What Did You Expect?

Story from the Journal....

MIDDLETOWN

City turning up heat on ‘less desirables’

MIDDLETOWN —
One suspect recently arrested called Church Street “the skillet,” because of a Middletown police task force that turned up the heat on neighborhood crime, drug, and code enforcement issues.

Police Chief David VanAresdale said three officers focused on neighborhood issues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. between July 28 and Sept. 16. The Church Street area, which was bounded by Central Avenue, Reinarz Boulevard, Charles and Clark streets, was identified as one of the city’s worst crime-ridden neighborhoods based on crime mapping data.

He said as police downsize through attrition, crime mapping and other data driven programs will be more of a focus.

“They concentrated on not only to rid the area of crime, drugs and prostitutes, but were also looking at blighted housing issues and forwarded complaints to code enforcement,” VanAresdale said. “They also worked with some of the landlords as well.”

In a report that was forwarded to Middletown City Council and the city manager’s office, the net result of the task force’s efforts were a total of 85 charges, including 12 felony arrests, filed against 48 people; eight search and/or consent to search warrants conducted; seven letters issued by the city manager to landlords concerning ongoing felony drug activity; with the help of some landlords police were able to conduct surveillance in the neighborhood that resulted in 12 eviction proceedings; learning who the drug dealers, drug buyers and prostitutes; cultivating a number of neighborhood informants; and identifying 25 houses for code enforcement follow-up that included several that would qualify for demolition.

VanAresdale said police were able to gather enough information in the target area to arrest a person several blocks away who had nearly 70 capsules of heroin.

Police have also followed up with Dr. Dora Bronston and the Rev. Michael Bailey about possible anti-heroin events in the Church Street area.

“We’re trying to make Middletown less desirable for the less desirables,” VanAresdale said. “We want to get rid of the crime element and turn a blighted neighborhood so we can draw good families.”

VanAresdale said another task force will begin “immediately” in another problem area in the city. However, he declined to say where that next target area will be. He added that police will be checking the Church Street area to ensure there are no future problems there.

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IF YOU CREATE POCKETS OF TROUBLE LIKE THIS IN TOWN, USING YOUR "PUT THE DOORMAT OUT FOR LOW INCOME" THEME, WHICH INCLUDES THE LOCAL/OUTSIDE CRIMINAL ELEMENT ATTRACTED TO LOW INCOME/SECTION 8, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WILL HAPPEN? THE CITY LEADERS ARE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMY AND HAVE CREATED THIS PROBLEM. THE CITY LEADERS HAVE MADE THIS CITY A MAGNET OF ATTRACTION FOR THIS SEGMENT OF SOCIETY, AND NOW WANT TO CLEAN UP THEIR MESS BY THROWING POLICE ACTIVITY TOWARD THE SOLUTION. WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEGREE THAT WE DO IF THE LEADERS WOULDN'T HAVE GONE FOR THE ALMIGHTY FED DOLLARS AS A TRADEOFF FOR INCREASED CRIME, INCREASED DRUGS AND INCREASED GHETTO ACTIVITY. THEY HAVE TRASHED THIS CITY AND MADE IT THE MOST UNDESIRABLE CITY IN BUTLER COUNTY. OUTSIDE COMMENTS ON OTHER FORUMS PERTAINING TO MIDDLETOWN CONFIRM THIS.

I LIKE THIS FROM VANARESDALE....

"We’re trying to make Middletown less desirable for the less desirables,” VanAresdale said. “We want to get rid of the crime element and turn a blighted neighborhood so we can draw good families.”
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UP TO THIS POINT, THE CITY LEADER ACTIONS DON'T REFLECT THIS THINKING.

I have seen new younger couples and families moving into my neighborhood in Middletown. They just send there kids to Middletown Christian or Bishop Fenwick instead of Middletown City Schools. And any attack on these problem neighborhoods by the police and the city is a step in the right direction even it some people think it may be too late. 

ktf  I am all for the cops out there kicking it!! almost need more men and ladies in blue out there to help clean the mess up!! as for home sales,his was in the journal this morning,

August home sales show a double digit drop, sales to date at the two-thirds-of-the-year mark are down minutely compared to 2013.

The amount of homes sold in August dropped 14.3 percent compared to a year ago, going from 2,463 in August 2013 to 2,110 this August,Butler County’s average home price climbed from $151,796 in August 2013 to $178,179 this August, a nearly 17.4 percent increase, and the county’s median price climbed from $134,500 in August 2013 to $144,900 this August, a 7.7 percent increase. In Butler County, the statistics told a similar story. The amount of homes sold in the county went from 521 in August 2013 to 435 last month, a 16.5 percent drop,   how can home values go up when when few are buying? its been a few months since i have been thru middletown but seen 4 sale signs everywhere. with the city gutting the fire dept, wonder if that will effect homeowner insurance rates?

Vet,

I believe that starting with your 2015 property taxes they will go down, at least some of them. Some taxes I think are stuck at the value of the property at the time the levy was passed or went into effect if I remember correctly.

I bought my house in Middletown in 2005 near Sunset Park. It was valued by the county at within a few thousand dollars of what I paid for the house. In 2008 it dropped significantly and again in 2011 which didn't bother me much because I wasn't planning on selling anytime soon. 2011's valuation was 40% less than where it was valued the day I closed on the house. This week's reassessment came in and my property value has gone UP for the first time since 2002, and has increased to greater than the 2008 valuation but still quite a bit less than what it was worth when I bought the house in 2005. In the end it doesn't matter much to me either way since I'm not planning on selling or moving anytime soon.

It is odd though the difference between the county's value and the bank's value of my property. For comparison, in 2008 when I refinanced my mortgage, the county said my property was worth 19% less than it was in 2005. The bank said it was worth about 29% more than it was when I first purchased in 2005. I was happy with both since it made it easier for me to refinance with a large amount of equity in my property, while my property tax amounts dropped. Best of both worlds I suppose.