Tag: Drug House Ordinance

Huntington Council Approves 'Drug House Ordinance'

Council members of a West Virginia city have passed an ordinance that will hold owners accountable for crimes that occur on their properties.

Local news outlets report the Huntington City Council passed the “drug house ordinance” Monday night.

As part of the ordinance, properties where two or more felony incidents occur within a 12-month period would be declared a public nuisance and the city would issue and order for the eviction of the tenants involved in the illegal activities. The targeted offenses in the ordinance include prostitution, illegal gambling and other activities.

American Civil Liberties Union-West Virginia executive director Joseph Cohen released a statement expressing concern about the ordinance. It says, in part, the ordinance is “shortsighted and fails to account for the best interests of the whole community.”

Illegal Activity Penalties Considered for Property Owners

West Virginia cities are considering ordinances targeting property owners for repeated illegal incidents on their premises.

Local news outlets report similar proposals in Huntington and Nitro follow the model of a Martinsburg drug house ordinance that went into effect in May and has since produced several busts.

The Herald-Dispatch reports the Huntington City Council Public Safety Committee voted Monday to send the ordinance to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation. The law would see the declaration of properties where two or more illegal incidents occur within a year as public nuisances, resulting in the eviction of tenants involved in the illegal activities and possible fines for the property owners.

WSAZ-TV reports that Nitro Mayor Dave Casebolt says a similar ordinance might go into effect this month.

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