A Landlords Crime Prevention Handbook

a joint project of

HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

DOOLING PROPERTIES, INC.

OPERATION SAFESTREET

PHILOSOPHY

Owning rental property comes with lots of responsibilities The obvious are the business and financial responsibilities. You need to keep the property full and rent collected so the bills and mortgage can be paid, and you can earn a return on your investment. Some financial gain is the whole point, and there's no reason to apologize.

There are other responsibilities. Most immediate is to the tenants. You have a contract with them. They agree to pay rent and maintain their living environment, while you agree to maintain a safe and sound building (in some cases including utility payments) and a working infrastructure (wiring, heat, water heater, plumbing, etc). These responsibilities must be maintained even if the tenants stop paying their rent.

There is another obligation... to the community, the neighborhood in which your building is located. Just as your neighbor's house affects the neighborhood you live in, your rental property also affects the neighborhood. You have the responsibility to be a reasonable member of the neighborhood in which you own property. The fact that you don't personally live there does not relieve you from that responsibility.

The physical condition of your property has a direct effect on the neighborhood - property values, morale, aesthetics, etc. The people you rent to become part of that neighborhood, and their actions and lifestyle affect the neighborhood. The condition of your property is reasonably easy to see and understand. The effect of your renters on the neighborhood is a lot tougher. People have their own lifestyles, their own concept of what's socially acceptable. After all, you're their landlord, not their mother. All you can do is try to combine a little diplomacy, a little social work and common sense when problems arise between your renters and the neighborhood.

But there are some cases when everyone agrees that a renter's behavior has a negative impact on the neigh-borhood. This booklet has been written to give you some ideas on how to avoid problem renters, how to spot them before they get out of hand, and some things you and the neighborhood can do to control or eliminate problems.

Keep in mind people's differences in lifestyle and values when screening applicants, dealing with residents, and while reading this booklet. It's important to NOT make judgements or evaluate a situation based solely on how you would react in the same situation.

contents
SCREENING

TO WHOM DO YOU RENT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH PROBLEMS EXCEPT PROBLEM TENANTS?

Good question. There's no easy answer. A couple of things that always hold true. First, if you rent to problem tenants, sooner or later, you'll wish you hadn't, maybe financially, maybe because of the complaints from the neighbors, but you will. Secondly, if you rent to problems, its guaranteed the neighborhood is not going to become a better neighborhood because of them.

The hard part is identifying the problems BEFORE they move in. Here are some ways to start.

APPLICATION

This is the basic tool of screening. information is a powerful tool. Buy standard forms at office supply stores or make one up yourself. Have one filled out by each adult to be living in the apartment. Married couples can fill one out jointly. There are a number of things you may want to include as a minimum.

Full Legal Name, including middle Social Security Number Birth Date Spouse's Legal Name, include maiden name Spouse's Social Security Number Spouse's Birth Date Names, ages, SS # of minors to be in residence Person to Call in Emergency - name, address, phone, relation Residence History - For each adult get complete, accurate information for at least the last five years, preferably seven, including present address. Mini-mum information should include address, phone number (for present address), dates of residence, landlord's name, address, and phone. Employment - For each adult, company name, address, and phone, job address, position, dates of employment, monthly income. Bank - including account number Other Income - other jobs, pension, AFDC, SSI, SSDI, any revenue showing ability to pay rent. Credit References - banks, credit cards, loans Character References, not relatives Automobile - make, model, color, license plates, vehicle identification number Signature and Date - including a statement that the applicant acknowledges a background investigation will be made, including credit history, and that applicant gives permission for this.

Okay, what does all this tell you? First, assume every applicant could be a problem, and is trying to hide that from you. Also, screening must be consistent with all applicants to be fair and to avoid potential liability.

The basics - name, social security number, etc - are self explanatory. However, anybody can say his name is John Doe. Ask for two forms of identification, at least one with photo, preferably a driver's license or state identification. Other photo identification is available for a few dollars from outlets that will put any information on the card without verifying the accuracy. Make copies. You never know when you'll want a photo of them later. Compare name and spelling, social security number, address etc. to the information on the application.

Social Security numbers are issued in specific groups by state of issue. For instance, all numbers issued in Missouri begin with numbers from 486 through 500. The prefixes and their states of issue are listed in the back of this book. Check this to see if the state matches any address on the application. A no-match may only mean the applicant's number was issued prior to the period covered on the application. Any prefix other than those listed been issued as of 1991.

Residence history is important. Call previous landlords. Verify residence period, pay history, re-verify their social security number, that they left in good standing. Were there neighbor complaints, etc.? If this landlord still has the previous application, ask if you can check information on that application against information on your application.

You'll get all kinds of responses from other landlords. Some will be open and helpful; some will only do it by mail; some will refuse to give you any information at all. Many want to see the signed authorization. A note of caution. Some landlords give glowing referrals for present tenants because they want to get rid of them. Occasionally landlords give poor referrals falsely as a means of keeping a tenant. Try to give the kind of information to other landlords that you'd want them to give to you.

Check the application to see if the landlord's name, address, or phone number repeats elsewhere. For example, the landlord's phone is the same as the tenant's. This could suggest the landlord is close to the tenant, or that it's not the landlord at all, but a well-informed friend. Or the landlord may actually live in the building and lets the tenant use his/her phone.

You will also get applications from people who put down their mother (sister, uncle, etc) as their landlord. This could be true. The applicant may live at home with mom, or mom might own the building the applicant lives in. It's possible that the applicant pays mom rent, and therefore considers mom the landlord, even though mom may pay rent to the real landlord. The upshot of all this is you can usually expect mom to agree with whatever the applicant said, and this makes it tough to believe the information. There are people who always give mom's address for mail, credit applications, driver's license, etc. In this way, over the years, any time they give the address, other sources will verify it as true. Needless to say, these folks haven't lived with mom for years. But it's hard to prove. Two things to bear in mind. First, call and confirm anyway. Mom, or a little sister may still give you the truth, maybe unintentionally, maybe intentionally. Second, it's theoretically possible for a 30 year old adult with four kids to have never lived away from home, but it's not very common.

Verify employment. when you talk to employers, check the obvious (will earnings pay the rent?) and also try to get a feel for the type of person the applicant is.

Also remember that if you're talking to a 'supervisor' whose name the applicant gave you, it could be the applicant's friend. When possible, talk to the personnel department to verify the employment, income and supervisor's name. Also double check social security number and current address if they'll let you. Then speak to the supervisor about character, etc. Its common for employers to require this request in writing, or refuse beyond verifying employment.

Bank reference won't help you much for finding problem tenants, but some banks will answer questions like "Will a check for $(amount of rent) clear at this time?' You'll need the account number. By the way, don't accept checks for anything. Money orders are a lot harder to bounce.

Other income information may or may not help you, depending on what it is and what there is to find. If it’s a second job, verify the same as the main job. If it’s pension or government aid, ask the applicant for written documentation. Check information on the documents to see if it matches the application. Make a file copy for future reference.

Credit and character references may not seem to be much use at first. It's hard to believe that someone would use a reference for either that would say anything bad, but it happens. For example, the applicant may use a false current address, but their references may not know they're hiding the real address. Ask them what they think it is. To the other extreme, be cautious of friends who know the applicant's entire life history down to the last address number. It may be rehearsed, or written on a pad in front of them. For instance, you know exactly where your best friend lives, but couldn't recite the address from memory, much less the last three.

Automobile information is important for future reference. It allows you to identify the auto as belonging at the property after they've moved in. Note, if they own a car, but can't provide you with a current drivers license as photo identification, be suspicious.

Finally, the signature and date are mandatory. If the application is not signed, with the acknowledgement that an investigation will be made, much of the inquiry is illegal. Also, check the signature on the application against the identification cards, or any other document provided.

CREDIT CHECK

This Is an incredibly cheap but powerful tool. You may want to subscribe directly to a credit bureau. To subscribe, you have to be a business, and have a good reason to need the information. Being a landlord is a good reason. Being a business may be tougher for some people. Check with a couple of bureaus to get the requirements.

There are several things you may find in a credit report, many of which could have a perfectly logical and innocent explanation - or not. Things like addresses not shown on the application, different versions of their name, different social security numbers, the fact that the social security number has never been issued, credit reported by a landlord not listed on the application, court judgements (who was plaintiff and for what did they sue), etc. All useful information. Remember, bureaus make mistakes. Don't take everything as gospel. To be fair, allow the applicant an opportunity to explain the discrepancy, or to contact the bureau and have a correction made.

If you can't subscribe directly to a bureau, or choose not to, you can use a tenant screening service. Many are listed in the phone book. For a fee, they will do a credit check, verify residence and employment, etc. However, much of what they find out in the credit check they can't pass on to you.

They can only indicate general condition, court judgements/ bankruptcies, etc and make recommendations to accept or reject. Details of the credit check are not allowed. Therefore, talk carefully with one or two to make sure they know your criteria for acceptance.

POLICE RECORD CHECK

This has some value, but it can be misleading. What you're allowed to ask for is a conviction record check. The applicant is the only person who can obtain this document. They must go to the City or County police and request one. The conviction record check will cover both jurisdictions. It costs around $10.00, so some people will complain. Ask to see the original to confirm authenticity, make a copy for your files, and return the original. They can use the original for other purposes or for other apartments if you turn them down.

The conviction record check is just what it implies. It states all convictions, if any, presently on record in this general jurisdiction. There are drawbacks. First, it doesn't deal with arrests, only convictions. People are innocent until proven guilty, and arrests are therefore not part of the record.

Secondly, the applicant may have a conviction record in another jurisdiction which won't show up. But every little bit of info helps. Speaking of screening information, another valuable resource is the Circuit Clerk's file room located on the 3rd floor of the Civil Courts Building. There is a public access computer terminal that allows you to enter in the prospective tenant's name in order to see if there are any civil or criminal cases pending on this individual. This is city information only, county information will cost you.

DROP BY INSPECTION

This is just what it sounds like. Drop by the applicant's current address, unannounced, at a time when you can reasonably expect them to be home. Ask them to let you do a cursory walk through of their apartment. Explain that you expect some untidiness, etc. but that it is important you see how they generally live without any warning. Generally, follow your gut reaction of the apartment. Is what you see what you want your property to be like. Look for some specific confirmation that the applicant really lives at this address, mail addressed to them for example. Also, look for things that indicate potential illicit activity (See CLUES.)

That's about all to the screening process. It takes time. It's not simple. But if you're going to deny an applicant, you have to have solid, documented reasons. This process should provide that documentation. If you complete all this and haven't got a documented reason to deny, don't. Generally, you look at an application trying to find a reason to approve it. After all, the object is to fill the vacancy.

contents
MOVE-IN

USE WRITTEN LEASES

You can buy standard leases at office supply and stationery stores. Another option is to hire an attorney to write one for you, or write an addendum to a standard lease to incorporate specific concerns you have. A lease containing crime free/drug-free clauses is strongly recommended. They are available through neighborhood landlord associations.

Working on a verbal agreement, especially month to month, leaves lots of options open to the resident, such as moving extra people into the apartment, or even moving other people in and then turning it over to them, keys and all. There are folks out there with good backgrounds who get apartments for other with not so good backgrounds. They wouldn't necessarily stop paying the rent, but they may become residents who cause other problems. And you've never screened these folks. Without a lease, you could have a tough time getting them out.

Further, the lease stipulates what is and is not acceptable use of the premises, what rent is due, to whom, and when. Verbal, month to month tenancy leaves everything up to a question of your word against someone else's. And you can bet they can find two or three others who heard it exactly the way they're recalling it.

Include in the lease a provision that illegal activity, including drug activity, on or around the property is a breach of the contract and cause for immediate termination.

RULES

Spell out in detail the type of behavior you expect from tenants. If you don't set the limits, the tenants will, and they'll set them to their own liking. Or they may set no limits at all. It must be done at the beginning of their tenancy. Don't try to dictate lifestyle.

The rules and regulations can be made an addendum to the lease, so that violation of the rules is grounds to terminate the lease. Have the tenant sign a receipt when they move in confirming that they have reviewed and understand the rules and regulations, so you can prove they are not ignorant of their content. Tenant should be given a copy of the rules and regulations.

Tell tenants the manner in which you expect them to pay rent, when, to whom. Explain what acceptable hours are for parties, music, etc. Where gatherings are allowed, size limits, etc., where to put the trash, where they can or can't hang laundry, store extra possessions, let their kids play, and so on.

Set the limits for overnight guests. State how many at one time, acceptable length of stay. Request that the guest's name, car make and model, etc. be given to the landlord in advance so that you'll know they belong if a problem arises.

Give them directions to follow in case of emergencies, etc. Direct them to inform you any time the police or fire department has been on the property, even if it's not in their apartment. It's amazing that an entire building will assume someone else has done this. The police and fire department often don't. They expect the tenants will or already have.

CONFIRMATION

When tenants move in, reconfirm the pertinent information on the application - names, ages, and social security numbers of all persons who will occupy the apartment, make, model and plate numbers of any cars, job location, supervisor and phone, and name and phone of emergency contact person.

UTILITIES

It's helpful to provide the tenant with a list of utility companies, and the phone numbers needed to turn on service. Be prepared to receive a confirmation call from one or more of them, though you may get none at all. None of them has time to check every new service. If they do call, make sure you give the the name and social security number from the tenant's application. Be honest about names of any minors in the family. There are lots of reasons someone might set their utilities up in a different name, not all of which are cause for alarm on the landlord's part (although most are cause for alarm on the utilities' part). But you need to provide accurate information, just as you expect it when you check prospective tenants.

contents
DAILY OPERATIONS

Your residents can't be expected to care about your property anymore than you appear to care for your property. Set an example. Visit your property . . . preferably more than once a year, and not just when you have a vacancy, or to collect the rent. Go by the property just to be around. Be visible. Go by at different times of the day and evening, even at night. Believe it, in some neighborhoods it'll shock and impress your tenants. Only if you're around at different times and different days do you get an accurate feel for what the neighborhood is all about, and even then, you still won't live there. In that regard, your property belongs more to your tenants than to you.

While you're there, talk to your tenants. Be friendly, but not their friend. Express basic respect for them as human beings, and expect the same. Always make sure they know you're the boss, in word, deed, and attitude, but without being rude about it. Ask them what's going on, how things are in the building, in the neighborhood. Let them know you will treat information they give you as confidential. Let them pass info to the police through you. If they express suspicions about something happening in the building or the neighborhood, take it seriously and follow up on it. But try to put a time lapse between your conversation with them, and your response. Don't make it easy for the tenant under suspicion to connect the complaint with the complaining tenant. One easy way to do this is to talk to each tenant in the building on the same visit. Regardless of the outcome, let them know you followed up, so they know you listened, and so they'll talk to you again. Remember, you don't live there. Your tenants are your eyes and your ears. Listen. And provide ample opportunity for them to talk.

Make notes about frequent visitors to the property and their cars. If you see them regularly, identify yourself and ask their name. Write it down, along with the car make, etc. Ask anyone's name on your property whom you feel may be out of place (again, identify yourself). It's your property. What tenant or friend would be offended by your efforts to protect them and the property, except the sources of trouble. Most people when asked will answer without a problem. Make a note of those who do have a problem. Don't push it. Ask the tenant they are supposedly visiting for more info.

Conduct occasional inspections of tenants' apartments. Whenever you can, do them unannounced. Generally, the tenants who will let you do a drop in inspection are not the ones you'll need to worry about. A tenant cannot be required to allow you access unannounced without good cause. They can require reasonable notice. Twenty four hours should suffice. In these instances, ask the other tenants what went on between notice and the inspection. Were people, extra furnishings, etc moving out? Into the basement?

Whenever you have a problem with a tenant breaking the rules or violating the law, regardless of how you learn of it, respond promptly, respond firmly, and respond In a way that lets all tenants and neighbors know what happened and why. It can serve as warning to some, and a show of support for those who are trying to make things decent. Express an attitude of Zero Tolerance.

Check around your property and the surrounding neighborhood. Drive down the alley, as well as the street. Get out of your car and walk around a little. Meet the neighbors. Give them your phone number. Extend to them the same assurance of anonymity that you extend to your tenants for information. Let them know that you want to know about illicit activity on the property, and that you will respond if notified. But if they call and you don't respond, explain to them why, or you can't expect to hear from them again. They may consider you part of the problem after that.

As simple as it may sound, get to know the police. Stop in at the command station and introduce yourself to anybody who's got a minute. Any time you see a police officer on a walking beat or cruising down your street, wave, say hi, introduce yourself, if they seem to have the time. (Bear in mind that the police have good reasons to be nervous on the street, so approach "gently.") Tell them where your building is, etc. Tell them that any time there's a problem on your property, you'll back them up; that you'll come down and sign a warrant if an arrest is made and that you're willing to go to court. It's very simple. If they make an arrest and you back it up through the courts, they feel like they've spent their time well. If you use them to get rid of a problem at the moment, but won't help them keep the criminals off the street long-term, you can see how they'd be less than anxious to help you with your problems after awhile. It's human nature. You also need to remember, the police have to prioritize calls, and they can't be everywhere at once. Nor can they investigate every problem / suspicion overnight. Be persistent, but be patient.

Also, get to know the neighborhood groups in the area of your property. Be active. Encourage your residents to be active. Show up at a meeting once in a while. Participate to some degree. Share information. The neighborhood can be eyes, ears, witnesses, watchdogs, if they think you're a neighbor worth doing it for.

Last note for this section. ALWAYS, take requests for lock repairs, broken exterior lights, etc seriously. It's important that your tenants know you consider their basic security a priority.

contents
CLUES

There are numerous things to watch or listen for on and around your property - during drop-in inspections for instance - that suggest illegal activity is taking place on your property or in the vicinity. Generally, these are associated with drugs and related activity.

Some of these may simply be indicators that the tenants have different life styles from yours. Remember, not everyone lives your life. Don't jump to conclusions, but observe and make mental notes. In some cases you're looking for multiple, repetitious dues. Some dues lead to immediate conclusions.

TRAFFIC Frequent short-term traffic; lots of in-and-out visitors. The revolving door, like they have at volume discount stores. especially if access is by way of the rear yard, by the rear door, from a car left running at the curb or double parked with or without a driver / passenger waiting in the car, at all hours of the night or 24 hours. Also watch for frequent conversations / transactions at a win-dow to the residence.

OPEN DOOR POLICY Associated with traffic are non-residents who regularly come and go through an unlocked door, or with what appear to be their own sets of keys.

CROWDS Also associated with traffic. The front porch or back yard appears to have become the official neighborhood hangout. Sometimes the appearance of the crowd is amazingly associated with sundown.

EXTRA BODIES Some of the guests appear to never leave, or there appear to be overnight guests every night, always the same one, or maybe never the same person twice.

NOT ENOUGH BODIES With all the people around, check to make sure that the person you leased to is one of them. You may have had tenants who went to work the day after they moved in and never came home. But their mall still came to the building. Plenty of other people lived there too.

LIGHTING Watch for exterior lighting that's always burned out or missing light bulbs. Also, tenants that never use their porch lights.

LOCKS Check locks to see if they're the ones you installed. Don't go by looks. It could be the same lock body, with a new set of pins. Be suspicious if the lock change occurs immediately after move in, or occurs repeatedly. On the other hand, some tenants' locks get broken by a visitor, child, or burglar and with good intentions, they replace them rather than reporting It to you. It's your right to have a working set of keys to your property. It's your tenant's right to have privacy and reasonable notice of entry. Don't abuse it.

WINDOWS Watch for dosed draperies and windows when most people have them open; say, on a warm spring day. Of course, your tenant may work night shift and simply need it dark and quiet in order to sleep. Or, open windows on a day when most would be closed, giving the appearance that something is being ventilated. Of course, it could be burned toast.

Watch also for broken windows that haven't been reported. Check to see if the glass is in the inside or the outsIde. This indicates from which side the glass was broken. Watch for repeated breakage.

LITTER Look at trash on the properly, in the apartments, in the alley. If you want to be real nosey, look in the dumpster now and then. The end of a weekend would be a productive time to check.

There are lots of things to look for. Empty liquor containers. Empty beverage cans with odd holes punched in them or bum spots, generally a makeshift pipe. Wasted disposable lighters, or burned books of matches, empty matchbook covers, in quantity or in a small area (somebody's smoking a lot of something). Razor blades, utility knife blades, and the like. Unusually small ziploc bags. Syringes, hypodermic needles which may indicate someone has diabetes, or may indicate something else.



contents
CONTROL / ABATEMENT

DOCUMENTATION

Keep a written record of everything. As soon as you develop specific suspicions about a tenant, or receive a complaint from a neighbor about activity, write it down. Also, keep notes of any action you initiate. If you speak to the tenant, keep a log of when and the content. Send written follow-up notices when appropriate, and keep a file copy. If the police become involved, keep logs of name, content, and date / time of phone conversations. Again, send a written follow-up and keep a file copy when appropriate. In the event a criminal situation on your property becomes serious, it's important that you can document reasonable efforts to abate the situation and cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

LOCK THE DOOR

Start with the basics. Make sure every apartment has a working deadbolt lock on every door. As money allows, put reinforcing plates on the door jams, and the door around the lock. If the door has a window in it, or if there is a window within easy reach of the door lock, replace it with plexiglass, or, on the door, close it up with lumber, and install a peep hole.

Do the same to the basement windows. Make sure all the windows have working latches. You may wish to add elaborate locks to the first floor windows, or at least allow the tenant to do so. When installing any locking device to what may be an emergency exit, consider the ability of a confused person, in a panic, in the dark to open it and get out.

TRAFFIC CONTROL

Try to slow down the "revolving door". If your property is fenced, put padlocks on the gates, especially in the rear, and appoint one tenant (make sure it's the right one) as the keeper of the key. Ask them to unlock it in the morning and lock it in the evening. On the back gate, this may only be necessary the day before trash pick up. On a property where lots of traffic is a problem, tenants may be volunteering for the job, it returns control to them. Don't refuse keys to other residents if they request them. This would violate their right to enjoy the entire property.

Consider taking this same action with your basements. Often, the only reason residents need access to the basement is for a meter reader. Again, the keeper of the keys can provide the needed access.

Install a fence if you have the money. Avoid using privacy fencing which totally blocks light and vision, You don't want to create “cover" and dark spots. If the money isn't there, try fencing traffic spots only, like gangways between buildings. It will still restrict through traffic. Another option might be planting thorny shrubs. These can be effective not just for through traffic, but beneath windows, etc. Be creative.

VISIBILITY

It's basic. Given a choice of commiting a crime in the open or under cover, we all know where the crime is done. The trick then is to minimize low visibility spots on your property. Avoid landscaping that provides cover. Use low shrubs, leave plenty of space between shrubs (an exception here might be a thorn hedge planted as a barrier), keep low limbs on trees trimmed, avoid solid privacy fences.

LIGHTING

Once the property is open and visible, light it up. This simply extends the benefits of visibility into the night, when it's most needed. On a simple level, provide each exterior doorway, front and back, with a porch light. This allows the tenants to have the control and pay the electric bill. The lights provide basic exterior lighting, and suggest that people are home and watching. Sometimes, porch light bulbs get stolen by people for their own home. Try using yellow bulbs to discourage this. If it doesn't stop, at least a quick drive down the block after dark will give you a hint of who's doing it. They’ll be the folks with the yellow living room lights.

Beyond that, the sky is the limit. There are many lighting devices available. You can make the back yard look like a stadium if you like. You can hook up lighting to tenant meters with their consent, or have an extra meter for public lighting and pay it out of building expenses.

KEEP IT CLEAN

A trashy property tends to breed or attract trashy behavior. Litter in general should be controlled. Your yard is not a dump for the neighborhood or your residents. Encourage residents to participate in keeping litter picked up. Watch for "storage" of large items in the yard, such as couches, refrigerators, and for unlicensed or inoperable cars. Residents will undoubtedly assure you that it's just for a day or two. You can be cited for ordinance violations. So don't tolerate trash.

CALL THE POLICE

If a tenant reports a crime on your property by an outsider, make sure they called the police. It still amazes me that some people have become so accustomed to crime that they don't bother telling anyone . . . police, landlord, nobody!

Follow up with the police to see if there is anything you can do to assist. Tell them that you will prosecute if an arrest is made, assuming you have suffered a loss and are therefore a victim. Work with the tenant to encourage them to do the same.

If you've got enough to convince yourself somebody on the property is committing a crime on the property, report your suspicions to the police. This is easier if you've made the contacts with the police suggested earlier. Tell them what you suspect, who's involved, and everything that has led to this conclusion. Follow it up in writing, and keep a copy. Be available for follow up, cooperate, and let them do their job. Sometimes it takes time.

Don't expect the police to enforce your lease. They can't, and they won't. Landlord / tenant disputes are a civil matter.

INFORMATION

Information is the most important tool you've got. In order to use it, you must have it. Collection of this starts with the screening process. Save all the information you collect. Write down and keep any subsequent information, such as the names of visitors. Look at names / addresses on any discarded mail you find when picking up litter around the property. Any names provided by neighbors. Keep it all.

Don't give it out as fact unless you can confirm it and document it. But it could help in direct conversation with problem tenants.

EVICTION

File proper court action to remove the resident and all other occupants from the unit. This is a relatively simple process which you can do yourself, or hire an attorney to do for you. You may find that hiring an attorney is easier. Besides, they know the law better than you do, as well as the ins and outs of court. Attached to the form filed in court should be a description of the tenant, a birthdate, a social security number and a picture. This will expedite the eviction process.

Filing a court action can serve another purpose. It provides documentation that you are taking appropriate action to abate the situation on your apartment. There are laws now that require a landlord to abate a nuisance, and this is the strongest evidence you can have that you are attempting to abate.




CIvil Cover Sheet | Unlawful Detainer | Affadavit

OPERATION CRACKDOWN

OPERATION CRACKDOWN, a joint program of representative agencies from the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri and the United States Government, offers a new approach to neighbor-hood renewal in our community. Utilizing the resources of a broad array of community organizations as well as the criminal justice system, Operation Crackdown is an effort to remove drug traffickers from targeted neighborhoods and to restore stability and safety to once viable neighborhoods.

Using a combination of federal, state and local laws, the Operation Crackdown team targets homes which are used to facilitate the sale of drugs for possible seizure and forfeiture action. If the home is forfeited, and after due process of the law, this program provides for its return to the City of St. Louis and, ultimately, to a not-for-profit organization for charitable purposes or other worthwhile use.

In the case of absentee-owners (or landlords), the Operation Crackdown team notifies the owner of the alleged drug activity. If no action is taken by the owners to correct the situation, they may lose the use of their property for up to one year or the home may be forfeited. This approach was designed to motivate absentee landlords to screen applicants and manage their properties more responsibly.

In either case, by removing irresponsible tenants and owners of property where drugs are being sold, and by returning those homes to the control ot neighborhood residents, the program provides a strong incentive for neighborhoods to become more active partners in the fight against drugs and its related crime.

TURN THEM IN

There are a number of entities to whom you can report information about problem tenants which can result in additonal pressure for the tenant to stop the problem activity, or cause the tenant to move. It may be useful to warn the tenant of your intention to do so if they don't desist. It might cause the desired response without any further action.

Turn over information about the tenants to the credit bureau or tenant screening service you used in the screening process. These services have forms for this purpose. It is just as important to do this with tenants who always pay the rent in full and on time. One of the main objectives is to provide the bureau with the address and time period which they rented from you. In this way, the address will show up in credit checks by subsequent landlords. It may serve to verify the information provided to this new landlord, or it may serve to provide the new landlord with an address NOT provided on the application.

Keep the Neighborhood Assodation informed about problems, making sure that all information you give is true, accurate and documented. Keep your opinions to yourself.

It's possible that some aspect of the tenant's behavior is a violation of a building, safety, or health code. Trash, junk cars, crowding are possible examples. Call the appropriate government entity and ask if there is a violation, report it. However, be prepared for some of the heat to come down on you. Not all violations can be clearly blamed on a tenant. Even if they can, it's still your responsibility to abate some conditions to protect the other tenants. But it is another form of external pressure.

If the tenant application indicates they receive some form of governrnent assistance, that agency may wish to hear from you in cases where extra residents are present, and espedally when it's the extra people who cause the problem. Some assistance is based on household income. It's possible that the extra people and their incomes are not being reported to the agency. Be certain that information you provide is documented. Don't expect any direct response back from the agency. That would be a violation of confidentiality.

---

contents
SOCIAL SECURITY PREFIXES

001-003 004-007 008-009 010-034 035-039 040-049 050-134 135-158 159-211 212-220 221-222 223-231 232-236 237-246 247-251 252-260 261-267 268-302 303-317 318-361

NH ME VT MA RI CT NY NJ PA MD DE VA WV NC SC GA FL OH IN IL

362-386 387-399 400-407 408-415 446-424 425-428 429-432 433-439 440-448 449-467 468-477 478-485 486-500 501-502 503-504 505-508 509-515 516-517 518-519 602-626

MI WI KY TN AL MS AR LA OK TX MN IA MO ND SD NE KS MT ID CA

520 521-524 525 526-527 528-529 530 531-539 540-544 545-573 574 575-576 577-579 580-584 585 586 587-588 589-595 596-599 600-601

WY CO NM AZ UT NV WA OR CA AK HI DC PR-VI NM GU MS FL PR-VI AZ

---

contents
A FEW HELPFUL PHONE NUMBERS

EMERGENCY CITY OF ST. LOUIS Aldermen, Board of Building Inspection Citizens' Service Bureau Housing Authority Housing Conservation District Housing Court Housing Resource Center Juvenile Court Lights - Street & Alley Operation Brightside Neighborhood Stabilization Team Operation Safestreet Police - Area I (Dist. 1, 2, 3) Area 2 (Dist. 4, 5, 9) Area 3 (Dist. 6, 7, 8) Renter's Rights School Board Sheriff Telephone Bulletin Board Victim Services Warrant Office OTHERS Aid to Victims of Crime Child Abuse Hotline Circuit Attorney Circuit Clerk Dept. of Natural Resources Division of Energy Drugs, Gangs& Homicide Hotline Legal Aid Missouri Victim Compensation Nat'l Org. for Victim. Asst. United Way 1st Call for Help Victim Service Council - County

911 622-3287 822-4755 622-4800 531-4770 622-3352 622-4200 771-2273 531-3600 664-2044 781-4556 622-4628 622-3444 444-0100 444-2500 444-0001 622-3301 231-3720 622-4766 622-3456 622-4373 622-3341 OKBEMAD 1-800-392-3738 622-4941 622-4485 1-800-334-6946 241-2677 367-1700 1-751-4231 202-393-6682 421-INFO 889-3075