New ordinance allows Lake Worth deputies to arrest people...

The city is finally beginning to get a handle on the enormous number of vacant houses in the city. This, in large part, due to the ordinances put in place last year. This is an excellent article in the Palm Beach Post that summarizes what is going on now. Captain Silva is featured in the video and talks about the ability they have now to arrest people that are squatting in these structures and properties. This is just the start and more progress will be made in the future. Click title for link to the article. Here is a bit:

The new law of the land in Lake Worth is called the Board and Secure ordinance, and it was recently amended to give deputies permission to make appropriate arrests. Approved just before the end of 2013, the ordinance has helped deputies make around 40 arrests of people in vacant or abandoned homes and in some cases, squatting there.
“So the only way to do that really is to get real serious about putting codes and ordinances online that will kind of make sure that the town goes in the direction it needs to go. And that’s what they’re doing.”“The city is a great town and very diverse and very unique in many ways, but it has to get itself on economic footing,” said sheriff’s Capt. Rolando Silva. “The residents need to feel like they’re safe and not necessarily being exposed to a bunch of people that are up to no good.
Lake Worth has about 2,000 abandoned homes and 1,500 foreclosed homes, according to Silva. And many are used by the homeless or criminals on the run, sheriff’s Deputy Josh Eley said.

And, coincidently, Channel 5's Brian Entin, did this piece which aired on the evening news yesterday. It includes the Mayor and Building Official Luis Martinez. It seems that everyone is finally on the same page! This only means good news for the future of our city.