EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Property owners near the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Nobel Street are expressing frustration as a vacant lot continues to attract crime, affecting their tenants and livelihoods.
Complaints include drug use, assaults, property damage, and gunfights, prompting owners to voice concerns at a recent city council meeting.
Frank Larios, a property owner, said, “These guys do drugs, they drink and then they fight with each other. They argue with each other and after they do their drugs.”
Larios and fellow property owner Hugo Garcia claim the abandoned lot is fueling a wave of criminal activity, making tenants feel unsafe.
“They don’t feel comfortable just walking outside this door because of the crime issues. These guys will sit right outside and do their drugs. Some of the owners in this area started carrying guns in order to feel safer,” Larios said.
Garcia, who has lost multiple tenants since purchasing his property, said, “It’s a situation that is out of my control. I have to respect their decision to leave even if they have signed a contract. I need to respect that decision because if they don’t feel safe, I have to let them go.”
Residents are also concerned for their safety, particularly those who are older or caregivers.
“My biggest concern is the residents. A lot of the ones that live here are older. A lot of them are caregivers, and they leave early or leave late, so that’s my biggest concern,” one resident said.
City Councilmember Chris Canales acknowledged the issue at a recent meeting, stating that police cannot arrest individuals on the property without the lot owner’s consent to press trespassing charges.
“It’s a vacant property. The property owner has been contacted and they have no interest in trespassing people off of their property,” Canales said.
Despite reaching out to El Paso police for comment, no response was received by the time of this report.
Residents have expressed a desire for increased police presence in the area.
Meanwhile, Larios and Garcia plan to continue pressing city officials for action at future council meetings.
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