BUILDING SEIZURE SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED LONG AGO, RESIDENT
SAYS

Teri-Lynn Troy said the only thing that surprised her about the
recent seizure of a Taylor Avenue apartment building for drug
activity was that it took so long to happen.

"I knew it was going to happen eventually," she said. "I wish it
would have happened sooner than it did."

Troy, who lived in the apartment building years ago, said the place
was notorious for illegal drug activity.

"Everyone's known for a long time that 51(Taylor Ave.) was the place
to get it all," she said. "I think personally they should burn it
down."

The Attorney-General confirmed Thursday that the apartment building
at 51 Taylor Ave., a known "drug house," had been seized under the
Civil Remedies Act.

A random survey of Chatham residents Friday supported Troy's
comments, with most people saying it was common knowledge drugs were
an issue in that area of the city.

Bonnie Judson said she wasn't surprised to hear the building had been
seized by the Attorney-General for drug activity.

"I've heard Taylor is a bad street," she said, adding that she
doesn't think the seizure will make much of an impact on the people
who do deal drugs there.

"No, because they'll move someplace else."

Mary St. John said she didn't know the government could seize a
building for those reasons.

"I didn't know they are allowed to do that," she said.

However, St. John said she thinks it will send a good message to
people who are breaking the law.

"They're doing the right thing," she said. "It will show people,
'Hey, you can't do this and get away with it'."

Judson said though she doesn't condone what went on in the building,
she doesn't agree with the government's decision to step in and seize
control from the owner.

"I don't think that's fair because you don't always know who you're
renting to," she said. "I don't think it's the landlord who should
suffer."

Doug Sparks, who owns an apartment building in Chatham, said the
responsibility for what goes on in an apartment is ultimately with
the owner. To protect himself, he performs criminal checks on all
perspective tenants.

"We haven't had any problems in a long time," he said.

Sparks said he supports the government's action with the Taylor
Avenue property.

"I think the government did something right this time," he said.