ORDINANCE NO. 62765 SUMMARY
On January 21, 1994, Public Nuisance Ordinance. No.62765 became law. The ordinance specifies that if narcotics are found twice on the property within a period of three years, it can be deemed a public nuisance. Under the ordinance, when a property owner fails to abate the problem, a public hearing is held wherein neighborhood residents, the Neighborhood Stabilization Officer and Police Officers may testily. If the property is deemed a public nuisance, the unit where the criminal activity occurred or the entire building (single family dwelling) can be boarded by the City of St. Louis and the use of and income from the unit or building is lost for a period of one year.
THE PROCESS:
1. A search warrant is executed and illegal drugs are confiscated.
2. The property owner is notified by certified mail of the drug seizure.
3. The property owner is directed to contact his/her Neighborhood Stabilization Officer (NSO).
4. To abate the problem, the owner must take action to remove the criminal activity from his/her property.
5. If abatement and proof thereof occurs, that is recorded by the NSO in the property file. The file is kept open for three years.
6. If abatement does not occur and a second drug confiscation at the property takes place, a public hearing is scheduled.
7. At the public hearing, City officials, police officers and neighborhood residents may testify. If the property is deemed a public nuisance, the unit(s) or building will be boarded by the City. The property owner looses the use of and income from the property for one year.
The goal of this ordinance is not to board up buildings. The goal is to eliminate illegal drug trafficking from the property. To date, the experience has been that in over 75% of the cases, the problem has been abated by the property owner without the loss of use of or income from the property.
Neighborhood Stabilization Team August, 1995
622-13 (ML95)