safety & security

Safety and security for your residents is an important aspect of rental property ownership. Done correctly, it can significantly reduce or possibly eliminate your liability exposure. The best part is it isn’t expensive. ARPOLA offers three ways to help you enhance safety and security on your property. We covered the first under Resident Screening as it is important not to rent to criminals to start with. Here are the other two:

CrimShield Certified Service Personnel

Don’t let criminals on your property to perform maintenance or other services!

As a rental property owner you have a responsibility to send not only qualified service personnel on your property, but non-criminals, too. Imagine your potential liability if your pest control providers sent a convicted felon like a sex offender out to your property. No tenant screening or apartment rental agreement could prevent that. Now as a part of your landlord association membership, you can insist only CrimShield Certified service personnel are sent to your property for all types of services like plumbing, electrical, pool cleaning, pest control, flooring and more. Also, as a CrimShield rental property owner, you can let your residents know that you are a landlord they can trust.

A CrimShield Certified vendor, owner or property manager has met all of the stringent qualifications, which have been verified by a private investigator, including but not limited to, the following:

• Have a United States Government issued identification card.
• No criminal history has been found by CrimShield in the following categories:
  • Violent misdemeanors for the last five (5) years.
  • Drug related misdemeanor within the last five (5) years
  • Felonies for the past ten (10) years.
  • No pending or looming legal action which may result in a misdemeanor or felony conviction.
  • Any sex crime ever.
  • Any crime involving children, ever.
• Verified Personal Profile – SS# belongs to this person with this DOB.
• Professionally investigated and verified background check.
• Current, accurate personal photograph with required validation from employer.
• Agreement to share their crime-free history.
• Agreement to live by the CrimShield Code of Conduct.

All CrimShield background checks use the most recent and verifiable information available. CrimShield does not rely solely on database searches which are often outdated and inaccurate. Their checks focus on first, determining that the applicant is who they say they are; second, that they have an accurate criminal history.

All CrimShield Certified employees are issued ID cards which bear their photo, name and company logo. These ID cards should be available for online verification to any resident or management employee.

ARPOLA Crime-Free Program **COMING SOON**

ARPOLA presents, for the first time, a comprehensive Crime-Free program for the independent housing industry.  This program, part of ARPOLA’s comprehensive MAPP Program, has had an overwhelming response from both property owners and managers, not to mention all other rental property personnel.  Not only does it concentrate on how not to rent to residents who may participate in illegal activity, but it will teach you what to do if you suspect such activity.  For those of you who operate rental housing, this program and its training is priceless.

This training for owners and property managers has developed as one of the most comprehensive in the nation.  Instead of bringing you just another seminar on crime, this 3 hour course gives you strategies and real “how to” information.  You will learn what things keep criminals from even thinking of renting in your rental property and how to use landscaping and “environmental design” to deter criminal activity.  By the end of this program, you too, will be contributing to your increasing bottom line and reducing your stress.  This program is also paired with a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Checklist that can save you up to an extra 10% on your property insurance costs through ARPOLA’s exclusive Evolution Insurance Program.

Our research has shown that over 90% of owners and managers who have taken the original course agree that they feel more secure in their ability to screen applicants, are more likely to recognize warning signs of illegal activity, and are more confident of their ability to act directly on the problems in their rental property.  Of the owners/managers who have taken the course and have had to deal with crime-involved residents, 94% report using information from the course to help resolve the problem.

The ARPOLA Crime Free Program offers ideas to stabilize your resident base, lessen your time in crisis control, and provide increased profits.   The basis of the Crime Free concept is to help honest residents rent from responsible landlords, while preventing those involved in illegal activity from abusing rental housing and the neighborhoods in which they stand.

Landlords and property managers who apply the active property management principles presented in this program have consistently seen improvements in the quality of their rental business.  Applying the information presented in this training can result in significant benefits to each of the three interest groups in a residential neighborhood: Whole communities can become safer, residents can enjoy better housing, and landlords can enjoy greater business success.  Here’s how it works:

Costs of Drug Activity in Rentals

When drug criminals operate out of rental property, neighborhoods suffer and landlords pay a high price.  That price may include:

1. Declines in property values particularly when the activity begins affecting the reputation of the neighborhood.
2. Property damage arising from abuse, retaliation, or neglect.
3. Toxic contamination and/or fire resulting from manufacturing or grow operations.
4. Civil penalties, including loss of property use for up to one year, and property damage resulting from police raids.
5. Loss of rent during the eviction and repair periods.
6. The fear and frustration of dealing with dangerous residents.
7. Increased resentment and anger between neighbors and property managers.

Benefits of Active Management

Active management can prevent much of the crime occurring in rentals today.  Developing an active management style requires a commitment to establishing a new approach.  Landlords and managers interviewed for this program, who have made the switch to more active management, consistently report these rewards:

1. A stable, more satisfied tenant base.
2. Increased demand for rental units particularly units that have a reputation for active management.
3. Lower maintenance and repair costs.
4. Improved property values.
5. Improved personal safety for residents, landlords, and managers.
6. The peace of mind that comes from spending more time on routine management and less on crisis control.
7. Appreciative neighbors.