SPOKANE, Wash. — Residents of the Lower South Hill neighborhood are calling for action following the death of an infant at a local apartment complex.
The community has raised concerns about ongoing issues at the complex, which is owned by Arlin Jordan, who is currently in jail on unrelated charges. Neighbors, who requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation, voiced their frustrations.
“As long as it continues to be owned by this person, it’s always going to be sick, it’s always going to be a danger to the neighborhood,” one resident said.
The apartment complex has been the subject of 178 calls to Crime Check from 2019 to June 2024, in addition to more than 100 calls to code enforcement regarding trash and other violations.
“When is it going to be enough that there is going to be real change there?” another resident asked.
Despite these efforts, some residents feel that the response has been inadequate. “The process is too long, and this is what happens when we are waiting,” a resident said.
District 2 City Council Member Paul Dillon has been working with residents to address the complex as a nuisance property. He acknowledged the challenges in addressing the issues.
“Part of the challenge has been tying the individual apartment problems to the whole building,” Dillon said.
“There is no fail-safe here, we have hit rock bottom as a neighborhood because of the death of this infant,” a resident said.
The community continues to seek solutions to improve conditions and prevent further tragedies.
