CITY SUES OVER CRIME-RIDDEN HOMES

4 Takeover Targets Include "House Of Doom"

The city is trying to take over management of four properties that are
reportedly among the city's most crime-ridden, including a reputed drug and
prostitution den known around its neighborhood as the "House of Doom."

The "House of Doom," at 2658 N. 15th St., generated 40 arrests during the
past five years, 12 of which were drug-related and four for prostitution,
according to a lawsuit filed Friday by the city in Circuit Court. In
addition, 29 crimes were reported from the house during the same period.

The suit was one of four unrelated actions filed by the city against
crime-ridden properties that have tallied high numbers of arrests or calls
for police. In the lawsuits, the city has asked a judge to order the
properties into a receivership for outside management and to evict tenants.

Assistant City Attorney David R. Halbrooks said 17 suits seeking to take
over such properties have been filed so far this year. He said city efforts
in this area have grown during the past year and a half, when the Police
Department formed a team of officers to investigate alleged nuisance
properties. The police unit supplements work done by the city attorney and
building inspector offices.

Using police statistics - such as number of calls for service - to
determine whether a property is a nuisance is a "relatively new indicator"
being used, he said.

"We are bringing a case much like a case would be brought to the district
attorney regarding a person," Halbrooks said. "The new police team has
resulted in much better cases than we had in the past, when our office was
asked to do more and more dangerous investigations on its own."

Along with the "House of Doom," the city is also seeking to take over the
following:

A 16-unit apartment building at 822 N. 25th St. The suit says 43 calls for
police service came from that property between December 1998 and June 1999.
Eighteen were for loud music and partying. Six arrests at the property were
made during the past year, the suit says.

Reported crimes include battery to a police officer, theft, possession of
drug paraphernalia and endangering safety with a dangerous weapon.

In addition, 19 drug-related complaints were filed with police during the
past year.

On Monday, the building had the feel of a prison; its walls are red brick
and the windows of apartments are barred. But people are still living there.

Izes Cross, who lives next door, was sweeping litter off the street.

"To me, there are good tenants and bad tenants," he said. But Cross called
the problems "just normal behavior. Disagreements."

Another neighbor told police otherwise. The man, who has lived in the
neighborhood for 60 years, told police that he's been robbed three times,
once at gunpoint and "beaten up three times," police records say. He then
stated, "I'm through with this. . . . I'm out of here! You can't win! The
loud music, the verbal arguments!"

Neighbors also reported seeing dice games in the alley and people urinating
behind the building.

The owners, Robert W. Pipp and Marilyn L. Pipp, did not return a call
seeking comment.

A home at 3354 N. 25th St. The suit against the owners of this property
says at least 18 calls for police were made between January 1998 and May
1999. The calls included drug dealing, loud music, subject with a weapon
and battery. At least 20 arrests have been made at the property during the
past four years.

The suit says the arrests were for parole violation, public drinking,
maintaining a drug house, prostitution, bail jumping and other things.

Marcia L. Cotton, the daughter of the late property owner, told police that
her mother passed away three years ago, and that no one has taken over the
title of the house.

A home at 4770 N. 37th St. Police reported five arrests at the property
during the past year. But they said officers recovered marijuana cigars and
three 9mm loaded magazines in a front bedroom during a search this spring.
Confidential informants twice purchased drugs at the house during that time
period.

On March 2, four arrests were made for drug dealing, and a .22-caliber
revolver was confiscated along with drug paraphernalia. Police discovered
that the resident had attached a doorbell to a neighbor's home that would
ring at his residence when buyers arrived.

The owner, Richard Lyles, who did not return a call for comment, told
police he has does not check criminal records as part of his tenant
screening and also promised police that he was going to start eviction
proceedings on three different occasions, records show.

In the case of the "House of Doom," police records show that two occupants
- - both visibly pregnant and admitted crack cocaine addicts - labeled the
residence a "flophouse" for almost a half-dozen crack users and a nightly
scene of prostitution activity.

The problems at the house were first brought to light publicly in May in a
Journal Sentinel article. After that article, the city boarded up the home
for building and code violations. The newly filed suit would go further by
taking over its management.

Earl Hines, one of the owners, said he was not even aware of the city's suit.

"I had a manager that was receiving the funds and stuff, and I didn't know
it had gone to this extent with the drugs and stuff," he added. "I didn't
realize that. He was bringing me the rent, and I didn't look any further."

A woman sitting on her porch across the street from the house on Monday
said she doesn't care what the city does as "long as (the previous tenants)
are gone."