New Smyrna Beach trying to ban registrants under threat of lawsuit
[FAC NOTE: We must organize a group to create a vocal opposition to the proposed SORR. If you live in Volusia County, please contact membership so we can coordinate.]
There are more sex offenders moving to New Smyrna Beach and that has prompted city leaders to consider shrinking the locations where both sexual offenders and sexual predators can legally live.
There are more sex offenders moving to New Smyrna Beach and that has prompted city leaders to consider shrinking the locations where they can legally live.
If that happens, though, a civil rights group may decide to fight it.
“The ACLU has threatened to sue if we do this,” said Mayor Russ Owen when asked about the proposed ordinance Thursday in a phone interview. The mayor inferred that course of action in response to a media interview given recently by a local ACLU chapter member.
If City Commission approves the new rules, the city will restrict all sex offenders/predators from living within 2,500 feet of a child care facility, park, playground, or school, regardless of the conviction or offense date,” the police department’s report states.
While keeping children safe is a priority, commissioners are are being cautious about the change.
“Are we unintentionally going to force people into one section of town or not?” asked Commissioner Randy Hartman. “I mean, are we going to push them all up to U.S. 1? Are we going to push them all up to West Canal? So I’d like to see a map at the second reading or before then, exactly (which) areas we’re excluding.”
“These residence restrictions are not designed to protect children,” said Cary Ragsdale, a representative of the local chapter of the national civil rights organization, in a recent interview with a news station. “They’re designed to punish the registered sex offenders.”
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I don’t even live in Florida, and this pisses me off. I’ve written the following email:
Shame on you for your blatant attempt to gain political points with new sex offender restrictions. You have ignored all reports and credible studies indicating over 95% of registered offenders do not re-offend, and represent no more, and perhaps less, threat than the average citizen.
I won’t quote these studies because I believe the commission prefers to remain ignorant of factual data. If I’m wrong, the studies are readily available at sites such as https://womenagainstregistry.org/.
I apologize for my lack of diplomacy. However, sometimes we need to shake the tree.
Very good! Thank you for sending that email and introducing me to the WAR website.
An unintended consequence of the registry is there are real estate websites showing home buyers where citizens on the registry live. Counties and Cities in Florida are using residency restrictions to relocate registrants to areas where they don’t think it will affect property values as much (whether it truly does or not is beside the point). They are hiding behind the “good of the children” argument, something County, State, and Federal agencies have been doing for years.
Quote from article : “They’re designed to punish the registered sex offenders.”
AMEN someone gets it, now let’s get the judges on board. How many people have to make that statement that registries are in fact punitive for us to win? Many decades after our sentences are over, we have to live in fear, having eggs thrown at our cars, having our tires slit. I have even had my windows of my house shot out, missing my roommates head by inches. The police didn’t even want to write a report upon finding out I was a registered citizen.
I just sold my house for 40k more than I paid for it. My neighbor sold his two months ago for a 50k rise in price. My being there never hurt or slowed down the sale of any homes. So I hope the people in the neighborhood I’m moving too dont mind me owning the largest house on then street. If they do… I could not care less. I’m gonna do my best and live my best no matter who thinks i dont deserve it. To hell with what people think.
The laws are designed to push registrants away from them onto someone else. Watch “Untouchable” the gentleman clearly states as long as not in Miami…Possibly they know there is no credence in the first place and so there is no real solution to solve as SO are far less likely to reoffend than the average man and removing the property degraders out is all they care about cause the map they created is damning to certain areas. People outside these zones should sue them for condensing their area degrading their values and placing the fear on them.
I see I just wrote what Ben just wrote lol.
The areas most generally excluded are areas near the more affluent. The average home values drop by about 4% when there are registrants nearby, and 4% of $400,000 is a lot more than 4% of $60,000. Follow the money. Always follow the money.
Do you have any empirical evidence about home values dropping near registered citizens? I have not noticed this phenomenon in Jacksonville.
What’s kind of ironic is that, without sex offender registries, home prices wouldn’t be affected by the residency of a registered citizen.
Well I just bought my house and its 300k. Let’s see how warm and welcome they are. Excuse my language but I’m done kissing peoples ass. They can be friends with me which is what I prefer. Or they can leave me alone. Iv been off probation since 1998. I’m done eating crap. If they decide to harrase me and my family I’ll just calls the police 7 days a week until someone gives up. I know my rights. And I’ll use the ones I have to live as well as I can afford to.
I bought my home in 2003. Price $159,000. Estimated back in march when i refinanced $220,000 and i owed $124,000. I refinanced for $165,000. So i still have huge equity. I am now adding a 4th bedroom, 3rd bathroom with a 12 x 17 family room.
I would say this registrant is adding value to the neighborhood. Juat think if the registry went away, and we were allowed back into the community how much money we could generate. More than they make for their unconstitutional registry.
I agree 100%. I bought mine for 135k added a 4th room and sold for 185k.. I left this place better than I found. Every single neighbor has expressed sincere regret that were leaving. They were really some great neighbors for the last 15 years. I expect no less from the new ones.
It is not the public, it is the legislative bodies. Most normal people who know you first and find out second go through what i call the shock phase, like wow never would have thought that. Then second phase, “wait this was 24 years ago?” and then dont care and never treat you any different. And remain friends.