City of Birmingham Announces Settlement Agreement with Apartment Complex Over Public Safety Concerns
The City of Birmingham’s Office of the City Attorney has announced a settlement agreement with the owner of Monarch Ridge Apartments (formerly Valley Brook Apartments) related to public safety concerns at the property. Monarch Ridge Apartments is located at 2969 Gallant Drive in Birmingham’s Apple Valley Neighborhood. The complex is owned by Steele Valley Brook, LLC.
Under the terms of the agreement, the ownership of Monarch Ridge Apartments will:
- Pay $15,000 into the city’s Neighborhood Revitalization Fund
- Continue to maintain a vehicle license plate reader system and share data with the Birmingham Police Department
- Cooperate with the city to link a property surveillance system to the Birmingham Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center
- Engage a gate guard and station the gate guard at the entrance of the property from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily
- Maintain current security contracts for security patrols consisting of off-duty Jefferson County deputies
- Provide a 90-day assessment with the city to determine whether different security measures are needed
The claims filed by the city will be dismissed. The court will provide a one-year period to enforce terms of the settlement.
“The City of Birmingham is very pleased with the settlement and our partnership with Steel Valley Brook LLC in working to improve the safety for the residents of Monarch Ridge and the surrounding community,” City Attorney Nicole King said.
The city filed a lawsuit on June 4, 2021 seeking steps by the property owner to address the high amount of violent crime and other illegal activity at the property.
In the spring of 2020, City Attorney King created the Drug and Nuisance Abatement Team to work through the courts to hold landowners accountable for keeping their properties clean and getting rid of crime and blight associated with nuisance issues. The team has now successfully closed nine cases generating a safer environment for the residents both on those properties and in the surrounding neighborhoods. The team continues to investigate other properties.
Problems with drug and nuisance properties can be reported via email to problemproperty@birminghamal.gov or residents can call 205-254-2369 during normal business hours.
