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.