District 4 Town Hall focuses on ways to reduce crime and blight

3 min readJan 22, 2020

As Council President William Parker strutted onto the stage, he flashed one of his signature high-wattage grins to the audience who had gathered for the District 4 Town Hall.

“We’re going to be short on talking and heavy on listening,” he said, explaining that these annual events are about hearing from residents and trying to let them know the best ways in which the City can help remediate their concerns.

There was hardly an empty seat on Tuesday evening as Parker and Mayor Randall Woodfin fielded questions from the audience and touched on the issues faced by those living in the community.

It was an evening full of open dialogue, information and cooperation between city leaders and the people they serve. Before the event began, attendees were able to speak with various city department heads about issues in their neighborhoods — questions ranging from illegal logging to ShotSpotter to bulk trash pick up, all of which were addressed when Parker and Woodfin took to the stage.

“These events are a great way for us to speak directly to the people about issues that impact them daily,” Parker said. “Without feedback from our community stakeholders, it makes our jobs increasingly difficult. Communication is key, especially when we are in a position to advocate and legislate on behalf of our neighbors.”

Two of the prevailing themes of the evening had to do with abandoned lots and crime.

In District 4, there are currently 153 cases that are going through the condemnation process. Since January 2018, the City has demolished 172 structures throughout the district, with an additional 54 structures having been demolished by property owners.

Of course, these abandoned lots are in constant need of maintenance and are usually easily identified by overgrown grass and shrubbery. In the last year, the City has cut 1,876 vacant lots in District 4, with an additional 1,170 lots either waiting to be put on a contractor list or still going through the weed bill process.

“Please call 311,” Woodfin said in response to a person who asked how they can notify the City of an abandoned lot that needs to be cut. “This is a vital tool that we have and residents need to know it’s there to benefit them.”

On the issue of crime, several police captains and Police Chief Patrick Smith addressed the crowd about concerns over violent crime throughout the district and what residents can do to assist law enforcement.

Several questions were raised about the effectiveness of ShotSpotter. Smith said all it takes is one gunshot for the police to respond to a call. “We don’t always disclose the ShotSpotter locations as we move them about, because as you all are listening, so are the people who are actually firing their weapons,” Smith said. “We depend on people like you to call us if they hear or see anything suspicious.”

Below are some 2019 crime statistics: