Heat increases on Decatur landlord: City accused of moving slowly on complaints

From the Decatur Herald & Review -

By KENNETH LOWE - H&R Staff Writer July 28, 2008

DECATUR - Robert Maulding was angry when he spoke at a recent Decatur City Council meeting about the situation at the apartment building at 735 W. Decatur St. Maulding, whose house is near the 30-unit building, said its equipment is not in working order and the structure has become a site of criminal activity that keeps residents and the neighborhood inside after dark.

Maulding, who knows many of the tenants, said law-abiding residents of the apartment building live in constant fear.

"I spoke to this council two and a half months ago," Maulding said. "In that time, we've had six assaults, a murder, a rape and who knows how many burglaries."

The crime analysis office of the Decatur Police Department shows police received more than 300 calls from the 700 block of West Decatur Street within the past six months, many of them regarding violent crimes, ranging from unlawful use of weapons to domestic violence or battery.

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