Long list of problems with Orange County condo complex laid out for commissioners

Article and Video Courtesy of Channel 9, WFTV

By Kathi Belich

Published September 21, 2015

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Orange County sheriff's officials told county commissioners Tuesday that the troubled Blossom Park condominium complex is one of the county's worst areas for drug overdoses.

    

Commissioners got a briefing on crime statistics for the area and heard what the Sheriff's Office is doing about it.

About 40 people are living at the complex, most of those with families have moved out.

Officials said about half of those in the complex don't belong there, but, they told commissioners getting the squatters out of the complex isn't an easy task.

  
Sheriff's officials said deputies made 21 prostitution arrests in June and 13 in July. They said there have been no prostitution arrests this month.
 
They said that 194 people were arrested in the complex from August 2014 to August 2015.
   

Officials said the Sheriff's Office used about $48,000 worth of resources in eight days last month. They said they had to take tactical units from other details and assign them to Blossom Park.

"The operation continues. To go on, we still have manpower involved in it. We still have undercover operations going on. We're not going to give up on our end," Maj. Michael Doby, of the Sheriff's Office, said.

One of the six buildings on the property is vacant, and the stairwells were fenced off so no one can get in.

The complex has racked up about $1 million in fines.

Commissioners also heard that to repair the roofs, stairs and walkways could be at least $5 million.

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