Huntsville Housing Authority's Curfew: Is It Working?
The Huntsville Housing Authority is considering keeping its curfew policy in place, and it seems like it might be paying off in the fight against crime!
Curfew in Effect Since June
Since June, a curfew's been in effect for residents of the housing authority, a move prompted by some seriously scary shootings around town, including a double homicide at the LR Patton apartments.
Residents Feeling Safer?
At their annual update meeting this past Monday, officials chatted about the curfew's impact. Executive Director Antonio McGinnis said, "I think our residents feel a lot safer. They feel like their children can play outside. One resident said they feel like a ghost town when the curfew is implemented, and so we appreciate that because what we want is our residents to feel like they’re safe in their own backyard.â€
Curfew Deets
The current curfew runs from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekends.
Zero Tolerance for Violence
McGinnis added, "We are really trying to do all that we can to make sure that we have a zero tolerance for any kind of violence. We want to encourage those who don’t live in the community to stay away… because our families deserve peaceful enjoyment of their neighborhood.â€
Outsiders Causing Trouble?
Huntsville City Councilwoman Michelle Watkins chimed in, saying, "What people don’t understand is nine times out of ten, it isn’t the residents that live there. It’s outside people that come there, and if you are on the outside coming in to cause trouble, chaos and confusion, we don’t want you there.â€
By the Numbers
McGinnis mentioned there are over 1900 folks with Section 8 vouchers and nearly 1500 in public housing, with a whopping 600+ families on the waiting list.
Positive Feedback
“You still have some people who don’t appreciate it,†he said, “but for the majority of the residents, they appreciate the curfew and feel like it’s something that allows them to remain safe while they’re renting their unit.â€
