Crime Free Multi-Housing Program

Keeping Rental Properties Safe

The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is a crime prevention program designed to reduce crime, drugs, and gangs on apartment properties.

Why Participate?

Certified properties have reported up to a 70% reduction in calls for police service.

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

  • Decline in property values
  • Property damage arising from abuse, retaliation or neglect
  • Fire resulting from manufacturing or growing operations
  • Fear or frustration when dealing with dangerous and threatening tenants
  • Resentment and anger between neighbors and property managers
  • The loss of other valued tenants

Crime Free Multi-Housing Program Details

This solution-oriented program is designed to be easy, yet very effective in reducing crime on rental property. The program consists of three phases that must be completed under the supervision of the Ankeny Police Department. Property managers can become individually certified after completing training in each phase and the property becomes certified upon successful completion of all three phases.

Phase I - Management Training

This eight-hour training for property managers is taught by the Ankeny Police Department. Topics include:

  • Crime Prevention Theory
  • CPTED Theory (Physical Security)
  • Benefits of Resident Screening
  • Lease Agreements and Eviction Issues
  • Crime Free Lease Addendum
  • Key Control and Master Key Use
  • On-going Security Management
  • Monitoring and Responding to Criminal Activity
  • Gangs, Drugs Activity and Crime Prevention
  • Legal Warnings, Notices and Evictions
  • Working Smarter with the Police, Fire and Life Safety Training Community Awareness
  • A resource manual is supplied with additional handouts

Phase II - Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Survey (CPTED)

This is a security assessment of the rental property to certify that minimum safety requirements have been met. The assessment includes:

  • Minimum door, window and lock standards compliance inspection
  • Minimum exterior lighting standards evaluation
  • Key Control procedures evaluation
  • Landscape maintenance standards compliance

Phase III - Community Awareness Training

Annual crime prevention social taught by property management and police to the tenants of the property.

Crime Free Multi-Housing Benefits

  • A stable, more satisfied tenant base
  • Increased demand for rental units with a reputation for active management
  • Lower maintenance and repair costs
  • Increased property values
  • Improved personal safety for tenants, landlords, and managers

Full certification (gold certificate) permits, the right to post the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program sign and advertise membership in the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program in the print media using the official logo.