In November 2006, concerned Blake Street homeowners alerted NHS to incidences of loitering and possible illegal activity near unoccupied homes on the street.  Since uninhabited houses tend to invite squatting and other unseemly activities, we were quick to help resolve the matter.

NHS helped connect the homeowners to the district police substation through the Whalley-Edgewood-Beaver Hills (WEB) Management Team and secured a “No Standing” order for the properties in question.  The order was successful in dissuading further loitering, and the district manager directed officers of the area’s walking beat to stroll the area more frequently.

Though the incident was brief, it had two reverberating effects: it opened the lines of communication between residents and a city agency that exists for their benefit, and it empowered residents to take more control of their neighborhood.