In 2016, the City took the initiative to enhance the coordination and communication amongst staff who regularly work with nuisance properties. The effort was organized by monthly meetings with designated representatives from Police staff, City Prosecutor’s Office, Nuisance, Planning and Inspections Divisions.

The focus of the meetings was to identify chronic nuisance activity within the City and target efforts toward holding property owners accountable. To best accomplish this goal, staff researched and recommended the passage of a Chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance which would provide an additional tool for City staff to compel property owners to achieve compliance and abate chronic nuisance activity. In November of 2016, the City Council passed the recommended ordinance. Empowered by this ordinance, Staff continues to meet on a monthly basis to review chronic nuisance properties and recommend methods for compliance.

Accomplishments from the efforts of the Chronic Nuisance Property Review Group include:

  • Passage of a Chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance

  • Establishment of a Crime Free Multi-Housing Program: This program seeks to partner with apartment owners, managers, landlords, residents, and police to reduce crime. The program also incentivizes landlords that implement the techniques and best practices in property management to minimize crime by certifying them as Crime Free Property Owners.

  • Amended the Chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance to include the “illegal use or sale of firearms or weapons” as an offense which would require only one occurrence where the property could be designated a Chronic Nuisance Property and subsequent action could be taken.

  • Abatement of chronic nuisance activity generated from a large multi-unit apartment complex located near the 100 block of West End Boulevard. Police calls for service here in 2017 alone totaled 369. After placing the property on the Chronic Nuisance Property watch list and meeting with property ownership and management, a number of measures were implemented to reduce crime in the area. Property ownership agreed to install 12 onsite HD security cameras, provide the Police Department with access to security footage, issue parking permits to tenants, and require all tenants to sign a crime free addendum to their lease. One month after the implementation of these measures, the number of police calls for service dropped to only two over a 30 day period.

  • Hosted several neighborhood meetings regarding concerns of nuisance activity near the 200 block of North Lorimier. As a result of these meetings and a review of Police incident reports, a property located within the area was identified and declared a Chronic Nuisance Property. City staff met with the property owner to discuss necessary compliance measures. After receiving this designation, the property owner evicted a number of tenants generating the nuisance activity and amended future tenant lease agreements to require tenants to remain crime free.

  • Anyone can refer a property to the Chronic Nuisance Property Review Group. Simply use the form or contact a committee member to make a referral.
    • Contact Info
    • 44 North Lorimier
      Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
    • Telephone 573.339.6327
    • Email [email protected]
    MEMBERS

    Cpl. Richard Couch 
    Community Service Officer
    Cape Girardeau Police Department

    Ty Metzger
    Nuisance Abatement Supervisor
    Cape Girardeau Police Department

    City Attorney or Prosecutor

    Allan Fletchall
    Property Maintenance & Zoning Inspector
    Development Services Department