HOUSING PROJECTS NEED POLICE PRESENCE AND HARD RULES

While I commend Asheville City Council's concern for looking toward a
long-term solution to the problems of drug dealing in housing
projects, what about now? My wife is a home health nurse and I have
accompanied her on occasion into several of the housing projects. I
was appalled at what I saw and didn't see. What I saw was open drug
dealing and prostitution; what I didn't see was a police presence.

The council's one-sided approach to the problem abandons the present to
more of the same problems and dangers in the short term. I believe
that the city should have taken a multifaceted approach. Not only do
they need the programs the council approved, but they need an
increased police presence along with increased enforcement. Each
housing project needs a community police sub-station and officers
assigned there on a daily basis to get to know the problems and
problem makers.

When a resident is arrested for a drug, prostitution or violence-related
offense and convicted, they should be evicted and issued a trespass
warning for all city housing projects. At the same time, computer and
learning labs should be set up to offer the residents, both young and
older, a chance to learn and occupy their time.

Ron Pownall,

Black Mountain