Carroll Police Department Ups Officer Presence To 24 Hours Per Day At Fairview Village Apartments

The Carroll Police Department will be stationing an officer at the Fairview Village Apartments 24 hours per day beginning today (Thursday) in response to a recent spike in crimes at the complex. Two women were arrested Oct. 5 after a dispute involving firearms, and a 31-year-old Ames man sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds just before midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 13. City Manager, Mike Pogge-Weaver, says, “The incidents over the past 10 days at Fairview Village Apartments have been both concerning and alarming to our community. The City of Carroll takes these issues seriously and is working with stakeholders in the community to address our collective concerns.” The property is owned by Northwest CPH, LLP and overseen by Carlson Properties of Spencer. According to Pogge-Weaver, there were 502 police calls to Fairview Village in 2016, and that number has dropped to nearly half that since ownership transferred in 2017. He says, “The Carroll Police Department has had regular conversations with the current management team several times a month, if not weekly, to discuss issues. We have found that the management team responds to our concerns quickly, including evicting tenants when authorized by state law.” Officers positioned at the property will be on patrol, either on foot or in a patrol vehicle, and have been directed to adopt a zero-tolerance policy, meaning arrests will be made for even minor infractions. Additionally, the owner has committed to installing a video security system within the next 90 days that will be accessible to law enforcement. Northwest CPH and Carlson Properties are seeking funding from the USDA to cover some or all of these costs. “While everyone would like to see immediate changes, the reality is the City has limited legal recourse against any property owner with problem tenants,” says Pogge-Weaver. The full statement from the city can be found included below.
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NEWS RELEASE

October 15,2020

For Immediate Release

Re: Fairview Village Apartments
Contact: Mike Pogge-Weaver, Carroll City Manager
 

The incidents over the past 10 days at Fairview Village apartments have been both concerning and alarming to our community.  The City of Carroll takes these issues seriously and is working with stakeholders in the community to address our collective concerns.

Fairview Village apartments are owned by Northwest CPH, LLP and managed by Carlson Properties of Spencer. The current owners and managers took over the property in 2017 and City staff has worked with the owners since that time.  The Carroll Police Department has had regular conversations with the current management team several times a month, if not weekly, to discuss issues.  We have found that the management team responds to our concerns quickly, including evicting tenants when authorized by state law.

In 2016, prior to Northwest CPH, LLP and Carlson Properties taking over the property, there were 502 police calls to Fairview Village.    Since Northwest CPH, LLP and Carlson Properties has owned the complex, police calls to Fairview Village apartments have been as follows:

• 2017       –     439
• 2018       –     407
• 2019       –     282
• 2020       –     245 (Through September 24, 2020)

While the trend has been positive since Northwest CPH, LLP and Carlson Properties has taken over the property, continued improvement is needed.

Due to the need, beginning today, Thursday, October 15 at Noon, the Carroll Police Department will have an officer stationed at Fairview Village apartments 24 hours a day until further notice.  Officers will be either out walking around or in a patrol vehicle observing and speaking with individuals on the property.  The City will have zero tolerance, meaning arrests will be made for all minor violations including drinking in public, trespassing, littering, and disorderly conduct. This may present some delays in response times in the City as we typically have 2 officers working at any given time with some overlap. The officer assigned to Fairview Village apartments will leave their post if there is an emergency call that they need to assist with.  Northwest CPH, LLP and Carlson Properties are requesting that the USDA approval funding to cover some or all of these costs.

While the City is ramping up actions at Fairview Village apartments, the City has had a number of past practices including:

• Increased foot patrol.
• Stationing officers on site during certain hours.
• Reaching out to new tenants with information on employment and about the community.
• Working with the schools to provide lunches to children at the apartment.
• Bringing cars up for people to look at and providing officers to answer questions.

Beyond the additional patrols at Fairview Village apartments, the City has taken the following actions to address the continued concerns at Fairview Village apartments:

• The City has invited various community stakeholders including law enforcement agencies, Carroll Community Schools, Carroll County, Region XII Regional Housing Authority, Region XII Council of Governments, CADC and faith leaders in the Carroll community along with the property owner and the USDA to discuss the situation and work toward a proactive response to the situation at Fairview Village.  We appreciate everyone that has responded with a willingness to help work on a solution to our collective concerns.
• In addition to numerous phone conversations, the City met in person with the property owner last Friday (Oct 9^th) to discuss the issues at the property and convey our concerns.  From that meeting the owner committed to installing a video security system on the property within the next 90 days.  This system will be accessible by the Carroll Police Department and will be beneficial in identifying individuals responsible for various situations.  We discussed a number of other items and the City sees the owner cooperating in addressing our concerns.
• The Police Department has worked with and will continue to work with the property owner to communicate issues and concerns at the property as they occur.   Over the past 4 years these conversations have occurred several times a month, if not weekly.  The City has found that the management team responds to our concerns quickly, including evicting tenants when authorized by state law.
• City Staff including the Police Chief, Fire Chief/Building Safety Official, and City Manager visited the site on September 23^rd and as a result began a nuisance abatement process due to junk, trash, and other issues that were visible around the outside of the buildings and in common areas of the buildings.  While many of these issues have been addressed the City continues to work with the property owner to complete all of the issues.
• On Wednesday, October 14^th the City had a conversation with staff from the USDA on the current state of affairs at Fairview Village apartments.  Staff from the USDA has indicated they are committed to working to see improvements at the site and have reached out to the property owner to ensure these issues are addressed.
• The City is talking with the city’s legal counsel about other remedies the City could take against the property owner if improvements are not made at the site.  While everyone would like to see immediate changes, the reality is the City has limited legal recourse against any property owner with problem tenants.