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Improving Apartments

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By LENORA LAKE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 12, 2007

UNIVERSITY AREA - Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies and code enforcement staff told apartment owners and managers they want to work closer together to improve life in the community west of the University of South Florida.

During a meeting Sept. 6 at the sheriff's District 1 office on North 20th Street, deputies and county staff offered suggestions to the representatives of 13 complexes to improve their properties.

'Drive through your property every day and be sure you are on top of things,' Pam Roskey, a code investigator, told about 20 attendees. She said they should look for graffiti, broken lights and overflowing Dumpsters.

Barbara Reichard, a community resource deputy who works in the University Area and organized the meeting, said deputies plan 'heavy enforcement' of the law at open house parties. Those are parties at which residents take no steps to control alcohol consumption by minors or drug use by any guests.

'If you hear people talking about them or dragging kegs in, call me,' she said.

Deputy Judy Woster of the Crime Prevention Bureau encouraged participants to take pictures of graffiti they believe to be gang-related or to call the sheriff's gang unit to take pictures. She said there are 236 gangs identified in the county.
Woster said the sheriff's office can assist by starting neighborhood or apartment watch groups; doing surveys for security and lighting; and offering programs in personal safety and gang awareness.

Deputy Gabriel Aquino of the Street Crimes Unit asked the participants to sign forms allowing deputies to go onto their property to stop people from loitering and other illegal activities.

'By you assisting us by signing it and posting it, you will be averting crime,' Aquino said.

Jim Blinck, code enforcement's chief investigator, commended the participants for attending.

'The county has put a lot of money into this area, and we are not going to allow it to become a Sulphur Springs,' he said, referring to a nearby community that has high rates of crime and code violations. 'We are here to make this community a safe and nice place to live.'

The next meeting will be at 2 p.m. Nov. 8 at Country Oaks Apartments, 14316 Dake Lake, which was offered as a location by manager Joann Townsend.

'I'm excited they have gotten this going. Our neighborhood desperately needs it,' Townsend said after the meeting.

For information about the meeting Nov. 8, call Reichard at (813) 975-2125 or e-mail her at breichar@hcso.tampa.fl.us.

Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851 or llake@tampatrib.com.

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