ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Problems at the Lake Holden Inn were first exposed by Channel 9 in December, when the owner sued the Orange County Sheriff's Department over plans to clean up the Orange Blossom Trail property.
On Tuesday, Channel 9's Jeff Deal obtained an agreement in which the business's owner has agreed to put in a better surveillance system and keep those with certain crimes, like felony drug convictions, off the property.
Some of those living near the Lake Holden Inn told Deal they haven't been happy what goes on there.
"They blare their stereo real loud, lots of prostitutes go in and out, drug addicts," neighbor Cynthia Fabrizi said.
Deal found records for nearly 900 calls for deputies to respond to reports of criminal activity over the past two years.
The property owner sued the sheriff and the county in an attempt to get an injunction to keep them from taking nuisance abatement action. That lawsuit has been dropped.
Deal learned that motel owner Robert Vandesteeg signed an agreement with the Sheriff's Department pledging he will clean up the property.
"They should do something. They should close that," neighbor Hilda Ramirez said.
The agreement names 28 specific people who are not allowed on the property.
It also prohibits people with criminal histories that include felony drug charges, prostitution, stolen property or gang activity from renting from the property owner or working on the property.
Deal learned that Vandesteeg was convicted of drug trafficking in the 1990s.
Last week the Sheriff's Department served several search warrants at the motel and arrested five people on various drug charges.
Among those arrested was Robert Lamar Williams Jr., who was specifically named in the agreement as someone not allowed on the property.
"We do not need the drug addicts, the drug dealers, the prostitutes; no neighborhood does," said Fabrizi.
Sheriff's officials wouldn't say whether the department plans to continue through the nuisance abatement process, but did say they are continuing to monitor the property.
One resident told Deal that the motel owner has been cleaning up the property over the past two months.
Deal tried to contact Vandesteeg for comment on this report but has yet to receive a response.