOUR HAND AND SAY, YOU NEED TO DO THIS AND YOU NEED TO DO THAT? WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO ANSWER THAT, OR WOULD YOU LIKE MS. BOLAND TO ANSWER THAT EITHER MS. BOLAND? WELL, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE TOOK OVER THE END OF APRIL.
SO, UM, WE HAD NOT BEEN AT THE PROPERTY VERY LONG.
UM, THERE WERE, UH, TWO DIFFERENT COURTESY PATROL COMPANIES IN PLACE, UM, PERFORMANCE SECURITY, UH, PRIOR TO THE COMPANY THAT WE HAVE NOW.
UM, WE KNEW WE HAD TO HAVE A GOOD COMPANY IN PLACE.
IT WAS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING THE REPORTS AND RESPONDING AS WE NEEDED.
BUT WE DID FINALLY GET A GOOD COMPANY IN PLACE WHO'S VERY RESPONSIVE, AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY SHARING, UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE CONTRACTS WITH THIS, UH, PROPERTIES THAT ARE, UH, LOCATED NEAR US.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR HOURS.
UM, SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THEM DURING DIFFERENT TIMES SO THAT IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM OR, OR THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND THEY'RE ON SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY, THEY'RE AVAILABLE MORE HOURS TO SHARE.
UM, SO THERE WAS CURRENCY PATROL.
AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, THE LIGHTING UPGRADE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE PRIOR TO OUR TAKEOVER.
UM, IT, IT DID HAVE SOME LIGHTS THAT WERE OUT AND EVERYTHING, AND SO THAT ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO HAPPEN, AND WE WERE WORKING ON THAT.
UM, THERE WERE THE, THE ACCESS GATES, UM, I, I PROBABLY NEED TO CLARIFY.
SO WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY GONNA BE THE LAST THING THAT WE DID.
UM, BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT INVOLVES SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
WE ALSO WERE TRYING TO DECIDE HOW TO LIMIT THE ACCESS EVEN MORE.
'CAUSE CURRENTLY THERE ARE THREE GATES.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD ELIMINATE ONE AND ONLY ALLOW ONE ENTRANCE AND ONE EXIT ON EACH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY SO THAT THE FLOCK CAMERAS COULD DO THEIR JOB.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TOO MANY ENTRANCES AND EXITS.
YOU, YOU CAN'T JUST DO IT WITHOUT FIRE DEPARTMENT APPROVAL.
UM, THE, WHAT ELSE DID, WHERE WE WERE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS, BUT THEY HAD ASKED US TO WALK THE UNITS.
WE WERE ALREADY ISSUING NOTICES TO.
WE KNEW THAT WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH CERTAIN APARTMENTS, UM, THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED TO US, AND WE WERE ALREADY FILING, EVICTIONS WE'RE ALREADY ISSUED.
ALL THAT WAS HAPPENING PRIOR TO OUR, OUR MEETING WITH THE CITY.
UM, THERE WERE DETAILS THAT THEY WANTED, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL LIGHTING.
UH, THE CAMERAS, THE CAMERAS WERE NOT RECORDING SUFFICIENTLY.
THE MEMORY ON THE CAMERA WASN'T, UH, HOLDING ENOUGH DATA,
[00:45:01]
AND THE CAMERAS WERE NOT AS GOOD OF A QUALITY AS, AS YOU CAN GET TODAY.SO THEY ASKED US TO ADDRESS THAT, AND WE DID, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT ELSE.
UH, BUT SEVERAL OF THE, SEVERAL OF THE ITEMS WERE ALREADY THERE.
UM, WE JUST TOOK IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR TIME FOR THIS ROUND.
UM, REBECCA, I, I GUESS YOUR LAST NAME AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
SO I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, DID YOU ATTEND THE COURT HEARING ON AUGUST 8TH? YES, I DID.
WHO ELSE ATTENDED WITH YOU? UH, THE PROPERTY SUPERVISOR AT THAT TIME, LINDA LEY, UM, THE, UH, BRADLEY BIRCH FROM THE OWNERSHIP GROUP ALSO ATTENDED.
I NOTICED THAT BRADLEY BIRCH NAME WAS UP ON THE VIDEO AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS AND THEN DISAPPEARED.
WAS HE GOING TO ATTEND THIS? HE'S, HE'S OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
HE DID TELL US HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, I SEE HIS NAME UP THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S STILL, YES, I, I'M HERE.
SO IN REGARD TO THIS, UH, OWNERSHIP GROUP, THEY'VE OWNED IT PRIOR TO YOU, UH, HELPING OUT IN REGARD THROUGH YOUR, UH, MANAGEMENT TEAM.
IS THAT CORRECT? DAVE OWNED IT FOR A FEW YEARS, YES.
DID THEY INFORM YOU ABOUT THE 2021 MURDER THAT OCCURRED ON THAT PROPERTY? WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, YES.
WAS THERE ANY CHANGES MADE AFTER THE 2021 MURDER ON THAT PROPERTY? UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE, UH, COURTESY PATROL CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE.
SO THERE WASN'T ANY PATROL AND THE LIGHTING AND THE, AND THE LIGHTING, ACTUALLY, IN REGARD TO THE PACKET THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE, I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS, AND I'M JUST GONNA READ PAGE NUMBERS OF PAGE 2 61, AND THEN OF PAGES 2 63 AND PAGES 2 64, ALONG WITH OTHER PAGES THAT WERE, I THINK WERE IN YOUR, UM, IN THE APPELLANT'S EXHIBIT.
WHAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT IS THAT THAT'S, THOSE ARE TAKEN IN NOVEMBER AND THERE ARE NO FENCING ON SOME PLACES.
A LOOK, IT APPEARS TO BE ALONG AN ENTIRE STREET.
IS THAT STILL THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY TODAY ON JANUARY 18TH? I NEED TO SEE THE PICTURE, OR JUST IN GENERAL ON YOUR, WITH THE PROPERTY.
ARE THERE SIDES OF THE PROPERTY THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY FENCING UP? NO.
UM, THE, THE ONLY AREA THAT DOESN'T, IT, IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE PROPERTY IS, IS DESIGNED, IT, UM, IT PROBABLY LOOKS LIKE THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY'S EXPOSED, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO ENCLOSE THE FRONT, UH, LIKE WHERE THE OFFICE IS.
IT HAS TO START A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BACK, UH, WHERE THE UNITS ARE AT.
THE ONLY AREA THAT'S OPEN IS THE ACCESS GATE AREA.
IN REGARD TO THE LETTER THAT YOU RECEIVED IN SEPTEMBER, IT STATES THAT, UH, SPECIFICALLY POSTING A PLACARD NEEDED TO BE ON THE PROPERTY WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS OF RECEIVING THE LETTER.
IS THE PLACARD UP NOW? IT IS NOT.
I, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE EVEN RECEIVED THE PLACARD.
IT'S, IT'S NOT REQUIRED UNTIL A FINAL DETERMINATION, WHICH IS GOING THROUGH THIS PROCEEDING PER THE COORDINATES REGARDING THE, YOU HAD STATED ON THE MURDER ENDING UP ON YOUR PROPERTY, OR AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE THAT HAD BEEN MR. CRICHE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO.
UM, MR. WOOLSEY AND MS. BOLDEN, YOU MADE A BIG POINT THAT YOU HAD A LOT OF THE MEASURES IN PLACE BY THE TIME OF THE ACCORD MEETING.
UM, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED, OF COURSE, TO BRING EVIDENCE TO THAT MEETING.
UM, AND AS I LOOKED THROUGH YOUR EXHIBITS, AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DID NOT READ ALL 444 PAGES WORD FOR WORD.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT IS PRIOR TO THAT JULY OR AUGUST 8TH ACCORD MEETING, THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS TO BE SUBSEQUENT TO THAT MEETING.
[00:50:01]
I MISS ANYTHING? CAN YOU POINT ME TO EXHIBITS THAT SHOW WHAT YOU HAD IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE JULY 13TH ACCORD MEETING? OR BETWEEN JULY 13TH, OR EXCUSE ME, THE JULY 13TH NOTICE AND OR BETWEEN JULY 13TH AND AUGUST 8TH.I'M GONNA WALK HER THROUGH OUR EXHIBIT, UH, BINDER HERE, WHICH WE'LL BE REFERENCING IS IN YOUR, WE GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK THERE.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? CAN YOU UNDERSTAND YOU? WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND YOU, SIR.
YEAH, I'M HEARING A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
I'M GONNA WALK MS. BOLDEN THROUGH THE EXHIBITS, WHICH WE HADN'T DONE.
THAT'S WHAT I HAD RESERVED MY NINE
BUT, UM, IF YOU WILL KIND OF WALK AS I WALK THROUGH THIS, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT OUR DIFFERENT EXHIBIT NUMBERS ARE AND WHAT WAS THERE EVEN, EVEN IF IT WASN'T THIS PRIOR TO THE, THE JULY 13TH LETTER? RIGHT.
SO ON JULY 13TH, THE COURTESY PATROL COMPANY EXHIBIT FIVE, UM, THE COURTESY PATROL COMPANY THAT WAS IN PLACE AT THAT TIME WAS TEXAS SURVEILLANCE.
UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY IN PLACE PRIOR TO THIS COMPANY THAT, UM, JUST HONESTLY WASN'T DOING THEIR JOB.
AND, UH, AND SINCE THIS TIME, TEXAS SURVEILLANCE IS NOT THERE ANYMORE, EITHER WE CHANGED AGAIN AND NOW IT'S SOC SECURITY, UM, WHO'S BEEN PHENOMENAL.
MR. HAYES'S QUESTION IS PRIOR TO THE ACCORD MEETING, BUT IT'S REALLY TECHNICALLY ACCORDING TO THE CITY, PRIOR TO JULY 13TH NOTICE LETTER, WHAT WAS IN PLACE? AND IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING MR. HAYES? RIGHT.
SO COURTESY PATROL WAS IN PLACE.
AND WHAT ABOUT EXHIBIT SIX? WHAT DOES THAT SHOW? UH, THE FENCING, I MEAN, THERE WAS FENCES, THERE WAS FENCING AROUND ALL OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, IT'S ONLY THE, THE LIMITED ACCESS THAT'S NOT WORKING.
AND WHAT ABOUT EXHIBIT SEVEN? UM, THAT'S A DUPLICATE.
DID IT A, UM, FLOCK CAMERAS, THOSE WERE NOT IN PLACE.
NOW, WE DID HAVE LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS, UM, WITH THE CAMERA SYSTEM, BUT IT WAS LATER EXPLAINED TO US THAT THEY DID NOT TAKE STILL PICTURES AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTED TO HAVE ACCESS.
SO WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE FLOCK CAMERAS.
BUT YOU HAD CAMERAS IN PLACE BEFORE THAT TOOK LICENSE PLATE.
LICENSE PLATE, IT JUST WASN'T WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTED? CORRECT.
UH, THAT'S THE NEW COURTESY PATROL COMPANY.
UH, WE DID NOT HAVE THE CRIMINAL TRESPASS AFFIDAVIT IN PLACE.
UH, THAT YOU NEEDED IT BEFORE THEN? NO, I WASN'T EVEN AWARE THAT IT WAS A THING, BUT IT'S IN PLACE NOW.
I GUESS WHO WOULD THINK THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS PERMISSION TO COME ON YOUR PROPERTY? CORRECT.
BUT THEY ASKED FOR THAT AND YOU GOT IT.
WE DID EXHIBIT 11, UH OH, THE OPEN RECORDS? NO, I, I, WE DID NOT HAVE THAT IN PLACE.
THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE WE HAD REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM, UM, THE NPO OFFICER.
AND ORIGINALLY WE WERE TOLD THAT, UH, THAT THOSE DOCTOR, THAT ALL THAT HAD BEEN ERASED FROM THE SYSTEM AND IT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE LATER, UH, WE FOUND OUT WHEN WE WENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WE COULD REQUEST THEM.
SO WE REQUESTED ALL THOSE REPORTS.
WHAT ABOUT EXHIBIT WELL BEFORE JULY 13TH? WHAT DOES THIS SAY? EV EVICTIONS AND NOTICES TO VACATE AND JUST GETTING RID OF PEOPLE THAT WERE TROUBLE.
AND THIS SHOWS THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE BEFORE, CORRECT? IT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING, RIGHT.
ANY KIND OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY? YES.
AND IS EXHIBIT 13 JUST MORE OF OBJECT TWO RECEIPTS? CORRECT.
LEASE EXPRESS OR LEASE, UH, NON-RENEWALS WERE BEING DONE, EVICTIONS WERE BEING DONE, UM, VIOLATIONS WERE BEING DONE.
ALL OF THOSE ITEMS WERE BEING ADDRESSED.
AND EXHIBIT 14 IS MORE, HAVE THE NOTICES YOU WERE ACTUALLY SENT OUT TO 'EM SAYING, HEY, YOU CORRECT.
THINGS BEEN INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, GET OUT.
THE TOWING CONTRACT WAS ALREADY IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE NOTICE AS WELL.
HOW ABOUT EXHIBIT 16? IT'S ALSO PART OF THE TOWING.
THE RESIDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO REGISTER, AND THEN AN EMAIL IS SENT TO THE OFFICE TO CONFIRM THAT THE INFORMATION THAT THE PERSON IN THAT APARTMENT IS REGISTERING IS CORRECT AND MATCHES OUR FILE.
WAS THAT IN PLACE BEFORE? YES.
WHAT ABOUT EXHIBIT 17? WHAT IS THAT? UH, ALSO, THAT'S ALSO, IT'S, IT IS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CAR.
SO WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING MATCHES THAT IN PLACE BEFORE JULY 13TH? YES.
IT'S, THAT'S THE TOWING ALSO IN PLACE.
[00:55:01]
ACTUAL CARS THAT WERE TOWED? YES.AND OH, AND THAT SHOWS IN THERE SOME OF 'EM, YES.
HOW ABOUT EXHIBIT 19? WHAT IS THAT? UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT, IS THAT JUST THE CONTACT INFORMATION? YES, IT'S JUST CONTACT INFORMATION.
RIGHT, BUT THE, OH, I'M SURE THAT'S FOR THE SECURITY OFFICER SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO KNOW WHO LIVES IN THE UNIT.
IT'S BASICALLY LIKE A RENT ROLL AND WHICH UNITS ARE VACANT AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THEY KNOW WHAT UNITS TO WALK AGAIN IN PLACE BEFORE JULY 13TH? CORRECT.
THAT, THAT'S ALL OF OUR EXHIBITS.
THE REST OF THOSE EXHIBITS ARE, ARE THE CITIES THAT I THINK JUST SOMEHOW GOT CONSOLIDATED WITH OURS.
MR. QUINT, DO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? YES, CHAIR.
SO, UM, IN YOUR TESTIMONY, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GATES ARE STILL OPEN, SO WOULDN'T IT BE FAIR TO SAY IF THE GATES WERE CLOSED, THE PROPERTY WOULD BE MUCH SAFER? I MEAN, IT, IT IS OUR ULTIMATE GOAL.
IT WAS, UM, WE WERE PRETTY, MA'AM, I JUST WANTED A YES OR NO.
SO YOU SAID THAT IT SHOULD BE ONE OF THE LAST THINGS TO BE DONE, BUT AGAIN, TO YOUR POINT, IF YOU SAID IT WOULD MAKE IT SAFER, IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST TO BE DONE.
YOU'VE HAD SIX MONTHS TO COORDINATE WITH THE DPD AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT YET YOU'RE SAYING IT SHOULD BE LAST.
IF IT WAS SECURED, TRUST ME, THIS PROPERTY WOULD'VE A LOT LESS ISSUES.
UM, GOING TO SOME OF THE, THE AVAILABLE OFFENSES, UH, THREE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, TWO MURDERS, AND TWO ROBBERIES IN THE CALENDAR YEAR, 1122 TO 1123, THOSE ARE REALLY SERIOUS OFFENSES.
UM, WOULD YOU SAY THAT MAKES THIS PROPERTY UNSAFE? I WOULD SAY IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN 99% OF THE PROPERTIES IN THAT AREA.
MA'AM, I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THERE.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
WOULD THAT MAKE THIS AN UNSAFE PROPERTY? I WORK THERE EVERY DAY,
I DO NOT FEEL, I DO NOT FEEL AFRAID TO BE THERE, MA'AM.
I I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT'S JUST A REAL EASY YES OR A NO.
UM, CAPTAIN, SHE IS ENTITLED TO EXPLAIN IT TO HER AS SHE AND HER LAYMAN'S VIEW IS, I DO NOT FEEL IT'S UNSAFE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, JUST, THAT'S ALL I WANT IS WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE PROPERTY.
SO YOUR, YOUR ATTORNEY SAID THAT THE HCP PLACARD PLASTERED ON THE PROPERTY, UM, AND YOU A ASKED YOU WHAT WOULD THIS DO? IT WOULD MAKE THE, UH, PROPERTY, OR YOU SAID PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANNA LIVE HERE.
BUT ISN'T THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE PLACARD IS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IT'S UNSAFE? I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
I, I UNDERSTAND THE THOUGHT PROCESS.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT SINCE OUR TAKEOVER, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OF THE RESIDENTS FROM THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES, UH, MOVING OVER TO OUR PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE.
THEY CAN SEE THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
THEY CAN TELL THAT, UM, IT'S, THERE'S ZERO TOLERANCE.
WE'RE JUST NOT DEALING WITH IT.
SO I, I DO THINK IT WOULD DISCOURAGE THOSE PEOPLE.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF LONG-TERM RESIDENTS FROM SOME OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES, UH, START MOVING OVER TO CHEROKEE.
SO TO YOUR POINT, ZERO TOLERANCE FROM JULY 12TH THROUGH JANUARY 12TH OF 24, YOU'VE HAD SEVEN, AGAIN, MORE TOTAL AVAILABLE OFFENSES, TWO
SO AGAIN, THERE'S STILL SERIOUS CRIME GOING, BUT YET A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY.
WELL, I MEAN, WE CAN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM COMING ONTO THE PROPERTY.
WE CAN ONLY FOLLOW UP WHEN WE KNOW THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, IT, IT, WE DID TAKE OVER AT A TIME WHEN THERE HAD BEEN, UH, A NOT SO, UH, PALATABLE MANAGER THERE BEFORE.
UM, AND SO THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAD TO CLEAN UP, BUT WE HAVE BEEN VERY, UH, AGGRESSIVE, UH, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE THINGS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU IN THE NEXT ROUND.
UM, MS. SHIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
MS. BOLDEN, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WORK THERE EVERY DAY.
DO YOU HAVE A MANAGER THAT LIVES IN ONE OF THE UNITS OR SOMEONE, UM, FROM YOUR COMPANY THERE? THAT'S 24 7? YES, WE DO.
THEY'RE 24 7 OR THEY LIVE THERE.
SORRY, I DIDN'T, THEY THEY LIVE THERE.
[01:00:02]
CHAIR.THANK YOU, MR. VERA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
UM, SO YOU, YOU, YOUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY WAS BROUGHT IN, UH, LAST APRIL, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THE COURT HEARING WAS IN JULY, UM, CORRECT.
SO, SORRY, WAS IT, UH, YOU RECEIVED THE LETTER IN JULY, CORRECT? YES.
SO BASICALLY, YOUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY WAS IN CHARGE FOR THREE MONTHS OF THE PRIOR YEAR, UH, PROCEEDING THE LETTER.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK AT ALL TO WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE OTHER NINE MONTHS OF THE YEAR? I, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM MANAGER FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES PEOPLE AREN'T DOING THEIR JOB.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, PART OF, PART OF WHY, UH, THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE.
THEY WEREN'T DOING, THEY WEREN'T BEING AS, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON THOSE PROPERTIES.
YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW UP, YOU HAVE TO SERVE NOTICE, YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF PEOPLE.
AND, UH, AND THEY WEREN'T GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
SO, SO DID THE OWNER, WHEN, WHEN Y'ALL WERE HIRED, DID THE OWNER TELL YOU THAT YOU WERE BEING HIRED BECAUSE THE PRIOR MANAGER TOLERATED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND THEY DIDN'T WANT THAT? ACTUALLY, HE WASN'T REALLY AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON AT THE TIME.
IT WAS KIND OF THINGS THAT WE, UH, DISCOVERED IN THE INTERIM.
UM, IT, IT, HE WASN'T FULLY AWARE OF EVERYTHING AS IT CAME TO THE LIGHT.
WE STARTED TELLING, TELLING, EXPLAINING TO THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
SO, UH, Y'ALL, Y'ALL TOOK OVER IN APRIL, AND I ASSUME THE GATES WERE NOT WORKING AT THAT TIME.
UH, YOU'VE EXPLAINED THAT THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS.
WHERE ARE YOU IN THAT PROCESS? ARE YOU, H HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU IN THE COORDINATION WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN, IN GETTING THOSE GATES CLOSED? WE, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
WE KNOW THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CLOSE OFF ONE OF THOSE EXITS.
THEY ARE DOING THE PEDESTRIAN GATES.
AND I'M SORRY, I, I DIDN'T EXPLAIN MYSELF WELL WHEN I SAID THAT, UM, WE WERE DOING THE PEDESTRIAN GATES FIRST.
I, I WASN'T TRYING TO SAY THAT THE GATES WERE THE LAST PRIORITY.
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY IS THAT OF THE LIMITED ACCESS, THE, THE POLICE ASKED US TO DO THE PEDESTRIAN PART FIRST.
NOT THAT THE CAM, OR NOT THAT THE LIMITED ACCESS GATE SHOULD HAPPEN LAST.
THAT'S JUST COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
BUT, UM, YOU, YOU SAID THE DELAY IN GETTING THE GATES CLOSED WAS THAT YOU NEEDED FIRE DEPARTMENT APPROVAL.
DO YOU NOW HAVE THAT APPROVAL? WE KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.
YES, WE DO HAVE, AND WHEN WE HAVEN'T FILED A PERMIT, BUT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
YOU HAVEN'T FILED THE PERMIT YET? NO.
UH, WE CAN NOW GO BACK FOR, UH, UH, TWO MINUTES.
MS. ARIANO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU CURRENTLY NOW HAVE A SECURITY ON THE PROPERTY.
WHAT'S THE TIME THAT THEY ARE ON THE PROPERTY? THEY'RE THERE EIGHT HOURS, UH, A NIGHT FOR FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
THE ONLY DAYS THAT THEY'RE NOT THERE ARE MONDAY AND TUESDAY.
THEY, THEY ALSO SERVICE, LIKE I MENTIONED TO THE OTHER PROPERTY BEHIND US FOR, UH, FULL EIGHT HOURS, UM, BUT DIFFERENT EIGHT HOURS.