How the Crime-Free Association Helps Property Managers Lower On-Site Crimes by 75%

Property managers are no stranger to the police, particularly in lower-income multi-family complexes.  From drug trafficking to domestic violence to vandalism, crime can drive down neighborhood property values and rents, damage rental units and drive away good tenants, leading to costly high vacancy rates.  In other words, crime is one of the worst enemies of property management.

So what can be done to minimize it?

What started as an experiment in Mesa, Arizona has become a promising prevention crime program, developed by the International Crime-Free Association.  Local police departments partner with landlords and property management to train them in a variety of crime-prevention techniques, and certified properties see a drop in police calls of 75% on average, and occasionally as high as 90%.

There is no one silver bullet that magically prevents crime; the program involves a comprehensive approach and three phases of training and certification.  The first phase involves a certified police trainer working with the property manager to train them in prevention techniques, which include:

• Use of a Crime-Free Lease Addendum (which allows the landlord to terminate the lease agreement after the tenant commits their first criminal act)
• Key control and effective master key use
• More effective tenant screening for crime prevention
• Gangs, drug activity and early detection/prevention
• Physical security measures and technological advances.

The second phase is an on-site review of the property’s security and environment.  Among other items, police will review the exterior lighting layout, the door, window and gate lock systems, the property management’s key-control policies and the landscaping and other environmental factors.

Lastly, police and property management engage in community outreach within the apartment complex.  They host an annual crime prevention and awareness social, and implement ongoing policies that make the community as a whole more vigilant.

The Crime-Free Association also offers a program designed for landlords who own single-family rental properties.  This program asks for commitments from landlords to conduct regular inspections, abide by certain minimum tenant screening requirements, and to introduce themselves to the neighbors and offer their contact information, among other commitments.  The landlord is ultimately the first, last and central line of defense for keeping their rental property out of the hands of criminals.

If that sounds like a lot of work, consider the alternative of increasing crime in the neighborhood, followed by higher vacancies, lower rents and property values, more aggressive police activity and more rampant vandalism.  Improving investment neighborhoods is not just good for the community – it is good business.