The city is about to invest millions of dollars and years of
hard work into making downtown a destination for locals and
out-of-towners alike.
The city is about to invest millions of dollars and years of hard work into making downtown a destination for locals and out-of-towners alike.
The identity of a small town like Morgan Hill often lies in its downtown. The perception that Morgan Hill’s downtown is not safe could throw a wrench into all the work being done to revitalize the area, and once that perception exists, it’s tough to shake. Thus, the inception of a “community resource unit” funded through Redevelopment Agency funds is a good idea.
The unit’s intent is to more efficiently provide police services that discourage and eliminate property blight, while also reducing the need for residents and business owners to call the police, according to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson. Crime in the RDA area discourages new businesses from opening, leading to a lack of investment in vacant properties, leading to property neglect, destruction and blight, City Manager Ed Tewes said.
The RDA’s biggest hot spot last year was the downtown corridor, where 505 police calls emanated. From 2004 to 2009, police responded to a total of 2,534 calls downtown.
This year, police have responded to at least two gravely violent incidents – a May 9 fight among several people that left one victim with a stab wound to his neck and another unconscious with a broken nose, and a May 29 shooting that injured a Gilroy man. Both incidents happened after dark on weekends, and in public areas along Monterey Road.
Utilizing RDA money to pay for partial police services is a way to compensate for some of the loss of services typically paid for through the general fund, police said. For fiscal year 2010-2011, which started July 1, about $500,000 of the police department’s $10.9-million budget will be financed by the RDA. That includes the CRU staff and resources, as well as half a records clerk position.
By improving the problem areas, the city could attract investors, thereby bringing in more revenue.
Some of the issues police commonly face in relation to blighted or vacant properties – inside and outside the RDA – are vandalism, drug dealers and users hanging out on street corners, late-night fighting and other drunken disturbances such as vomiting or urinating in unlit public areas, Sampson said.
Police already work with property owners and businesses. The unit does foot patrols through downtown and walks through bars on weekend evenings to ensure they are complying with the conditions of their alcohol licenses, and to prevent patrons from causing trouble.
Ensuring the area is safe will help create a vibrant downtown, where someday hundreds more people are expected to live. And, it will give the city a positive image throughout the region.
