Fw: Todd Hotel Mgmt Would Like to Meet w/ You

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Liz McCarthy

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Aug 15, 2019, 8:08:13 PM8/15/19
to Noreply-spamdigest via Castro\/Eddy Neighborhood Watch
FYI


----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Michelle Milam" <MMi...@richmondpd.net>
To: "Jessie West" <westj...@gmail.com>, "Valerie Sloven" <vsl...@comcast.net>
Cc: "Mary Dollar" <maryd...@aol.com>, "Rosenthal, Philip" <PhilipR...@gmail.com>, "Dee - Pt. R. - Rosier" <dro...@sbcglobal.net>, "Linda Newton - Pt. R" <lmno...@gmail.com>, "Christy Jacobson" <christyj...@gmail.com>, "Kristin Gates & Charlie Duncan" <kriste...@me.com>, "Charlie Duncan" <charles...@gmail.com>, "SIOBHAN - Pt R" <meyerl...@gmail.com>, "Liz - Pt. R. Cameras! - Nextdoor - McCarthy" <tal...@sbcglobal.net>, "Norma Wallace" <thes...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, Aug 15, 2019 at 11:10 AM
Subject: RE: Todd Hotel Mgmt Would Like to Meet w/ You
We met this morning with the City officials including police, fire, code, rent control and building regulation with the Todd ownership and management to share concerns, come up with some potential solutions and a collaborative strategy going forward to improve the safety for everyone. They are willing to meet with all of you to hear your feedback, and they were receptive to your input. I am happy to secure the community center for the meeting for those who are interested.


In service,

Michelle Milam
Crime Prevention Manager
1701 Regatta Blvd.
Richmond, CA 94804
Hours: Mon-Fri
10 am - 6 pm
Saturdays

*Please disregard this e-mail if you find the information isn’t useful to you, your group, or your division, or contact me and I will omit you from future contact.*

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-----Original Message-----
From: Jessie West [mailto:westj...@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, August 09, 2019 1:15 PM
To: Michelle Milam; Valerie Sloven
Cc: Mary Dollar; Rosenthal, Philip; Dee - Pt. R. - Rosier; Linda Newton - Pt. R; Christy Jacobson; Kristin Gates & Charlie Duncan; Charlie Duncan; SIOBHAN - Pt R; Liz - Pt. R. Cameras! - Nextdoor - McCarthy; Norma Wallace
Subject: Todd Hotel Mgmt Would Like to Meet w/ You

Michelle Milam
Crime Prevention Manager
Richmond Police Department

Valerie Sloven
CORE Outreach Specialist
CCC Health Services


Dear Michelle and Valerie,

I have some really good news. John Marchesiello, the owner of the Todd
Hotel, would like your help. He and his assistant Michael will be
calling you to set up a meeting about the Todd's ever-increasing crime
and safety issues.

The bad news is that things have gotten worse at the Todd Hotel since
we last communicated, with threats and violence erupting inside and on
the street.

There is  open warfare developing between the faction of residents
causing trouble and the faction fed up with it all.

Restraining orders have been issued and are being ignored.

Disruptive mentally-ill homeless people (often former residents) and
drug users/providers, who either live at the Todd or who are being
sneaked into the building by residents — are causing tensions and
angry confrontations. Often these people...like homeless,
schizophrenic Peter, a main purveyor of drugs in the Point and former
resident...have been banned from the building but sneak in anyway.
John's security cameras are currently nonoperational, so he has no way
to monitor this activity, and it has greatly increased.

And the latest development makes me shudder!

This last week there was a confrontation between some MS-13 gang
members, the family living in Room 7, and their guests. Threats were
exchanged outside the building between gang members and residents, and
John, the Todd’s owner, was maced by a gang member. Police and
ambulance responded.

So here’s the good news:

Yesterday evening, August 8th, resident Michael Lee asked if I could
come over for an impromptu meeting in John’s office.  Michael's
tenancy predates John's family's ownership, and Michael has been
John’s de facto assistant manager for many years. Michael is a font of
institutional and current information about the place, the residents
and the problems. He has been a hugely helpful over the years to my
Neighborhood Watch efforts.

Last night, John and Michael updated me on the latest troubling
incidents. They said they knew I was involved in some “neighborhood
safety group,” and asked if I could put them in touch with someone who
could help.

I said I knew just the people!

Michelle, I gave them your name, title and contact information, and
told them you had emphasized to me that you would be willing to meet
with them to help in any way you can.

I said that the RPD Detectives who responded to the recent gang
violence, and the Beat One RPD Officers who respond to John’s frequent
calls for help, are one important piece of the puzzle to solve
this...but, I said, you’ve got more tools in your tool belt.

I told them that your goal is to work with the property owner to solve
problems, and that you have resources in all relevant City
Departments. I mentioned your success with the Civic Center Motel, and
emphasized that your goal is to help the property owner resolve
issues, not make them wrong.

Valerie, I told John and Michael about you, too. Both men have big
hearts and want to help others, and I know that they would be glad to
hear about the services you can offer. The Todd Hotel has become a hub
for many in our local homeless population. There are many reasons for
that. One reason is the ongoing friendships, which often include drug
dealing and using, among current residents and some of the former
residents who are now living in homeless encampments within a few
blocks of downtown Point Richmond. John's attempts to provide
temporary shelter have also contributed. John and Michael asked that
you attend any meeting with Michelle if possible.

Michelle, I am going to ask you to forward this to the RPD Officers
and Command Staff you think should be made aware of latest
developments. I know you will also be able to determine which Beat One
officers and which RPD detectives -- John mentioned a visit by two
detectives regarding the recent gang activity -- have most recently
responded to calls from John, and you can access their reports.

Also, please touch bases with the Richmond Fire Department.

John says that some residents (with his consent) complained about
there being 5 to 7 people living in Room 7, but that the RFD Inspector
checked the situation out during the day when no one was home. I am
not clear whether this occurred during a regular fire safety
inspection, or on a special call.

Room 7 is rented to Michelle, a huge troublemaker, who lives there
with her boyfriend Troy, her three children, and sometimes the older
children's dating partners. John is trying to devise an exit strategy
for the family that won't leave the children homeless.

John confirmed last night that he often lets one or more of Michelle's
children sleep in his basement, in what are essentially storage
cubicles. I believe this may be a code-violation issue, along with his
propensity to let homeless people sleep in his office and the
basement. I am certain he doesn't charge them; he considers them
guests, which is why he does not believe it violates code. He may be
right.

More on Room 7: Both John and I called CCC Child Protective Services
out of concern for Michelle's children. She is extremely abusive to
them, yells at them, and locks them out of their room. By the end of
the 2018/2019 school year, the school-aged children were playing
hookey regularly, and some have begun engaging in publicly disruptive
behavior and vandalism near the Todd. Child Protective Services
followed up but did not seem to be able to help.

So that's the latest update from the downwardly-spiraling downtown
Point. Sigh... Don't even get me started on speeding cars and traffic
jams and double parking and increased property crime! And litter! And
abandoned crack pipes and needles! Honestly, I preferred the
motorcycle gangs who hung out at the old Point Bar. There were bar
fights, sure... but we residents felt safe!

Please let me know if I can further assist in any way. You have John's
cell number: (415) 305-6539. Michael Lee is can be reached at (c)

Sincerely,
Jessie West

Liz McCarthy

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Aug 19, 2019, 11:22:48 AM8/19/19
to Noreply-spamdigest via Castro\\\/Eddy Neighborhood Watch
FYI ... Issues downtown Pt.R. being mediated.



----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Jessie West" <westj...@gmail.com>
To: "Michelle Milam" <MMi...@richmondpd.net>
Cc: "Valerie Sloven" <vsl...@comcast.net>, "Mary Dollar" <maryd...@aol.com>, "Rosenthal, Philip" <PhilipR...@gmail.com>, "Dee - Pt. R. - Rosier" <dro...@sbcglobal.net>, "Linda Newton - Pt. R" <lmno...@gmail.com>, "Christy Jacobson" <christyj...@gmail.com>, "Kristin Gates & Charlie Duncan" <kriste...@me.com>, "Charlie Duncan" <charles...@gmail.com>, "SIOBHAN - Pt R" <meyerl...@gmail.com>, "Liz - Pt. R. Cameras! - Nextdoor - McCarthy" <tal...@sbcglobal.net>, "Norma Wallace" <thes...@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, Aug 19, 2019 at 8:06 AM
Subject: Re: Todd Hotel Mgmt Would Like to Meet w/ You
Thank you so much, Michelle!
I know that John G. and Michael Lee felt very good about the meeting with all of you.

I was touched when John asked me if I was going to the meeting, and said he would like me to be there.

I could not (I was working) but I also felt that my presence was unnecessary and would have been a kind of overstepping of my role in this.

We neighbors are thrilled with the progress that has been made, thanks to you. We do not see a need at this time for a community meeting with John.

However, Michael Lee is extremely concerned about the intense fussing and fighting among some of the residents of the Todd, related to all the issues we’ve been discussing.

He’s worried that it could lead to (more) violence.

He told me last night that the residents involved have agreed to meet with you, and that you had offered to facilitate such a meeting.  He is hoping to hear from you soon about when that meeting could take place.

I think that John’s office at the Todd would likely be large enough to accommodate the residents who wish to attend... and residents are comfortable there, as his office has become something of a hang-out for them.

But that’s up to y’all. It would be a private meeting with just the residents and management and you facilitating.

Michael also said that it was huge relief to him and to John to know that the City can help them with getting troublemaker tenants out of the building who are supposed to leave, but won’t.

I was very grateful to hear that as well, as that’s been one of the biggest problems this past year.

Again, we cannot thank you enough for all your help. We are feeling optimistic that the situation is going to turn around, for the benefit of us all.

Best regards,
Jessie West
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