[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6656336,"mediaKeyId","5332962-9d4ec21107abdf295e1f848cf93358b1","parentId",5332962,"title","1 Place tells council domestic violence is a public-safety crisis; urges coordinated response","audioSeconds",1204,"startMs",3476000,"endMs",4680000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332962-9d4ec21107abdf295e1f848cf93358b1&start=3476&end=4680","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332962-9d4ec21107abdf295e1f848cf93358b1/thumbnail_3476000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6656336/Birmingham-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/1-Place-tells-council-domestic-violence-is-a-public-safety-crisis-urges-coordinated-response","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656336-bd9074a3a2fdc22b36e23e9a7a229fa0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186240&Signature=ggf04mS2Gqzc6tyGV02YELDrGbMTIYW1~pmimdC-gB2e2UpxzhF4Y98R1QbPp3UeS0KTS0~jPzT5Su0eucv169gmZnel1eIdkZQ632n7UTP9ku3fbPlLJADqYZ6JqsNLT7QkhON6bxacyjqwV05kSkNnBAIzFRp04sJTodZSj2ZYdKWuL-JYlvgx5V9LS3SCwYvVMUnPnCMykVO~HlX~w4pzfioftmEI4daJiCbHdiD7jn4dS59xUHcjtEFpOpJEM6~Yi7xo30h33iq010WAPeZGxjjH~wmkybpFSRiGZHAGKNe22VKYnT1ARw1MjeKVV6Gm9Lzc7kQFytu-zJVU8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Birmingham","date","2025-07-08T00:00:00Z","article","Rebecca McWilliams, executive director of 1 Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center, told the Birmingham City Council that domestic violence in Birmingham and Jefferson County has reached “a public health and public safety crisis” and urged a coordinated community response to help survivors and hold offenders accountable.

McWilliams said agencies that work together under one roof at 1 Place help survivors navigate the justice and support systems, but stressed the scale of the problem: Birmingham-area law enforcement and courts collectively handle thousands of domestic-violence calls each year and the city is seeing hundreds of strangulation cases that are the strongest predictors of future homicide.

Why it matters: Council members heard detail-level statistics and program descriptions that illustrate how domestic violence reaches beyond private households into criminal justice and public-safety workloads. The presentation framed domestic violence as both an immediate lifesafety threat and a driver of broader community violence, and it included program and policy items the council and partner agencies could further support.

McWilliams told the council that the city’s three largest reporting districts—Birmingham Police Department, Hoover and the Jefferson County Sheriff—record about 12,000–14,000 domestic-violence related calls for service annually; Birmingham Municipal Court receives roughly 65–70 misdemeanor domestic-violence cases per month; and the Birmingham division of the district attorney’s office prosecutes about 400 domestic-violence felonies a year. As of the morning of her presentation she said 723 petitions for protection from abuse had been filed in Jefferson County this year.

McWilliams emphasized strangulation as an urgent indicator of danger: she said Birmingham Police responded to nearly 400 strangulation cases in the last 18 months and that responding officers report seeing seven to 10 strangulation incidents a week. “Strangulation is the largest indicator of a victim eventually being killed by their abuser,” she said.

The presentation included several recommendations and ongoing efforts: 1 Place performs lethality or danger assessments with clients, provides on-site advocacy and navigation, operates Camp Hope for children exposed to domestic violence, and participates in a high-risk team with prosecutors and analysts to identify offenders who pose elevated risk. McWilliams said the program is working with judges, law enforcement and prosecutors on process changes such as better documentation and medical exams after suspected strangulation, improved service of protection orders and protocols for relinquishing firearms in high-risk cases.

Council members and staff described complementary efforts already under way. McWilliams said Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr has prioritized domestic violence prosecution and shared a 2021 finding that 74% of known homicide offenders had a prior history of domestic violence. She also described local judicial and court reforms: a revamp of the batterers-intervention program led by a presiding judge and monthly offender-focused groups that include researchers and service providers to study how to reduce recidivism.

Councilors asked about upstream prevention and services for perpetrators. McWilliams described limited resources for offender-focused intervention and said Camp Hope and other childhood interventions try to reduce future perpetration, but that the city and partners need more programs aimed at people who perpetrate violence. She said 1 Place’s current annual budget is about $1.1 million, with roughly $600,000 from private philanthropy and a portion of federal funds that are at risk; she said 1 Place receives little or no steady city or county funding.

The presentation closed with a request that agencies continue to coordinate on system-level changes—real-time documentation protocols, prioritized service of protection orders for high-risk victims, and improved processes for temporarily removing firearms from people who pose an immediate risk.

Councilor reaction and follow-up: Council members voiced support for the center’s work and discussed possible local policy responses, including expanded funding for services, improved data sharing and partnering with restorative-justice practitioners and community organizations. Several council members volunteered to share local contacts and to assist with outreach and program ideas.

Ending: The council did not take formal action during the presentation but asked staff to continue coordination with 1 Place and other criminal-justice partners; McWilliams said she would return with partners as work on shared protocols continues.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Birmingham - Regular City Council Meeting - Jul 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Rebecca McWilliams, executive director of 1 Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center, told the Birmingham City Council that domestic violence in Birmingham and Jefferson County has reached “a public health and public safety crisis” and urged a coordinated community response to help survivors and hold offenders accountable.","taxTitle","Birmingham City, Jefferson County, Alabama","taxId",3652,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656326,"Council approves gate to close Twentieth Avenue South at new car wash after resident hearing",876,5506000,6382000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332962-9d4ec21107abdf295e1f848cf93358b1&start=5506&end=6382","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332962-9d4ec21107abdf295e1f848cf93358b1/thumbnail_5506000.jpg","/articles/6656326/Birmingham-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Council-approves-gate-to-close-Twentieth-Avenue-South-at-new-car-wash-after-resident-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656326-f429c5f1569dc5ca2b05975487073e9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186240&Signature=VQY-ff0zUZyKS7a688sIy1g-R4sxb9wgX38QOnG0CLdjIlKxfmuQ2D2TRhGwkoggLMsm8hTGj~8q-W~39t7ZjoYuPT1EOub6o5WuRPK7yIdHd8nYr~nOUY13coCWnDBMAgTQ2yV2ASsFdsdHg7GNNvVZrjaJVQwC2Z7l42qxGeVpwPFwG82uvu7A1MnK-HUtqDk2R5NNwHsRjq5QoAxgDpjGPrk1VVjyvcsdme~jns-gFTmMsjV~6Y2UF1axADgDZzyA~9Q7uI1FFUa3An03Lj-4ZQwoVLQKoPXeaAw5JAPcnEunXeQ89bCaQaO1KXjbPWBFK3VRCC--egdQhQxotQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Birmingham City Council approved an ordinance to close Twentieth Avenue South to vehicular traffic at a point near a new car wash and authorized installation of a metal gate across the roadway. The item passed on first reading by unanimous vote, and the council later held a public hearing before confirming the action.

Why it matters: Residents said the closure is intended to prevent car-wash traffic from using a narrow residential street as a queue and to protect pedestrian safety and driveway access. The council and transportation staff described the installed barrier as a pragmatic, short-term solution that allows emergency access and pedestrian passage.

Action and implementation details: City transportation director James Fowler showed the council a neighborhood rendering of a “simple style” white metal gate with a lock accessible by the fire department; staff said there will be a side path for pedestrians and cyclists so the street will not be closed to foot traffic. Council members discussed aesthetics and the possibility of a more elaborate system later (a councilor mentioned a siren-activated gate model in another city). A vote to authorize the closure passed with recorded “aye” votes from Council members Abbott, Clark, Moore, Smitherman, Tate, Williams, Woods, President Pro Tem Alexander and Council President O'Queen.

Public comment: Three residents from Twentieth Avenue South spoke in favor of the closure at the public hearing: Susan Barnacastle (2044 Twentieth Avenue South), Trish Portwiese (1923 Twentieth Avenue South) and John Barney Castle (2044 Twentieth Avenue South). They cited long-term neighborhood concerns about traffic, driveway obstruction and safety.

Next steps: The Department of Transportation will move forward with the procurement and installation of the metal gate as described in staff materials; the fire department will retain access. Council members said they expect to revisit aesthetics and any future permanent improvements with neighborhood input.

Ending: The council approved the closure and public-hearing comments were limited to residents who supported the gate. Staff will provide specifics for installation and notify the neighborhood of timing.","After a public hearing the council approved an ordinance to close Twentieth Avenue South to vehicular traffic at a point near a new car wash and to install a locked metal gate with pedestrian access and fire-department override. Residents who live on Twentieth Avenue spoke in favor of the closure.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656331,"Council declares local emergency to clear hazardous overgrowth; authorizes contractors and $3 million effort",2600,5998000,8598000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332962-9d4ec21107abdf295e1f848cf93358b1&start=5998&end=8598","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332962-9d4ec21107abdf295e1f848cf93358b1/thumbnail_5998000.jpg","/articles/6656331/Birmingham-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Council-declares-local-emergency-to-clear-hazardous-overgrowth-authorizes-contractors-and-3-million-effort","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656331-99c6db65cc08313610909059adcac8cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186240&Signature=g3ldcApywmK0~uxyePAqOFHw8yR5aZGcXPFaI547mQD5Wzp8snnBKIfdRxsRGeQlH7sEYA0oVV1oFjxe7i5NkPpOkLYBzdVBTEz0j8MrBNr2e6SAbcq~cmsWSku1TBQlKvkTCDpMvwLOhf7ZTVuxlAwgGQgP9f7uwH6CqecgSUC0uunWHknWPqT8u9wE3meAIraWsHlI0qXjOiV7UGuPahvoGuS2o70xdKRpjcDl4C3iZP-Hr~O7U6V9PElV6lPTtXtFL7ms5itNNju0vherYF-LBLz7RvODdOFD8w3iMLe1zjRWdk6-hvac~u-Mlm19djgEd0dez3zgbL4rqudhuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Birmingham City Council declared a local emergency and authorized the mayor to engage private contractors to remove hazardous vegetative overgrowth across the city, citing excessive rainfall that produced public-safety risks and a backlog of long‑standing nuisance lots.

Mayor Randall Woodfin said the emergency declaration—effective for 45 days unless extended—is intended to speed work on parcels that pose immediate health and safety risks to neighbors, particularly seniors, and to allow the city to marshal additional contractors and public‑works resources.

Why it matters: Council leaders framed the vote as an emergency response to extraordinary weather and a chronic, citywide code-enforcement challenge. They emphasized that the measure is intended to address the most hazardous and longstanding cases quickly while the city pursues longer-term legal and policy tools to compel private owners to maintain their land.

Key facts and numbers: Pro Tem Alexander and staff said the city’s land and code datasets show roughly 14,820 tax-delinquent parcels that correlate with the overgrowth problem; the mayor said 3,583 private properties already had been declared public nuisances and were awaiting assignment to contractors. City staff reported that since January 1 public crews have cut more than 10,740 blocks, PEP contractors have cut about 1,691 private lots, city crews have cut 4,036 acres and 1,099 city-owned lots. The council had previously approved a $3,000,000 allocation that city leaders said must be distributed quickly.

Administrative and legal issues discussed: Council members asked whether property assessments or liens would be imposed during the emergency. The mayor and staff said the city will not pursue administrative assessments against owners while the emergency process removes hazards; the city will use liens and other follow-up collection tools afterward. Council members highlighted the 45‑day emergency window, the city’s new foreclosure-lien authority enacted by the state legislature, and possible non-financial measures to compel compliance (for example, linking outstanding liens to vehicle registration or other administrative holds was discussed as a policy idea).

Procurement and implementation: Chief Chaz Mitchell and procurement staff explained the plan to issue an RFP and to recruit up to 16 contractors; the procurement window was described as a quick turnaround (approximately 30 days open for vendors) so contractors can be selected and assigned nuisance properties. City staff said operations will combine public-works crews, PEP teams and Birmingham Land Bank assignments so multiple areas can be worked simultaneously in a “blitz” rather than a single-district sequential approach.

Environmental and operational clarifications: Councilors asked whether herbicides would be used. City staff and the mayor said they do not plan to use herbicides as part of the emergency cuts and emphasized “clean and green” goals rather than leaving lots brown or burned. Staff said gates and signage would be part of some neighborhood responses, but that the emergency work focuses on clearing hazardous vegetative growth that blocks sidewalks, invites rodents and creates safety hazards.

Council vote and next steps: The council approved the emergency declaration and the mayor’s authority to contract for hazard removal. Staff said they will provide district-level lists of targeted properties, daily public updates on blitz areas and a procurement timeline to the council. Councilors asked staff to prioritize truly hazardous lots and to coordinate with neighborhood associations and community groups for volunteer and pro‑bono support.

Ending: The emergency declaration provides a temporary, expedited path to cut hazardous overgrowth and bring immediate relief for affected neighborhoods while the city pursues longer-term legal and programmatic reforms.","Birmingham City Council approved a 45‑day local emergency allowing the mayor to hire contractors for hazardous vegetative overgrowth caused by heavy rainfall. Council members discussed scope, lien and foreclosure tools, vendor procurement, and prioritization of long-standing nuisance lots.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

1 Place tells council domestic violence is a public-safety crisis; urges coordinated response

Council approves gate to close Twentieth Avenue South at new car wash after resident hearing

Council declares local emergency to clear hazardous overgrowth; authorizes contractors and $3 million effort