Between 2005-2010 more than 30,000 evacuee families lived section 8 based apartment complexes throughout southwest Houston. Alief had the biggest concentration of Katrina evacuees in the city. Shortly after Katrina refugees moved in, the complexes and the area began to rapidly decline. Locals residents stated "the neighborhood already had problem before but nowhere near as bad as it is now." With overcrowded apartments, many landlords were forced to stop leasing after numerous property violations such as vandalism became a problem. Some apartments were completely demolished due to poor living conditions. The influx of evacuees caused an escalation of gang violence and crime. Houston’s homicide rate has shot up 18% since the storm, and police statistics show that one in every five homicides in the city involves a Katrina evacuee as suspect, victim or both. Locals fed up residents and community leaders began filing complaints to push out evacuees due to the rise in crime stating "It’s time for them to go home,” In response, Houston Police Chief Harold L. Hurtt hired 400 additional officers to deal with the city’s evacuee-fueled crime wave. HPD added the rise in murders were committed by New Orleans teenagers from rival housing projects shooting at each other over long-standing beefs.