City considers ‘red-tagging’ problem houses
BY DEENA WINTER / Lincoln Journal Star
It’s not a scarlet letter. But it is a bunch of letters on a red tag stuck to one’s house — if the occupants have gotten into trouble with the law for things like parties, noise or litter.
City leaders are floating the idea of slapping so-called “red tags” on houses to serve notice to inhabitants, neighbors and landlords that they’re in trouble with the law.
And they’d better not get into trouble again anytime soon.
The idea was suggested by Ed Caudill, a 21-year North Bottoms resident and neighborhood activist who hopes to reduce the parties, litter and noise in his neighborhood, where the many small, old rental houses are popular with University of Nebraska-Lincoln students.
Caudill got the idea from Tucson, Ariz., where police have the authority to stick red tags on disorderly houses — or properties where five or more people are gathered or where there’s excessive noise, traffic, obstruction of streets, littering, public drinking, fighting, disturbing the peace or minors drinking alcohol.
The warnings must stay posted for 120 days. If a tag is taken down, the tenants are fined. If there are any subsequent violations over the next 120 days, police will issue a citation and all tenants must pay a fine. Landlords or homeowners also are fined.
According to the Arizona Daily Wildcat, Tucson police red-tag about 20 parties every weekend in the mid-town area, most of them students’ homes.
BY DEENA WINTER / Lincoln Journal Star
It’s not a scarlet letter. But it is a bunch of letters on a red tag stuck to one’s house — if the occupants have gotten into trouble with the law for things like parties, noise or litter.
City leaders are floating the idea of slapping so-called “red tags” on houses to serve notice to inhabitants, neighbors and landlords that they’re in trouble with the law.
And they’d better not get into trouble again anytime soon.
The idea was suggested by Ed Caudill, a 21-year North Bottoms resident and neighborhood activist who hopes to reduce the parties, litter and noise in his neighborhood, where the many small, old rental houses are popular with University of Nebraska-Lincoln students.
Caudill got the idea from Tucson, Ariz., where police have the authority to stick red tags on disorderly houses — or properties where five or more people are gathered or where there’s excessive noise, traffic, obstruction of streets, littering, public drinking, fighting, disturbing the peace or minors drinking alcohol.
The warnings must stay posted for 120 days. If a tag is taken down, the tenants are fined. If there are any subsequent violations over the next 120 days, police will issue a citation and all tenants must pay a fine. Landlords or homeowners also are fined.
According to the Arizona Daily Wildcat, Tucson police red-tag about 20 parties every weekend in the mid-town area, most of them students’ homes.
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