Weathered with years of use and exposure to the elements, the small red staircase of 1610 Oregon Street leads to a house where decades of drug-dealing activity have left neighbors tired of complaining and caused the Alameda County Civil Grand Jury to step up in an attempt to end the fight.

The jury issued a report on Monday alleging that the city of Berkeley "failed to follow through with all possible measures to eliminate this drug house problem," and giving recommendations to the city in an attempt to end the 30-year-long drug problem at the house.

The jury's investigation followed a complaint made by a neighbor saying the city has been "derelict in its duty" in using state law to shut down drug houses.

Complaints about the house have existed nearly as long as the drug activity itself.

"There was a period of time when the complaints had been quite prolific," said Berkeley City Councilmember Max Anderson, whose district includes the 1610 Oregon address.

According to city officials, the residence has been discussed many times over the years, but no actions have proved to be a permanent solution.

"There is a pattern-the city would come in and take some action and then it would calm down and then go back again," said former Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean, who addressed the issue several times during her years in office.

Julie Sinai, chief of staff to Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, said the city has 90 days to respond to the recommendations, but cannot yet respond until they receive instructions from the jury on how to properly format their response.

The jury recommended that the city use the same drug-fighting practices it uses when dealing with commercial properties, and that it should revisit its municipal codes and state legislation. If they find the codes or legislation to be insufficient, the jury said city officials should adopt or modify city ordinances relating to drug houses.

Jim Hynes, assistant to the city manager, said in May that it is easier to declare commercial businesses as nuisances and shut them down than it is for the city to board up private homes.

Over the years, dozens of neighbors filed suits in small claims court in an effort to pressure the long-time owner of the house, a woman named Lenora Moore who is in her late 70s, to move out.

In 1992, 31 neighbors sued Moore, claiming that she ignored drug-dealing in and around the house by her grandchildren and their associates.

Moore denied any knowledge of there being drug deals completed out of her home and said police and prosecutors had not adequately addressed the problem, according to court documents. The ruling was in favor of the plaintiffs, yet Moore did not move out of the home.

Moore was brought to small claims court yet again in 2005, when 14 neighbors filed another suit with the same aim. They testified to being scared to go outside their homes or eat dinner near windows in fear of errant gunshots.

"My 2-year-old daughter found a dirty, used hypodermic needle while we were working in the yard. She picked it up and asked me what it was," neighbor Paul Rauber testified in 2005, according to court papers. "This is intolerable. No one should have to live like this."

A judge ruled in the neighbors' favor, writing in his decision that they had painted a "chilling and gut-wrenching picture of life near a drug house."

While the recommendations are non-binding, city officials said they will bring the issue back on to the table, for what they said they hope is the last time.

"I think the report is another wake-up call to the city to do something," said Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington.

Tags: OREGON STREET