Crime Free Programs · Single-family & small rentals
Crime Free Rental Housing
Bringing the proven model to single-family homes and small rentals.
Overview
About Crime Free Rental Housing
Law enforcement often finds that crime problems migrate from apartment communities to condominium rentals and then to single-family home rentals. This is especially true for organized crime, marijuana growers, methamphetamine labs, and gang activity — criminals prefer the privacy, extra storage, and absence of daily on-site management.
Private landlords soon find that the problems associated with serious criminal activity are beyond their ability to control. Because of landlord-tenant and privacy laws, it cannot be solved by law enforcement alone — it requires a community-based solution like the Crime Free Rental Housing Program.
The program consists of three phases completed under the supervision of local law enforcement. Homeowners and property managers become individually certified after each phase, and the property is certified once all three are complete.
The three phases
From first class to full certification.
Each phase is completed under the supervision of local law enforcement.
- 01
Owner / Manager Training
8 hours · taught by the police
- Crime prevention & CPTED theory
- Benefits of resident screening
- Lease agreements and eviction issues
- The Crime Free Lease Addendum
- Key control and master key use
- Monitoring and responding to criminal activity
- Gangs, drug activity, and crime prevention
- Legal warnings, notices & evictions
- Working smarter with the police
- Fire and life safety; community awareness
A 100-page resource manual is supplied with additional handouts.
- 02
CPTED Survey
On-site · by the police
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design survey
- Minimum door, window, and lock standards inspection
- Minimum exterior lighting standards evaluation
- Key control procedures evaluation
- Landscape maintenance standards compliance
- 03 Certified
Crime Free Commitment
Written landlord commitment
- Commit to proper tenant screening using minimum criteria
- Have tenants sign and abide by the Crime Free Lease Addendum
- Maintain the property’s CPTED security criteria
- Inspect properties inside and out at least every two months
- Notify neighbors of the rental with name, phone and address
- Work with police and other agencies
- Re-certify annually
A list of certified landlords is kept by the law enforcement agency and may be shared with the property management community and Chamber of Commerce.
Prevention costs less than the alternative.
Why it matters
The cost of drug activity
When drug criminals and other destructive tenants operate out of rental property, neighborhoods suffer and landlords pay a high price.
- Decline in property values as the neighborhood’s reputation suffers
- Property damage from abuse, retaliation, neglect, or police raids
- Fire resulting from manufacturing or growing operations
- Civil penalties, temporary closure — or even property seizure
- Loss of rent during eviction and repair periods
- Fear and frustration when dealing with dangerous tenants
Ready to certify your property?
Contact your local Crime Free Coordinator, or train with the association to bring the program to your jurisdiction.