SANANTONIO, Texas — The city’s team focused on cracking down on problem properties as they raided a west-side house Tuesday after neighbors had been reporting issues from drug activity to violent crimes in the area.
San Antonio’s Dangerous Assessment Response Team (DART) swarmed the home off the 7500 block of Stagecoach where they say 15 people had been living without power or water.
“The reason we came to this property is because of the history of drive-by shootings, narcotics,” said Eric Burns who serves as the Assistant City Attorney and also heads up the DART team.
One of those drive-by shootings happened this past Friday according to San Antonio Police.
“The history and especially the criminal history of drive-by shootings, drug activity, it was a property we couldn’t ignore,” said Burns.
The city of San Antonio’s DART team is a joint effort between city services, including SAPD and Animal Control Services, to secure houses that have a long history of criminal and code offenses.
Burns said the home off Stagecoach was a prime example of a nuisance property that needed to be addressed.
When officers arrived at the home, they found 15 people living inside. Burns said one of those squatters was found hiding in the HVAC ducts.
According to Burns, the conditions inside the home were not fit for living.
“The property has deteriorated. There’s a lot of mess, some hoarding tendencies,” said Burns. “They have taken apart the kitchen, the sink, the bathroom is in disarray, and bedrooms are in pretty bad shape.”
While the home is a nuisance to neighbors, the walls hold many memories for family members.
Lonnie Weaver said she grew up in the home and is now devastated to see it in such shambles.
“Bad, it’s just horrible inside,” said Weaver.
Weaver said her in-laws had passed away in the last two years, and that’s when the property started going downhill.
“I got married in that home, so it has a lot of memories,” said Weaver. “And, to see it like this now, it’s horrible.”
Weaver said the family is planning to board up the windows and doors and hopes to prevent other people from squatting inside the vacant home.
San Antonio Police said four people were taken into custody for outstanding warrants. The other accused squatters were cited for Trespassing and then released.
Animal Control Services took custody of four dogs also found in the home. Burns said the dogs appeared to be fed and cared for.
Burns said the DART team is working with the home’s owner to come up with a resolution to address the issues at the home.
If you need to report a nuisance home in you neighborhood call 3-1-1, and if there’s violent crime or drug activity you need to report, call San Antonio Police.