HOUSING OFFICIALS LISTEN TO PROBLEMS AT BEGG

WATERBURY -- Officials promised Wednesday to improve security at the
crime-infested William A. Begg public housing apartments in the city's
Brooklyn neighborhood.

Housing commissioners held a special meeting Wednesday afternoon with
tenants to outline their proposals to make the apartments safer.

Recently, the daughter of a tenant told the Republican-American that
people go to the bathroom in the washing machines, and urinate in
hallways and elevators. She said drug dealing was rampant and anyone
who wants to get into the building just has to pull on the locked
doors and they will pop open.

Housing authority officials did not dispute those claims, but said
they need help from tenants to call police when unwanted people are in
the building. They also urged tenants to shut entry doors that often
are propped open with rocks and sticks.

Among the suggestions offered by tenants included forming a tenant
patrol to control who is inside the building and know where visitors
should be instead of allowing people to enter and wander from floor to
floor.

David Corbett, chairman of the housing authority board, told tenants
that their input was appreciated and well received. He pledged, with
their support, to make the building safer, to evict tenants not
honoring their leases, and to have squatters arrested for criminal
trespassing whenever they are found in empty units.

Among the immediate changes will be the installation of deadbolt locks
on every door. The front doors, which now lock but can be opened with
force, will be replaced. One of the doors will be stationary and will
not open. The other door will open when unlocked.

The other big change will come later, when the building is wired for
keyless entry cards. Each tenant will receive a computerized card with
a special code that will allow them access to the building and to
their apartment.

Tenants are encouraged to work with the authority or to call the
Waterbury Police Department to report squatters sleeping in one of the
nearly 20 empty units.

Waterbury police officer John Gugliotti explained to tenants how to
start a tenant block watch program. Gugliotti, who patrols the
Brooklyn neighborhood, said he will meet with tenants to help them set
up the program.

Ron Dubuque, executive director of the housing authority, said the
deadbolt locks will start going in next week. "You will have two keys,
and no one will kick in your doors," Dubuque said. "We are encouraged
by your eagerness to participate. Anytime you call my office, I will
address problems you present."

Referring to one tenant's statement that the word on the street is
that if you want to buy drugs, the Begg Apartments is the place to be,
Corbett said with the tenants' help the new word on the street will
be: "We are not taking this any more."