There’s hope in Holmesburg
to cut the nuisance

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

More than 80 Holmesburg residents turned out to discuss drugs, prostitution and nuisance bars with Stefanie Cella, a city assistant district attorney, at last week’s Holmesburg Civic Association meeting.
Cella, who is assigned to the Public Nuisance Task Force, prosecutes nuisance properties in the 15th Police District and nuisance bars throughout the city. Previously, Cella handled nuisance properties in several other police districts, including the 8th. Parts of Holmesburg are in the 8th and 15th districts.
She introduced residents at the meeting to assistant district attorney Andrew Carobus, who will now handle nuisance properties in the 8th Police District. He can be reached at 215-685-5852.
Cella will continue to handle Holmesburg’s nuisance bars. Her number is 215-685-5857.
Cella said the problems created by nuisance properties often can be traced to absentee landlords. In the Northeast, owners typically live outside of Philadelphia, often in Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York, according to Cella.
"The owners aren’t watching their properties," she said, adding that sometimes they rent to people with a significant criminal history.
The assistant district attorneys will take your complaint and enter the property or bar into a database.
The details they need to know include the ethnicity of the occupants, whether they have kids, whether drugs are being sold, and if animals — a pit bull, for example — are on the premises.
The information is important for narcotics officers who will try to make drug buys from the house.
Cella also suggested that residents call community-relations officers in their police districts.
In the 15th, residents can call Officer Joanne Kitz at 215-685-8698. In the 8th, it is Officer Steve Carr, 215-685-9377.
A search warrant may be served on the property, Cella explained. If the owner lives elsewhere, the task force will send that person a letter.
"Under the forfeiture act, we can take their property," Cella said.
If guns are found, tenants will be removed and the house sealed. If drugs are involved, the district attorney’s office will file documentation to seize the property.
Cella’s office has to wait, however, until a criminal case is finished before she can proceed, so as not to infringe on the defendant’s right to not incriminate himself, she said.
Criminal cases often can be protracted, she added, especially when defense attorneys request delays in the proceedings.
One resident at the meeting could relate to that scenario. She recalled a lengthy struggle to shut down a drug house in Holmesburg.
"We have to be patient. It took over a year, but it got done because we didn’t give up," she told others at the meeting.
When asked if there was any hope of overcoming problems in the area, Cella agreed that the city is short on district attorneys and police, but she believes that there is hope.
"I believe in what we do. I believe we can make a difference," Cella said. "I wish there were more cops on the street, but the fact that you guys are sitting here . . . . To me, this is very inspiring." ••
The Holmesburg Civic Association will meet at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the Holmesburg Recreation Center, Rhawn and Ditman streets.
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com