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Apartment complex must add security measures or face fines

Photo by LENORA LAKE

Avalon Village Apartments, 14350 N. 22nd St., has been cited as a public nuisance by the Hillsborough County Nuisance Abatement Board.

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By LENORA LAKE

Tribune correspondent

Published: April 14, 2009

UNIVERSITY AREA - An apartment complex that had been designated a public nuisance must add additional security within 30 days or face fines of $100 a day.

Avalon Village Apartments must station a security guard 24 hours a day at its gate on North 22nd Street or have a working electronic gate in place. It must also have at least one additional guard on duty from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and two additional guards on weekends from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Sunday.

Owner Samuel Selesky said that the additional security requirements set Monday by Hillsborough County's Nuisance Abatement Board will force him to sell the 241-unit complex at 14320 N. 22nd St.

"They are forcing people to sell and go somewhere else where it is easier to do business," Selesky said after the three-hour hearing.

Selesky told the board such requirements were "not feasible or reasonable in this economy. I can't pay my mortgage, taxes and insurance" with the additional costs. He said he has 68 vacant apartments "and if I was to rent all to the felons, I'd be full."

The security requirements come after Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office attorney Chris Brown told members of the board that the sheriff's office received 164 calls for service to the complex from Feb. 23 through April 12. On Feb. 23, the board, in its first meeting in three years, declared the apartment complex a public nuisance and set a $500 fine, which was held in abatement.

It also ordered Selesky to have an inspection of the 11-acre site by the sheriff's office, repair lights, trim trees and bushes that were blocking sight lines and have "no trespassing" signs clearly visible.

Monday's hearing was a follow-up to the Feb. 23 meeting. The February hearing was initiated by the sheriff's office because it filed a complaint based on two violations of controlled substances on the premises within a six-month period.

By Monday's hearing, Brown and two deputies reported most of the first requirements had been met but problems continued. They asked for additional security, a crime-free lease agreement for new and renewal rental contracts, parking decals for residents and that the lighting and tree-trimming be maintained. All were approved by the board.

New board member Michelle Williams said she recently observed the property for five hours. "You have a problem with gangs, drugs, prostitution or anything else going on in the county," she said to Selesky.

"If you don't want to be before this board – or any board again -- clean it up," Williams said.

The requirements are for one year, but Selesky can petition the board to reconsider them in 90 days. The sheriff's office can file more complaints, if needed, board chairman John Engstrom said.

Maj. Louis Hollinshead said after the meeting that the sheriff's office was satisfied with the board's action and that the monitoring of the situation would continue.

Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851.

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