Rialto Targets Safety Problem in Area (Press Enterprise 101706) While raids in March, Helped officials say a gated communty could be the key...

Rialto Targets Safety Problem in area

---

BS Ranch Perspective:

The rules that are set will be okay at the beginning and they will work. the first tenants will like the new East Jackson Place, but sooner or later it will become harder and harder to rent to people and the Land Lords or Property Owners will start to become lax on the Rules and allow people in that they said they wound not, thinking that they are giving someone a chance to make a change in their life. However they are being made a chump of by that Tennant.

The crime will start by that tenant and then the rule structure will be broken down, to the point that they cannot change the place until it was the crashed wreck that it was when the Police did the raids on the Apartments and came up with all the drugs in the apartments. So they will be placed on notice once and for all by next year or 08 they will be just as bad as they were when they were closed as blight!

BS Ranch!!

PS: I pray that I am wrong

---

Rialto targets safety problem in area

CRIME: While raids in March helped, officials say a gated community could be the key.

10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, October 17, 2006

By MASSIEL LADRÓN DE GUEVARA
The Press-Enterprise

Rialto's East Jackson Street property owners on Tuesday discussed forming a committee to create rules for a homeowners association. Meanwhile, the Rialto City Council approved funding to extend the contract of the agency hired to guide owners through the process.

For the next year, Fleener Associates will be in charge of helping residents set up an association that ensures uniform tenant screening and property maintenance of the troubled area.

The $70,000 contract includes working with city officials to develop a vision plan for East Jackson Street, said John Dutrey, housing program manager.

Dick Fleener, the owner of the consulting firm, will help come up with a construction design plan that includes making East Jackson Street a gated community, Dutrey said.

"He is also going to help us create the conditions, covenants and restrictions for the associations, put together a budget to do projects there," Dutrey said.

Fleener has estimated it will take $1.5 million to make the improvements the city wants and to pay legal expenses.

In 2004, there were 569 calls for police service, Dutrey said. There were 541 calls for police service in 2005, he said.

In March about 80 officers from six agencies, including Rialto's SWAT team, conducted raids on East Jackson Street. Police attempted to serve about 100 arrest warrants in the crime-infested area, SWAT commander Lt. Tony Farrar said at the time.

The operation, dubbed Operation Lucky Charms, netted 29 arrests and the seizure of six handguns, two rifles, 13 ½ pounds of marijuana, 2 ounces of rock cocaine and $2,000, according to Farrar.

In the days after the raid, Rialto code and building inspectors descended on the area plagued with substandard living conditions and issued notices of violations to property owners, Dutrey said.

Buildings were re-inspected in July and many of the buildings didn't comply with correction notices, he said. As a result, officials are moving forward with litigation to request a receiver be appointed to complete the repairs for some buildings, Dutrey said.

The first court hearing is expected in late October, he said.

So far, 15 out of the 21 East Jackson Street property owners have signed a letter of intent to create an association, Dutrey said.

Crime has gone down with the heavy police presence in the area, but the heavy presence can't go on forever, and that's why it's important residents and owners take responsibility, Dutrey said.

If owners agree to form an association, the city is willing to pay to transform the area to a gated community, he said.

The city also would fund some landscaping and convert an empty lot on the street into a neighborhood park, Dutrey said.

Mayor Grace Vargas said she is proud of the progress on East Jackson Street.

"I'm very happy to be moving forward," Vargas said.

"It's not only a benefit to the neighbors, but also it's an eliminator of crime, and children will be able to come out and play."

Reach Massiel Ladrón De Guevara at 909-806-3054 or mdeguevara@PE.com