DANVILLE, Va. – Residents of the Flint-Pearl neighborhood in Danville say their once peaceful community has transformed into a hub of police activity, with concerns ranging from open drug use to trespassing.
Dr. Monica Motley, a community member, points to 2023 as a turning point. “When unexpectedly and abruptly some rental properties within neighborhoods became hubs for narcotics activity and disruptive behavior, the impact to the neighborhood was swift, it spread fast and it was severe,” she said.
The changes coincided with increased foot and vehicle traffic through the neighborhood’s dead-end streets, leading to a spike in vandalized businesses and home break-ins. Dr. Motley noted that “Multiple residents and businesses observed and experienced open use of drugs and substances, public intoxication, public camping.”
Residents have taken some city-recommended steps to address the issues, including posting no trespassing signs throughout the neighborhood. While some report these measures, along with increased police calls, have slightly improved conditions, community members are pushing for more comprehensive action.
“We’ve presented recommendations in the form of a strategic plan that outlines safety measures, updates and enforcement improvements,” Dr. Motley said. “The response has been delayed, and we’ve still been navigating these issues to current day.” When asked about the impact on her childhood neighborhood, she added, “Devalued, dehumanized and discarded.”
City officials maintain they’re doing everything within their means to address the situation. “Anytime somebody issues a complaint, we go investigate it, we see if there’s an issue that needs to be addressed. Then we provide that property owner with an opportunity to correct that issue, and if they don’t, we step in and do it for them,” said Danville City Manager Ken Larking.
However, Larking acknowledged resource limitations affect the city’s response. “We’re limited by the resources we have. So, we have a certain number of people who investigate those things. So, with as much time we have available to us, we investigate what we can,” he explained.
“I’m confident that the city has done as much as it can within its means to be able to respond to complaints in that neighborhood,” Larking added. “But I understand that everybody has a different expectation of what their city government can do for them.”