(no subject)

[geminigirl]

I can't even begin to express how angry I am right now.

I walked out of my apartment today to go get groceries, and there was graffiti on the mailboxes in my building. But not just any graffiti, a gang tag.

I know there's gang activity nearby...but it's always been a little further away that you could see the tags. For those who know my area a bit...north of here, over by the metro, and south of here, near the skanky movie theatre.

It's not MS-13...I've seen their tags further up. MS-13 is the gang that would really worry me...but if another gang is claiming territory down here, they're not far behind.

I deal reasonably well with gang activity-some parts of my work put me in contact with gang members, and there are some places that I could walk through where there is heavy gang activity but because the kids know me from work, I'm left alone. I don't like, I just live with it. But it's gotten too close to home now.

I'd mused on moving before, when my lease is up, but I don't really want to. This may change that. But it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to do it, if I'm going to be back at school in the fall. So now I don't know what I'm doing.

Comments

[fortryll.livejournal.com]

When is your lease up?

And can you go month-to-month on it? Often, the landlord(s) will permit that if you aren't planning to sign another lease...

[geminigirl]

End of February. And I can go month to month, although they do a six month lease here, too I think, which makes more sense than paying the month to month penalty.

[wait.livejournal.com]

Blech. Work for me since I've begun has been next to GangCentral, so I can understand your concern. I'm mindful whenever I'm outside of our building and alone and occasionally they take advantage of an open door.

But I don't have to worry about sleeping there.

It might be worth a call to Officer Friendly to see if they can do a little community focused action in your building. Or a little promo about cams being installed outside the building to deter vandalism (even if it's not true...)

[geminigirl]

I spoke to the police yesterday, and some of the other adults in my building. We're all very angry, and I'm encouraging them to call the police and report it. I've spoken to the leasing office, and to courtesy patrol at my complex, too.

I want to know how fast it's getting taken care of-it's bad enough that it's happened, but if it's not repaired quickly, it can cause more trouble.

[lovingboth]

Ignorant Brit time here - what does that actually mean in practice? Now that someone's "claimed" your building there is likely to be a fight over it?

[geminigirl]

It can mean several things...it can mean that it may become part of turf wars, should the spread to that area, it can mean that there's an easy crime target in the building, or it can mean that some resident of the building/neighborhood is a member.

The third is unlikely-it's a Latino gang, and none of the Latino kids in my building are the right age for that kind of activity. I chatted with a couple of kids from upstairs, one of whom thinks he might know someone involved. We'll see where it goes from here.

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

Wow, I feel really clueless. I wouldn't recognize a gang tag if I saw one -- and like lovingboth, I don't know what it means.

I look forward to being enlightened.

[geminigirl]

Some tags are easier to spot than others. This one was easy because it had the name of the gang on it. Others are more difficult.

I'm hoping it's gone by the time you come over. I'm hoping it's gone by the time I get home...