INSPECTIONS FOLLOW POT BUSTS AT CITY-OWNED RENTAL HOMES

Fifty-eight houses owned by the City of Richmond are being inspected
this week, following the discovery that two of the houses contained
marijuana grow operations.

York-West Asset Management Group, the company that manages the city
properties, has issued 24-hour inspection notices to all tenants, with
the intention to do full interior inspections by the end of the week.

The company conducts monthly drive-by inspections, as well as interior
inspections once a year, branch manager Janet McAllister told The Review.

"Inspections are always undertaken, but there's certain things now
that we'll look for," McAllister said.

In each case, the tenant's credit and employment records were checked
and the rent was paid by cheque.

"They even came in with their little kids and everything," said
McAllister.

Police found 200 marijuana plants at 9685 Ferndale Rd. July 6
following a neighbour's call that three men were in the backyard, one
with a handgun. A woman was arrested at the residence.

Eighty plants were found when a house at 9215 Granville Ave. was
raided one week later, using information obtained from the first raid.

The first house had been rented Aug. 1, 1999, and the second house two
months later. The houses were not rented by the same person.

"It is ironic, but it goes to show we have to continually monitor
through our agents our own properties," Coun. Bill McNulty said The
Review. McNulty said councillors had not had a chance to discuss the
issue.

The city has used York-West to manage all its residential properties
since 1995, according to Phil Hogg, civic buildings manager.

McAllister said the problem of grow ops has become so great that
property management companies have been pushing for a change to the
Residential Tenancy Agreement to allow more frequent
inspections.

"If I have reason to, I can post 24 hours notice, but if I do that
weekly, would they consider that harassment-I'm sure they would."

The city has stepped up efforts to bust local marijuana grow
operations, since Mayor Greg Halsey-Brandt launched a task force on
crime in May. A prime objective of the task force has been warning
landlords about how to prevent marijuana grow operations from
infiltrating their properties.

Halsey-Brandt did not return phone calls from The Review by presstime
Tuesday.