Owner of crime-ridden apartments in Las Vegas Trail sells complex to his attorney

One week after beleaguered Las Vegas Trail apartment owner John Baker, sued four months ago by the city of Fort Worth, said he planned to put the complex on the market, he has reached an agreement to sell the Mira Monte property to the attorney representing him against the city.

Victor Huhem, a Fort Worth-based attorney who represents rental property owners and managers, confirmed in an email that he is in the process of taking over the crime-ridden complex with a group of "client investors."

According to Tarrant County records, a deed has yet to be filed with the county. Huhem said he will not disclose details of the sale. In December, Baker, whose son Matthew John Baker was officially listed as the Mira Monte property owner, said his asking price was $5 million; however the price garnered little attention because of the property's state of disrepair.

Huhem said he chose to acquire Mira Monte now because of the city's "recent emphasis on improving the safety and desirability of the Las Vegas Trail area for families."

"Our goal," Huhem wrote in an email, "is for Mira Monte to become one of the more desirable, safe and enjoyable places for families to live in DFW, and a drug-free community."

Baker, who has been outspoken about the city's actions against him, could not be reached. Huhem said his client has chosen not to comment further on the sale.

"Regardless of who owns Mira Monte, we will hold this property and all apartment complexes in the area to a standard which provides a safe environment for its residents," said City Councilman Brian Byrd, who has made revitalizing the poverty-stricken Las Vegas Trail area a top priority since his election last May. "The City looks forward to working with Mr. Huhem to clean up the property and rid it of crime."

In November, Fort Worth attorneys filed a nuisance abatement lawsuit against Mira Monte, a long-time thorn in the side of the Fort Worth Police Department. City officials claim Mira Monte's owner allowed violent crime to persist unabated on the property. In January, city attorneys filed a request for a temporary injunction, and soon after Baker and the city agreed to terms of the injunction.

Huhem, who has not returned phone messages, wrote in an email response, that, "Our plans are, first and foremost, to abate crime at and around the property."

Last week, Baker said he had hired a security service to patrol the property at all times, per conditions of the temporary injunction. Huhem wrote that he plans to follow through with the installation of additional lighting, security cameras and repairs to fencing surrounding the complex located at the busy intersection of Las Vegas Trail and Calmont Avenue.

Huhem also offered a warning to current Mira Monte residents: "We're securing all vacant units, and evicting anyone who is in violation of the apartment rules or lease agreement."

His email response continued: "Once these measures, and others, are fully implemented, we plan to begin leasing units to prospective tenants that meet our rental criteria and zero drug policy."

In a second email, Huhem did not address questions about the rental criteria and how he plans to enforce a zero drug policy. Asked if montly rental rates will change, Huhem wrote, "New management has not addressed rental rates, as they do not intend to lease any units until its plans to abate crime have first been implemented."

Huhem has installed law firm employee Danny Lopez to manage Mira Monte. Lopez, who says he has worked as a legal assistant at Huhem's firm for the last eight years, was at the complex's office Wednesday. He said he believed rent rates would not change and added residents will continue to pay for electricity while ownership will pay for gas and utilities

"Everyone talks about Mira Monte because of the news. This is a property that has a lot of potential," Lopez said. "It has a lot of good people living on the property. I will focus on that and I will focus on making it a better property. For sure I will make it the best property on Las Vegas Trail."

Lopez lives in Dallas, and said he hopes to improve Mira Monte to where it is safe for him to move in with his 2-year-old son.

"I hear that this property was really bad and I know my challenge, and I believe in God that I can do this," Lopez said. "I will make this property where I can bring my family over here, my child ... I want this property to be one of my options."

Mira Monte was the first of two Las Vegas Trail properties sued by the city. The city filed a nuisance abatement lawsuit against the troubled Knights Inn in December.

This story was originally published March 22, 2018 at 12:23 PM with the headline "Owner of crime-ridden apartments in Las Vegas Trail sells complex to his attorney."