Residents, businesses in Mishawaka's West End ask for help with fights, loitering, nuisances

MISHAWAKA — West End residents and business owners are calling on the city to help the neighborhood with a recent uptick in loitering, fights and other nuisance activities.

On Monday, residents told the Common Council of possible drug deals, parties that spill into the streets and shops that have had to lock doors during business hours.

The debate continued Thursday at a 1st District neighborhood meeting at St. Bavo's Church organized by Common Council member Dale "Woody" Emmons.

Mayor Dave Wood had planned to give residents a short "State of the City" synopsis, but he devoted the entire meeting to discuss the problems in the West End and what the city was going to do about it.

"We are not taking this lightly," Wood told the group of about 80 people, which included several council members, Police Chief Ken Witkowski, the city's legal team and St. Joseph County 911 Dispatch Center Director Raymond Schultz.

On Monday and again Thursday, residents recounted their observations and complaints about the recent activities in the West End.

Stefanie Buysse, owner of Arts & Elements studio, told officials about fights, arguments and loitering outside her business, saying said she began locking her doors during business hours in April, only allowing customers inside. 

Neighbors have been told to document the activities so police, code enforcement and city officials can follow up.

Wood on Thursday repeatedly reassured the group that the city's legal team, code enforcement and police would "create a paper trail" of complaints in hopes of taking action against nuisance properties.

Witkowski said there have been 41 calls for service this year on a stretch of 7th Street. While the West End enforcement "beat" is ranked third in the city's six areas, Witkowski urged residents to continue calling police when problems arise.

Meanwhile, Wood acknowledged that some of the neighborhood's complaints centered on "a couple of specific properties."

A property owner, Scott DeVries, spoke to the council on Monday about the buildings, at 423 and 427 W. 7th St., where apartments are located. He said he wanted to explain his "vision going forward on how to address some of the problems you've identified."

"I was hoping when I heard about these two problem buildings and was hoping they weren't mine, and realized they certainly were," De Vries said.

DeVries bought the buildings in December, and he said he plans to install a video surveillance system. 

DeVries said he has evicted some tenants, while others have left on their own. He also said that five of the six apartments in the 427 building are now rented by families with children in area schools.

DeVries said the building at 423 was vacant and needed major work, and that two of the three apartments have now been rented.

He added that the nuisance activities could be caused by visitors or people who used to think they could "get away with these activities."

Wood assured residents that the city is committed to act on the complaints from residents.

"We have a process we have to go through," Wood said. "We don't let them off the radar, and we ultimately, always solve the issue. It may take a while, It may take in some cases months, is some cases weeks and in some cases years, but we will ultimately solve the issue."

Witkowski directed residents to a contact with the street crimes task force. Having a specific police officer to discuss a complaint, he said, would give the department a chance to compile information on a nuisance area.

Wood said the city's 2022 budget proposal includes a request to add a code enforcement officer, bringing the total enforcement staff to five. He said a new officer would allow the director to better oversee hearings and enforcement proceedings that often occur when cases are not initially resolved.

Email South Bend Tribune reporter Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@gannett.com.