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Crime Free Multi-Housing Program
Program Overview
In 2013 the Village Board approved the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program as part of recommended updates to the existing “Rental Residential Housing Code” ordinance. Prior to obtaining a rental license in the Village, owners of rental property must attend an educational training seminar and use a Crime Free Lease Addendum (PDF), which shall give the landlords the authority to initiate an eviction proceeding as specified in the Illinois Compiled Statutes Forcible Entry and Detainer statutes.
The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is a state-of-the-art, crime prevention program designed to reduce crime, drugs, and gangs on apartment properties. This program was successfully developed at the Mesa Arizona Police Department in 1992. The Program was designed to be law enforcement-driven, and had been used effectively in over seventeen hundred communities across the United States and in Canada.
Goals
The overall goal of the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is to build a cooperative effort between property owners/management, tenants and the police department in keeping illegal and nuisance activity out of rental property. The program takes a pro-active approach to crime prevention, rather than a reactive approach. Although crime will not be entirely eliminated, Crime Free Multi-Housing participants quickly make it known that their rental community will not tolerate criminal behavior on the part of its residents, their guests or others as they seek to create a crime free environment as possible.
Successes
In communities where adopted, the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program achieved almost instant success wherever it was introduced. In rental properties with the highest crime rates, the immediate results showed up to a 90% reduction in police calls for service. Even in the best properties, reductions of 15 to 20% were not uncommon. The Hanover Park Police Department is hoping for similar results.
Additional Information
For additional information, email Gary Fuchs, the Hanover Park Police Department Crime Free Multi-Housing Coordinator, or call him at 630-823-5568.
- Do I have to attend the training if I only have one unit?
- Why is the seminar 8-hours and what will I learn?
- What if I have difficulty attending one whole session for 8-hours?
- Do I have to attend if I live out state?
- How many seminars do I have to attend if I have more than one unit?
- If I have attended a seminar in another town, will I be required to attend Hanover Park’s training as well?
- What is a Crime Free Lease Addendum and how do I get one?
- Does the ordinance require a criminal background check for rental applicants?
- Does the ordinance require me to evict a tenant for one criminal incident?
- Doesn’t the ordinance promote discrimination or profiling?
- How can I be held responsible for the actions of my tenant?
- Will my rental license be suspended or revoked any time a crime happens?
- What happens if I do not comply with the Crime Free Ordinance?
- Do I still need to be compliant with the ordinance if I rent to a family member and don’t really have a lease?
- Am I able to bring my child to the seminar with me?