3 Landlords Ordered to Oust Drug Dealers

The Long Beach City Council this week ordered three landlords to get rid of drug-dealing in their apartment buildings in the central section of the city, or risk forfeiting the properties and being fined up to $25,000.

The council declared the buildings public nuisances, marking the first time officials have invoked a new city law holding landlords liable for drug activity on their property.

Police used a new computerized tracking system to determine that a total of 126 narcotics arrests had been made at the three buildings this year.

The landlords say that they are being blamed for a social crime that government has been unable to resolve.