Petition Calls for Closing Woodland Park Apartments


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A major Evansville apartment complex is the focus of an on-line petition to shut it down after the recent case of a teenager found dead.

The petition on Change.org calls for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to shut down the Woodland Park Apartments and find better housing for current residents.

Jeremy Wakefield, a former resident at the complex says he started it to start a conversation, and to start action at improving living conditions. It comes more than a day after Caleb Luckett was found dead in one of the apartments.

"I just remember it was a much nicer neighborhood at the time," says Wakefield, recalling his time living at the apartment complex. "I do remember it wasn't anything like it is now."

For wakefield, the memory of recent incidents cloud those he had growing up at Woodland Park.

"After this recent death that happened, it really sparked me to do something about it, and I wanted to start a conversation," he says

The petition states Woodland Park should be shut down due to murders that happened there and deplorable living conditions residents now face.

"I'm like, 'What should be done?' The windows should be getting fixed. It should be a brand new safe home," says Corbin Johnson, reacting to current living conditions at Woodland Park.

Wakefield says he really wants to bring attention to conditions and make the city hold its owners accountable.

"I know there are good people that live in Woodland Park. I don't want to see anyone displaced, I don't want to see anyone homeless, but what I do want to see is them have better living conditions. I do want to see better security in the neighborhood."

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke says the city  can't just take over a privately run apartment complex, but could use laws like the good neighbor ordinance.

"The landlord, theoretically, could be cited for activity that occurs in, and around the property, and there could be fines associated with that. it's up the landlord to take the corrective actions to make sure the illegal activity ceases," says Mayor Winnecke.

Managers at Woodland Park declined to comment on the petition.

Click here for Woodland Park Apartments petition

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