Jacksonville Tenants' Union, Inc.

Where Did All the Crime Go?

Sep 28, 2008

Every year we hear about police needing more money, patrols, overtime pay, technology, etc. Well I am here to tell ya, there is a new sheriff in town, and its name is "Crime-free Multi-family Housing." This program is speading like wildfire all over the country, and it's here in Jacksonville.

If you have ever been a victim of crime, or ever watched the local news, at some time or another you probably wanted to put on some camo, grab an assault rifle, and do a Rambo in the name of justice. Well save your ammo and get some counseling, because there is a better more effective means of crime-reduction. We have all heard, "The pen is mightier than the sword", but how often do we ever get to see crime sliced to shreads with a pen?

"Crime-free Multi-family Housing" [CFMFH] is a contract that makes tenants accountable for their actions, and even the actions of their guests. This type program is long overdue. HUD has tried to implement similar programs in the past with little success, such as the "Drug-free Housing Lease Addendum." I believe that what makes CFMFH more effective is that it is not technically part of the lease, it is a seperate contract which makes it enforceable seperate from the lease.

Once evicted from a CFMFH partipating property, the "evictee" can never rent from another property participating in the program. As more and more landlords subscribe to the program, there are less and less places to rent for people that have been evicted from a participating property. So where do the evicted people go live after the eviction?

Trailer parks cannot be part of CFMFH, due to the fact that they do not have a common lease, and each individual lot can be rented, or owned; therefore, evictees can go rent a spot in the trailer park, or any apartment complex that is not part of CFMFH. CFMFH is growing so fast that anyone evicted may be forced to move to a surrounding county.

Landlords like the program because they want to rent a high-quality tenant. Tenants like it because they want to live near high-quality neighbors. Police like it because they dont have to chase down scum-bags in apartment complexes as often.

HAVE A LOOK AT THIS!

Officer John Prevost of JSO was nice enough to send me this summary of the CFMFH program:

JACKSONVILLE CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM
The Crime Free Program is a partnership between the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, and the owners, managers and residents of apartment communities. ?“Our goal is to reduce the crime in our apartment communities here in Jacksonville . In our city 16% of our residents live in our apartment communities. In these areas, approximately 42% of violent crimes occur there. The sheriff?’s office implemented this program with the goal of reducing violent crime in these high density areas,?” said program leader Captain Mark Bowen.
The program was successfully developed by the Mesa Arizona Police Department in 1992. The International Crime Free Multi-Housing Program has spread to nearly 2,000 cities in 44 states, 5 Canadian Provinces, and other countries.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office began their involvement in the Crime Free Program in May of 2007. At that time, several officers were trained on the program. Once they received their training, they began to form the structure for the implementation of Crime Free in Jacksonville . In March of 2008, Sheriff Rutherford certified the first three apartment communities in our city, who had signed up and completed all three phases of their required compliance.
Training is now underway at 136 apartment communities throughout Jacksonville . All are working toward becoming fully certified. Although the process is time consuming, JSO hopes that all apartment communities see the benefits of working closely with law enforcement to fight crime in the city. ?”The team approach, with the police and the owners, managers and tenants all working together to keep the criminal element and their activity out is a proven formula for reducing crime and calls for service,?” said Sgt. Tim Reddish, who oversees the six area police-liaisons who work with apartment management to get them certified.
The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program consists of three phases, which must be completed under the supervision of the Jacksonville Sheriff?’s Office.
Phase 1 ?– Management Training
Property Owners, Managers and staff members receive eight hours of training in the operation and overview of the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program.
Phase 2 ?– A ?“Crime Prevention through Environmental Design?” (CPTED) Survey On Site
A minimum safety standard must be met to participate in the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program.
?• 180 degree eye viewers in all front doors
?• One inch deadbolts on all exterior doors
?• Minimum of three inch screws in strike plates
?• Lift and slide protection on windows (accessible)
?• Lift and slide protection on sliding doors (accessible)
?• Adequate security lighting in working order
?• Properly trimmed landscaping
?• Inoperable or expired vehicles tagged and removed
?• Visible display of property address from the roadway
Phase 3 ?– Resident Crime Prevention Meeting
The apartment management must conduct an annual crime prevention meeting with their residents. Also, as existing residents renew their leases, and new tenants sign leases, they will be required to sign a ?“lease addendum?”, which clearly states the conduct that will result in eviction.
Once a community completes all three phases, they receive certification. They are permitted to post a Crime Free Multi-Housing sign on their property recognizing this accomplishment, and sending a message to all prospective renters. They will also receive the right to use the Crime Free logo in advertising and marketing of their property. The apartment managers will be able to obtain information regarding police calls for service and arrests on their property, so they can be vigilant and enforce lease provisions.
In the near future prospective residents will be able to go online and see which apartment communities are committed to reducing crime on their properties by becoming a certified member of this program. This will give citizens searching for a place to live a little more information regarding apartments in Jacksonville .
Success Stories -
Mesa Police Department - In January of 1992, the Mesa Police Department implemented the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program. The program achieved almost instant success. 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.
Las Vegas Metro Police Department - In 1995 the program was implemented by this agency. They have more than 800 apartment communities in the greater Las Vegas area, each containing more than 100 living units. Since the program?’s creation, the reduction in calls-for-service has been estimated at 65 percent. Even for those apartments still in the process of becoming certified, the police response has been reduced between 35-40 percent.
San Bernardino Sheriff?’s Department - The program is utilized by 90% of San Bernardino County , including the Sheriff?’s Office and 21 other local agencies. They have more than 650 apartment communities with 35,000 units participating. They are seeing a 52%-56% reduction in calls for service (as of what date?). This reduction in calls for service equates to approximately 1,200 to 1,600 police man-hours, per month, freed-up to allow officers to increase their proactive policing time and spend more time developing relationships with business owners and residents to prevent crime.
Here in Jacksonville , JSO is working to achieve the same results that other law enforcement agencies have experienced, utilizing the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program. As seen in the successes of other agencies, the results are overwhelming when the partnerships are put into play.

?• A substantial decrease in calls for service, including calls of a civil nature.
?• A decrease in crime throughout the areas surrounding apartment communities.
?• Eliminating the criminal element from apartment communities; reducing the likelihood of the same individuals committing crime in the surrounding areas.
?• Making it increasingly difficult for law breakers to find ?“nice?” places to live. The more communities that join and become certified, the more enforcement of the rules will occur, resulting in eviction for repeated law breakers.
If you own or manage a multi-family housing community, and would like more information on joining the Crime Free Multi Housing program, please contact:
Zone 1 ?– Ofc. Dave Belesi ?– 647-6063 David.Belesi@jaxsheriff.org
Zone 2 ?– Ofc. Mike Tomberg ?– 647-6063 Michael.Tomberg@jaxsheriff.org
Zone 3 ?– Ofc. John Prevost ?– 739-1051 John.Prevost@jaxsheriff.org
Zone 4 ?– Ofc. Mary Davis ?– 738-8908 Mary.Davis@jaxsheriff.org
Zone 5 ?– Ofc. Joe Lee ?– 738-8907 Joseph.Lee@jaxsheriff.org
Zone 6 ?– Ofc. Amanda Meyer ?– 696-4335 Amanda.Meyer@jaxsheriff.org

Thank you,
Officer John T. Prevost #7432
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Crime Free Multi-Housing Unit


(904) 739-1051 Crime Free Unit Office ?– Zone 3

Email: john.prevost@jaxsheriff.org