Graham speaks with reporters at the government center Wednesday. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios
Charlotte city leaders are discussing how the city can stop landlords and business owners who allow nuisances on their properties.
"Every district council member on this board can tell you where some of the drug houses are, where the trap houses are," said council member Malcolm Graham, who represents parts of Uptown and the West End, during a reporters roundtable on Wednesday.
Other examples of nuisances are businesses that let customers loiter and consume alcohol on site.
Driving the news: The first step, Graham says, is for the city attorney's office to team up with the city police, log a track record of problematic places, and take assertive action.
"Sometimes just getting a letter from an attorney ... forces and changes behavior," Graham said.
A similar approach was taken on Catherine Simmons Avenue, a residential area off Beaties Ford Road, he added.
Zoom out: Graham said he also wants to target the growing number of vape shops, as well as "skill games" arcades that prey on low-income communities that the city is trying to revitalize.
The city could implement new zoning ordinances to limit where certain types of businesses can locate, such as requiring a distance from a church or daycare.
