Anaheim Might Use Parking Ban to Fight Crime

Anaheim officials are proposing an innovative, yet unscientific, approach to cracking down on crime and drug problems in a neighborhood next to Disneyland: parking tickets.

And while that may seem lightweight action, police swear it works.

Officials are considering a one-year pilot program that would ban parking on certain streets within the Jeffrey-Lynne community, a neighborhood of 714 apartment units and an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 residents.

“When you take away their safety net, the gangsters and drug dealers don’t have their cars to hide in. The alleys are cleaner and the garages are cleaned out,” said Police Lt. Charlie Chavez. “We have no scientific evidence to back our program--other than it works.”

Since the program has been successful in attacking crime problems in two other crowded, crime-laden apartment neighborhoods, officials decided to give it a try in Jeffrey-Lynne. Two other cities in Orange County, along with others throughout the country, have banned some on-street parking to curb crime and improve the overall safety and appearance of those communities.

“We are serious about cleaning up the Jeffrey-Lynne area. . . . This is another important and necessary next step toward the ultimate goal of a revitalized neighborhood,” said Mayor Tom Daly.

But painting curbs to prohibit parking is making some tenants and apartment owners see red.

Tenants are upset that there won’t be enough parking spaces since many families have more than one car. Some apartment owners fear it will cut their ability to rent and result in vacancies.

“Where are the people going to park?” asked Francisco Ceja, a 10-year Jeffrey-Lynne resident who suggested alternatives such as an overnight parking ban. “Where are we going to put the overflow? We’re not against the program if they provide us with enough parking spaces.”

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Because of concerns raised by tenants, landlords, nearby homeowners and others, the City Council late last month decided it will wait until Tuesday to vote on the no-parking program. In the interim, city officials were to meet with concerned individuals.

At last month’s council meeting, homeowners from surrounding neighborhoods complained that Jeffrey-Lynne tenants will park in front of their homes if the parking ban is approved. The Apartment Assn. of Orange County also requested a delay so it could “determine what merits and drawbacks such an action would have and perhaps discuss alternative solutions to the situation.”

“It’s unfair to the residents in the complexes not to have enough parking,” said David Cordero, Apartment Assn. spokesman. “I realize the intent--that it is in the best interests of the community members--but you have to remember there are issues of practicality.”

If street parking is taken away, landlord Len Spivak said he will lose tenants: “I’m opposed until the city can come up with enough off-street parking. . . . I think it’s going to cause inconveniences.”

Others opposed to the proposal include United Neighborhoods/League of United Latin American Citizens.

“This parking ban is a way to control density. They take away parking, then people have to move,” said the group’s president, Jessica Castro.

Castro also questioned whether a parking ban would actually lower crime. She cited city statistics that showed the crime rate in Jeffrey-Lynne over the past two years has substantially dropped “without a parking ban.”

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Garden Grove and Westminster have reported success with similar street parking bans, officials said.

More than a decade ago, Garden Grove imposed a parking ban in its Buena-Clinton neighborhood, which has improved from being the city’s highest-crime district to 27th out of 91 districts, Garden Grove police officials said.

“You can’t say off-street parking is the solution to density, but it is a very important component in an overall strategy to reduce crime,” Garden Grove Police Capt. Scott Jordan said.

Cities such as Banning in Riverside County and Garland, Texas--a suburb near Dallas--also have painted curbs red in high-crime neighborhoods, resulting in the same success the Orange County cities have realized.

In Garland, crime and calls for service in an apartment complex have significantly dropped, police officials said. The parking ban transformed an area that once had a reputation for drug dealing to one that today is “safer for those residents who do not participate in those crime-related incidents,” Garland Police Lt. Don Martin said.

In 1996 and 1997, Garland also achieved recognition for being the safest among Texas cities with populations of more than 100,000.

Banning also has no-parking zones in two apartment areas and one single-family neighborhood.

“We’ve had areas where dope dealers would stand out on the corner and when we posted the no-parking signs, it eliminated that because they didn’t want the police contacting them for no-parking citations,” said Banning Police Sgt. Adam Ortiz. “By parking in a no-parking zone, it gives [police] probable cause to talk to them. If they’re up to criminal activity, they avoid the area.”

In 1995, Anaheim followed the lead of the other cities and banned street parking in the troubled area off Haster Street and Orangewood Avenue. Since then, crime has plummeted. Drinking in public and other public-disorder crimes have plunged by 91%, Chavez said. Calls for police service dropped by 45%.

A no-parking ban went into effect in early 1997 in a second Anaheim neighborhood off Balsam Street near East Street. Calls for police service in that area have dropped 42%.

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While police and city officials point to the two apartment neighborhoods as success stories, an expert called the parking ban a knee-jerk reaction.

“Success has to be balanced with other things, such as how much is it intruding on individuals’ rights to park in a place that’s convenient,” said Gilbert Geis, professor emeritus of UCI’s department of criminology, law and society. Geis also said targeting one area will just move criminals to another area.

City officials acknowledge that a parking ban is not the cure-all to wipe out crime.

“We don’t profess that this is the answer to everything,” Chavez said. “We don’t eliminate calls for service or crime, but it becomes a more manageable rate--and the quality of life is improved.”

Police said violators would get parking tickets but gardeners, plumbers and other service vendors would be able to obtain city permits to park in red zones. People would also be allowed to park temporarily for loading and unloading.

Under a ban, 167 on-street parking spaces would be removed, with 143 spaces either retained or created on the street, said John Poole, code enforcement manager.

With restricted parking, tenants would have to use their garages for their vehicles instead of for storage, living space or operating illegal businesses, Poole said. There are 753 parking spaces available in garages and carports, but 20% to 25% of those spaces are not being used for parking, according to a city survey.

If approved by the council, the parking ban would be phased in and completed by November. After a year, the council would reevaluate the program, and, if it succeeded, it could be made permanent.

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Times librarian Lois Hooker contributed to this report.

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Keeping Curbs Clear

The Anaheim City Council will consider prohibiting parking along certain streets in the Jeffrey-Lynne neighborhood. Police and city officials say a ban would reduce neighborhood crime and increase safety.

The City has already established similar no-parking zones in the apartment area of the Haster-Orangewood neighborhood. Here’s how crime dropped in that area after enforcement of the no-parking rule in 1995.

Service Calls to Police (fell 45%)

1993: 2,094

1997: 1,154

Serious Crimes (fell 30%)

1993: 85

1997: 59

(includes burglary, arson, murder, assault, auto theft)

Minor Crimes (fell 91%)

1993: 274

1997: 25

(includes drinking in public, vandalism, other public disorder)

Source: City of Anaheim