Inside Windsor's most dangerous neighbourhood — and efforts to make it safer
'It's almost like living in prison,' one resident describes living in Glengarry
A community garden, in the midst of Windsor's most dangerous neighbourhood, is described as a point of pride that "means everything" to some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
But the carrots, beets and tomatoes harvested weekly from the gated garden, on their own, are not enough to solve the deep-rooted problems in the Glengarry neighbourhood.
From the back porch of his first-floor apartment, Michael Duke builds LEGO to keep himself busy. He has a front-row seat to many of the problems that exist in the courtyard, just steps away.
Duke describes Glengarry as a "stressful, depressing and sad" place.
"Constant stress for anybody that lives here that doesn't do drugs, that doesn't do crime. It's almost like living in prison. It feels like prison," said Duke, who's lived in the Glengarry complex for five years.
"I'm a little more hopeful, I'd say. I can't say I have high hopes."- Abby Eplett, Glengarry resident
Windsor police, and other community resources, have stationed themselves at the 500-unit complex 24/7. It's a first-of-its kind partnership with the Community Housing Corporation (CHC) which started at the beginning of August.
Resident worries those arrested will come right back
Between Sept. 12 and Sept. 14, police arrested 26 people in the Glengarry neighbourhood. The 48 charges laid include assault with a weapon, break and enter, theft and failure to comply with different conditions.
Still, Duke said not a lot has changed, from his perspective.
"As soon as they make arrests, those people are back within 24 hours in the neighbourhood being louder, rowdier than ever. Things have not gotten better," said Duke.
Others say some progress has been made, and they remain hopeful for the future.
"I don't have tent city in my backyard anymore," said Abby Eplett, who has lived in Glengarry for nearly one year.
"I'm a little more hopeful, I'd say. I can't say I have high hopes," she added.
The 23-year-old said she never really feels unsafe, with her large dog by her side, but her surroundings make it difficult to have visitors.
"I can't have my friends and family around here because they're worried. That's a downside," said Eplett.
Police building relationships with residents, CHC says
Those who work for the CHC and spend their days inside the Glengarry neighbourhood see things differently.
"The thing that is probably the most appreciated is that [police] have approached the situation with compassion and empathy," said Ashley Beyer, tenant services manager for CHC's Glengarry properties.
"They're working very closely with our tenants and building those relationships," she said, adding she's noticed a "significant decrease" in the number of incidents that come across her desk.
WATCH | Why Ashley Beyer 'begged' to stay working at the Glengarry location:
Glengarry houses some of the city's most vulnerable people — victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, as well as those who have been homeless.
"It's a high concentration of people that have high needs," said Julie Simard, director of tenant services for CHC.
Simard has worked for the corporation for 21 years, and spent some time early in her career in the Glengarry neighbhourhood as a clerk and property manager.
"Fifteen years ago, it was quite different. Although we did have a lot of tenants with high vulnerabilities at that time, it's escalated over the years," said Simard.
Glengarry has 'escalated over the years'
During that time, she recalls baseball bats being a weapon of choice for people choosing to commit violent crimes. Now, she said it's evolved to guns and knives.
"It speaks to the vulnerability and intensity in the neighbourhood," she added.
Some of the people housed in the Glengarry neighbourhood are living with mental health and addiction issues.
The CHC is trying to bring addiction support on site. Right now, that is accessible to tenants through a social worker with an external agency.
"Any support that can be given is going to make a big difference," said Beyer.
All of the violence has created a troubling statistic — Windsor police describe the Glengarry housing complex as the top location for violent crime in the city.
Enforcement in the area is also on the rise, and police say crime is down in the area since it stationed officers on site.
Between Aug. 10 and Sept. 10, Windsor police received one violent crime report at Glengarry. That's compared to 28 reports of violent crimes in the first seven months of the year.
Windsor police made another 24 arrests, and laid an additional 48 charges, during a two-day operation on Aug. 20 and 21.
The Windsor Police Service did not respond to multiple requests for an interview prior to publication of this story.
'We're finally seeing that positive movement forward'
Despite all of the crime, Beyer "begged" to stay at this location when she was hired by the CHC a year ago.
"I love it. This is the area 100 per cent the most in need. The only way to rectify the situation is to ensure that people are getting actual support and we're making positive change, and I feel that my approach to things is to exhaust those social options," said Beyer.
"We're finally seeing that positive movement forward."
The Nurse Police Team and the Crisis Response Team are also frequently in the Glengarry neighbourhood to assist. The local Canadian Mental Health Association as well as Family Services Windsor-Essex both partner with police and the CHC.
Because of all of these resources, the CHC said it's noticed a big difference.
Nolan Goyette, chief tenant services officer with the housing corporation, said incident reports are down.
There's also a 77 per cent decrease in fire infractions, which Goyette said is related to the proactive work of inspecting units after serious fires in February. Each month, staff ensure smoke detectors and alarms have not been tampered with and are working.
Evictions take up to 8 to 12 months
Trying to evict problem tenants can a be long and frustrating process.
Delays with the provincial Landlord and Tenant Board mean the CHC can wait up to a year for a tenant to be evicted for less severe issues.
Duke has asked to be transferred to a different CHC location in Windsor to get away from the issues at Glengarry. He's made that request over the past five years, and said it hasn't been granted.
In the meantime, he'll continue posting videos of himself building LEGO on YouTube as a way to make a bit of money.
The goal, he said, would be to get enough to move somewhere else on his own.
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