Police increase support around Hillsdale Garden Apartments in San Mateo

After a recent gang shooting, police also began working with the Hillsdale Garden Apartments management to address the gang issues, with management evicting three people, Sanchez said. The apartment complex has known gang members and a gang presence with around 10 to 20 people drinking and smoking weed on the property. Earlier this year, police saw an uptick in drinking in public, littering and property crimes in the apartment complex area.

Police are also working to address property issues in the area, like illegal dumping, overflowing trash, parking and destroyed fencing. Sanchez said a new property manager took over in December and will take a closer look at applicants and complete background screenings. Hillsdale Garden Apartments has also ordered larger dumpsters and more trash pickups to address garbage issues and dumping. More rodent traps have been set in the complex and surrounding area. Sanchez said the property is looking into implementing a parking program to discourage its tenants from parking cars in places other than designated parking areas.

“The tenants there at the Hillsdale Garden Apartments are good citizens. They are members of our community. There is a very small percentage of tenants that require our attention. So we are taking the care to make those precision police contacts, especially with the evictions,” Sanchez said.

Residents at the meeting who live near the Hillsdale Garden Apartments voiced concern about crime, parking, noise complaints, garbage overflow and lack of control from the apartment complex operators. Overcrowding due to subleasing has also been mentioned as an issue.

“The overcrowding is causing a lot of these issues with parking and trash and etc., but Hillsdale Garden Apartments is committed to straightening that issue out,” Sanchez said.

San Mateo police want to work with the property owners, Essex Property Trust of San Mateo, and apartment management to address community concerns. Residents in the area said the apartment complex and ownership had not adequately addressed their issues or concerns. A call to apartment management was not returned Tuesday.

When asked if the police could take more direct action if it didn’t receive the necessary cooperation from Hillsdale Garden Apartments and its ownership, like a public nuisance action lawsuit, San Mateo Police Chief Ed Barberini said all options were on the table.

“I would say from the city’s perspective, I’m confident that all options would be considered moving forward,” Barberini said.

The police asked residents to continue to report any issues or concerns in the area to the department to figure out ways to solve the issues. Residents at the meeting expressed frustration about their experiences dealing with problems because of tenants from the Hillsdale Garden Apartments, including property damage, suspicious activity and the need for more security in the area.

The meeting also discussed the Dec. 19 murder of a man who lived in the Hillsdale Garden Apartments. Melota Lemafa Lasi Jr., 30, was killed near the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo after walking to Wells Fargo to get to his car in the parking lot. He was a rapper who performed under the name Cutty Banks and was targeted for the killing. Police are still investigating for suspects and a motive for the murder.

Sanchez also provided police statistics for the apartment complex area from August to Oct. 15 and then Oct. 15 to the end of December. Crime statistics and calls to police from Oct. 15 to December compared to previous months have been down following a heavier police presence.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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