Letter to the Editor: Getting control
BY Steve Dory, Tulsa
Saturday, January 19, 2013
1/19/13 at 7:17 AM
In the wake of the horrific murders at the Fairmont Terrace apartments I'm going to do something that a week ago I couldn't imagine myself doing: I agree and endorse Mayor Dewey Bartlett's proposal that the city get involved in licensing apartment complexes in Tulsa in order to get some sort of control over the condition and management of these complexes.
The only way that we will get the attention of many of these out-of-state owners is to hit them where it hurts most - their back pocket.
Giving the city the authority to shut down the operation of any apartment that is unwilling to provide basic services and security to its residents seems like the only way to solve some of the problems that arise when you have a disengaged out-of-state owner whose only concern is occupancy rates and cash flow.
This is not, however, the only solution to correcting a culture that has taken years to develop. More neighborhood involvement, better security for the residents and a change in the way apartment owners manage their property is just the beginning.
Sadly, though all the changes that are proposed will not bring back the four lives cut short on Jan. 7, maybe - just maybe - many more lives will be saved.
Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
