Kathy Till Apopka City Commissioner Seat 3

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Commissioner setting up gang awareness program
By Chris Gauthier, Apopka Chief Staff, May, 2008

When Apopka city Commissioner Kathy Till was campaigning for re-election to her City Council seat earlier this year, she pledged to initiate a gang awareness program. Now, less than three months after the election, she has taken several steps in that direction.

So far, she has set up five neighborhood watch organizations that gangs frequent. More neighborhoods have expressed an interest in setting up their own programs, she said. Till has also met with Citizens Police Academy Alumni, a group of Apopka citizens who have undergone training in various police procedures and are allowed to patrol neighborhoods and serve as security for various functions.

One of the ideas that came out of that meeting was to develop a resource guide, explaining what programs are available for parents and educators. “If they see some unusual behavior, like if the child starts to dress in the same color all the time or has markings they don’t recognize, we’ll have different resources that will educate them on what it means,” Till said.

Other ideas include distributing literature at community meetings, such as homeowners associations and neighborhood watch meetings to heighten awareness of the public on what to look for and what to do if they see graffiti or other signs of gang activity, she said.

Till is assembling a committee consisting of approximately 15 elected officials, Citizens Police Academy Alumni members, middle school principals and PTSA presidents, Hezekiah Bradford, president of the Ministerial Alliance, Steve White (Porkie’s Bar BQ), representing the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce, and others who are interested in the problem. The committee plans to target middle school students because most gang recruitment occurs in that age group, Till said.

Apopka Police Chief Chuck Vavrek said the city doesn’t have severe gang problems, such as those found in big cities, but instead has several “wannebees,” or young people who imitate the larger gangs, but don’t have the organization or criminal ties. “Everybody wants to be wanted or cared for and that’s what these individual gangs in the Apopka area are seeking-to try to feel wanted or cared for,” he said. One of the gangs noted for leaving their mark on several fences and traffic signs in Apopka is Sur 13, a bona fide gang from the West Coast, Vavrek said, although many of the members are not affiliated directly with the bigger gang, MS 13.

“If you looked at a family tree, it (Sur 13) is out there on the right limb. It’s a small group of individuals that tag and try to mark areas they feel they have a reasonable belief that they have ownership in,” he said. To combat the tagging, the city has a graffiti abatement ordinance, which dictates that the tags are removed quickly. “The tagging events continue to happen and that’s something that’s always going to happen,” said Vavrek. “these are kids that have a lot of free time on their hands, and when they have a lot of time, they’re going to get out there and try to do that.”

Even if they are just “wannabees,” gang members have been causing problems for Apopka residents. Besides tagging, their crimes range from petty larceny and burglary to vandalism. Two years ago, a confrontation became violent, leaving one man dead after a shooting in Chalet North, an Apopka mobile home park on South Orange Blossom Trail. Vavrek said he turned that case over to federal investigators, who determined that the shooting was linked to MS 13.

Till hopes that by creating more public awareness, the committee and the citizens can make Apopka a place that gangs won’t want to be. “I’m very excited,” she said. “Everyone I’ve spoken to is very willing and interested to participate. They want to be proactive and keep our residents and children safe.”

(Orlando) – The Florida League of Cities Institute for Community Housing hosted their graduation ceremony in Orlando on August 16, 2007. Dozens of representatives from statewide municipalities completed an eight month series of unique new seminars to help put affordable housing tools and resources in the hands of city governments that need them.

The one-day seminars, sponsored by the Florida League of Cities Institute for Community Housing (ICH) program, brought together local government officials, staff and state and national housing experts to cover topics such as regulatory incentives, creative funding, how to build effective partnerships and preserving affordability with a focus on practical applications.

"Community housing is a growing concern not only in local municipalities, but throughout the state of Florida. This is an issue that we must all face together, and work together to address before it becomes a crisis in our state,” said Commissioner Till, city of Apopka, who graduated from the Institute. “I applaud President Flowers and the Florida League of Cities for recognizing the increasing need for local governments to "think outside the box" and find creative solutions to this growing problem. ANYONE interested in community housing should make a point of being a part of the Institute for Community Housing. Through this program we can all learn how to work together to insure that everyone can enjoy the American dream of home ownership."

The Institute for Community Housing brought notable housing experts, as a catalyst for local governments to access the knowledge and tools cities need to create or improve affordable housing in their communities. Other groups participating in the institute included the National League of Cities, Florida Department of Community Affairs, Florida Housing Coalition, Florida Housing Finance Corporation and Florida State University’s John Scott Dailey Institute of Government.

“The response from our officials was overwhelming,” said Rene Flowers, Florida League of Cities President, council vice chair, St. Petersburg. “I am ecstatic about this new initiative and look forward to continuing in our pursuit to find viable solutions to the affordable housing crisis.”

DCA Secretary Thaddeus Cohen, whose organization helped plan the first seminar, expressed enthusiasm for the project. “DCA is excited about the opportunity to partner with the League of Cities and Florida’s communities to envision a future in which all Floridians have access to affordable housing,” he said.

Flowers has made affordable housing a top priority for the league, which formed the powerful coalition that led to the creation of the institute.

Additional information on the Institute is located at www.flcities.com.