Adopted at the February 17, 2011 Meeting and refined March 17: 2011 priorities for the OPD. 

For your reference, 2010 priorities not carried over to 2011 are posted at the end of the 2011 priorities list.

1. Clean up the International and High St. Strip Mall

The mall at the corner of International Blvd. and High St. has myriad problems that we have been addressing for years. Problems range from illegal activity such as drug use and teenage prostitution to quality of life issues. This corner, a major entry point to our neighborhood, presents a picture of bleakness. We already succeeded in closing two businesses because of the failure to end illegal activities. We are currently working with OPD, city attorney, council staff, and the mall property owner on several problems. This priority has been carried over from 2010.

1) Curtail or end Prostitution at this site. As we did with Sideshows, work with law enforcement to contain International corridor. 

2) Curtail or stop Drugs/Illegal vendor sales

3) Streetscape and median strip improvements/mitgation

4) Graffiti 

 2. High St. Traffic, Brookdale to International and Foothill Blvd. High to 55th

1) Curtail excessive speed/ reckless driving

2) Enforce use of middle lane for turning rather than for passing or driving

3) Monitor and enforce pedestrian safety issues including driver stops for pedestrians in crosswalks

(From 2010)

Reckless Driving

> Continue the effort to stop reckless driving on Foothill Blvd between High St. and 55^th Avenue.

Police Presence

> Provide more police presence on Foothill Blvd between High St. and 55^th Avenue to prevent burglaries and harassment (e.g. foot patrols)

 Calm traffic on High St.

Traffic calming on High St. has been an ongoing priority for Melrose High Hopes for years. Our work aided in the installation of traffic lights at Fairfax & High St. and at Santa Rita & High St. Although this was not adopted as one of the top three priorities for 2010, it is included as part of this priority for 2011. We are urging and supporting OPD and City efforts to calm traffic including police monitoring of illegal and unsafe use of what should be turning lanes.

 3. Fremont High School

1) establish communication with principals and other administrators

2) Collaborate with Melrose Library in working with Fremont High

3) Monitor/enforce get a handle on problems with blight, truancy, graffiti in surrounding neighborhoods

4) Curtail or end concentration of property crimes in neighborhood

  Fremont High School (from 2010)

> Work with the school police to reduce traffic congestion caused by large groups of students hanging out on the perimeter of the school before school, during lunch period, and at dismissal time on school days.  (Specifically on:  High Street, 47^th Avenue, and Foothill Blvd.)

> Work with school police on more effective methods to clear the streets of students vs. honking at them.
> Partner with school police to take appropriate action against poor student conduct and crimes committed by students before school, at lunch time, and at dismissal.

Ongoing initiatives: these are issues MHH is working on but are not necessarily OPD matters

4. Melrose Library

1) Work with Friends of Melrose Branch Library to help increase community participation

2) Work on obtaining more parking 

3) Work on cleaning up the blight around the library and on safety issues especially at night

4) Work with District Four council office

Melrose Library

> Reduce loitering, drugs, and littering around the perimeter of Melrose Library during open hours.  (Specifically on Foothill Blvd, 47^th Ave, and Judd)

5. Courtland Creek

1) Work on problems with blight, illegal dumping, drugs, homelessness

2) Beautification committee is working with Ace Arts to complete the mural at the entrance on Brookdale

3) Bench at the mini basketball court at Fairfax is installed

2010 Priorities not carried over to 2011

 Faster Police Response to Problems

•  Allocate more OPD resources and provide faster response time in Beat 27x which is the first line of defense for neighborhoods higher up the hill
• Provide more police presence on residential streets as a pre-emptive tactic to reduce burglaries 

 Assure Safety on Foothill Blvd.

Sideshows

> Continue the current successful effort to eliminate sideshows between High St. and 55^th Avenue

> Our beat has been concerned about illegal sideshows for several years. It is important for OPD and the city to see that the illegal activity that takes place in our Beat affects the quality of life and the safety of citizens and visitors throughout the city. This is a critical issue and our intent is to force attention and end the illegal activity. You can read a brief history prepared for the 2008 Melrose High Hopes informational meeting on Sideshows. More Information

> Much has been done with the help of OPD, other law enforcement, councilmembers, merchants, and neighboring NCPCs to curtail Sideshows over the past year. We will continue to monitor this former priority to assure illegal Sideshows remain curtailed or altogether eliminated.