VHA makes progress on crime and drug trafficking at The Pacific and The Meridian apartments in central Vancouver

Improvements

CEO Andy Silver said for the past year, VHA has worked diligently to address unwanted activities around the two properties. The nonprofit installed additional security cameras to better track and address problematic behavior.

Bunk Moren, VHA’s chief operating officer, said the agency’s leadership has been heavily involved at the complexes. Moren said he puts in shifts at The Pacific and The Meridian, reviewing up to 80 hours of security footage each week to identify problem people and pinpoint specific issues.

Silver said VHA’s security staff previously had trouble connecting issues created by nonresidents to current residents. But additional security cameras and on-site monitoring have helped staff pinpoint specific people.

“Through those activities, we figured out, about 80 percent of tenants have nothing to do with any of the stuff going on, and we’re very eager to help us push those activities away,” Silver said.

Of the other 20 percent, most were committing minor infractions such as leaving a gate open — issues resolved after staff talked to them about it.

Silver said VHA brought enforcement action, including eviction, against a very small sliver of that 20 percent. VHA has minimized the time it takes to work through the legal process in the case of serious offenses.

“We used to rely on a third-party law firm for legal issues, which sometimes caused delays,” Moren said. “Now we’re working directly with our in-house legal team, which has streamlined the process.”

Working together

Moren said that while on-site, VHA staff speak directly with residents to better understand their needs and how best to assist them. He also contacted the Ogden Neighborhood Association to understand nearby residents’ concerns.

Vancouver Housing Authority leaders said they are closely collaborating with the Vancouver Police Department, as well. The two apartments have always had on-site security.

Vancouver Police Officer Cole Larson said officers are actively patrolling the area looking for suspicious activity and vehicles, which has led to arrests. The city of Vancouver has also added signs prohibiting parking along Northeast 78th Avenue, which “has stopped the bulk of the ‘stop and go’ activity in the area,” Larson said.

The added security at the complex is also helping to track and prevent crimes, Larson said in an email to The Columbian.

A nearby business owner said that he has noticed fewer people hanging around his building since police have been patrolling more. Previously, groups of people would use his back lot to sell and use drugs, and left behind trash and graffiti.

Police are working closely with the apartments’ management to investigate and get guns and drugs off the streets, Larson said.

Silver and Moren acknowledged that continued efforts at The Pacific and The Meridian will be necessary.

“I think our goal is to just continue to hone in, edit and evolve the way we approach permanent supportive housing so that it meets the individual’s needs and supports the community, more broadly,” Moren said.