Police, property managers join forces to keep apartments crime-free

A partnership among apartment owners, property managers and law enforcement officials aims for safer housing for renters in the Las Vegas Valley.

Through the Las Vegas Crime-Free Multi-Housing Program, property managers learn how to better screen potential tenants, effectively evict problem residents, remove physical liabilities on their properties, and better communicate with police officials and tenants.

"It works," Metropolitan Police Department crime prevention specialist Harold Julian said of the three-phase international program. "The project was so successful in reducing police calls, the city of Las Vegas adopted an ordinance that all on-site managers must attend a training session."

Julian's statistics from shortly after the program began in May 1995 showed a 35 percent to 40 percent reduction in calls for assistance from properties that had completed phase one -- training for property managers -- while those that completed the voluntary second and third phases -- physical inspection of the property and tenant involvement -- respectively, saw a 72 percent to 75 percent reduction in calls.

Current statistics from the international association show an average 45 percent reduction in calls for phase-one participants, and an 85 percent reduction in calls among participants in all three phases.

Las Vegas was the third major city to join the program, which operates in more than 1,700 cities in 44 states, as well as in parts of Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Finland and Puerto Rico.

Kathy Miller, executive vice president of the Southern Nevada Multi-Housing Association, said Clark County officials are considering making phase-one training mandatory for property managers, which will "impact every apartment community in the valley."

The eight-hour session covers topics such as how to screen tenant applicants, what to include in rental agreements, eviction procedures, how to safeguard properties, how to work with police officials, and differences between criminal and civil law enforcement.

"All eight hours are to assist them in their jobs," Julian said, adding that the "ultimate purpose is to reduce crime and nuisances. Out of 2,200 people (who have taken the class), there was only one person who felt it wasn't beneficial."

Miller credits the program's crime-free addendum that is included with lease agreements for alleviating many problems. Essentially, the addendum defines grounds for eviction due to criminal activity.

"A lot of times when you hand a new applicant that crime-free addendum, prospective tenants will eliminate themselves," she said.

Rhonda Sikes, one of the program's first participants, uses what she learned daily.

"(The program) is an added benefit for our residents; they know that they have good neighbors," said the manager of the 92-unit Nottingham Gardens apartments in central Las Vegas and the 352-unit Avion complex in the northeastern valley.

The copyrighted program offered locally combines the Crime-Free Multi-Housing Program created in 1993 by Tim Zehring of the Mesa (Ariz.) Police Department and the Landlord Management Training Program created by John Campbell of Portland, Ore. Julian, hand-picked by then-deputy chief of administrative services Jerry Keller to develop a way to reduce crime in multifamily housing, spent about six months writing the manual and researching laws.

"I believe this program is a great opportunity to bring the police department, landlords and residents together in a more cohesive manner," said Mic Cochran, executive vice president of Nevada HAND Property Management Co. "At a minimum, there has been an improvement, and certainly not an increase in problems."

Nevada HAND has put the program into use at its two nonage-restricted Las Vegas properties: the 274-unit Apache Pines and 204-unit Desert Pines apartments.

The second phase involves a physical inspection of the property using a four-page list of safety issues. While touring the property, crime-prevention specialists look for items such as proper locks on doors and windows, adequate lighting, visible addresses, and landscaping that does not hinder visibility or offer places to hide.

Slightly more than half of the items on the list deal with problems that could be liabilities for the complex's management and owners. These include unsafe pool areas and playgrounds, sprinkler heads that do not retract, and walkways with cracks or that are not properly marked.

Julian said the program does more than reduce crime.

"It changes an apartment complex into an apartment community. Residents get a sense of oneness and that they belong. Their apartments become a home and not just a place they are renting."

Cochran agreed.

"What happens is a byproduct where tenants themselves are better prepared to take ownership of their own safety and security by being more willing to participate in programs that are already in place. The biggest point is their awareness of the potential for vandalism or criminal activity. That can go a long way to doing something about it in a proactive manner," Cochran said.

Sikes said through emergency preparedness and crime prevention classes, which are required for third-phase participants, and information published in monthly newsletters, residents gain a greater sense of confidence.

"I don't feel our security cameras pick up as much as our residents do. It definitely increases consumer confidence of our residents. They feel the management company is more caring. Both of my properties are 100 percent leased even though rents are $50 to $100 more than neighboring properties," she said.

Julian said 966 apartment complexes are involved in the program, 300 of which have completed all three phases and are fully certified.

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