The Jefferson City Housing Authority should take a zero-tolerance approach toward criminals living in Jefferson City's public housing.
On Wednesday, we ran a story about public housing tenants complaining about domestic gunfire, vandalism and domestic violence.
Law-abiding tenants who complain to the Housing Authority are retaliated against, they said.
Donna Valentin, who has lived at Capital City Apartments for four years, said she's tried to condition her brain to tune out gunfire.
"I'm terrified of sleeping there. I don't feel safe in my own apartment, and that's not a way to live," she said at a Tuesday Housing Authority meeting.
After Sharlotte Minor filed complaints, she said, her car was broken into several times and windows were smashed, while Tameka Strickland described human feces left outside her apartment after she filed a complaint. Both residents said they believe these actions were due to their complaints.
Capt. Doug Shoemaker of the Jefferson City Police Department said calls to the area of Capital City Apartments, located in the 500 block of East Elm Street, have decreased this year compared to last year.
For serious lease violations, such as drug possession, tenants receive notice to vacate the property within three days. For other lease violations, the Housing Authority sends warning letters. If the tenants do not comply, the Housing Authority files an eviction action in court.
The Housing Authority receives regular reports from JCPD on activities in all public housing properties, Housing Authority Executive Director Cynthia Quetsch said.
"The only way we can really protect people is by enforcing the lease across the board and get rid of the people who are violating the lease," Quetsch said.
The Jefferson City Housing Authority needs to do just that. Wait lists for public housing in Jefferson City are sometimes several years. Many law-abiding residents gladly would take the place of the troublemakers.
If people inside or outside the public housing cause problems, we expect police will enforce the law diligently in those areas.
For criminals who live in public housing, we urge the Jefferson City Housing Authority to be aggressive in weeding them out.
News Tribune