Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration

• Events

• Files

• Links

• News

• Opinions

• Join Us
• Contact Us
• Search
• About Us
• Other Contacts

UPDATE: CRIME-FREE HOUSING ORDINANCE

Update:

More specific information about the Crime-Free Housing Ordinance is available at http://www.vil.carpentersville.il.us/police.htm.

Crime-Free Housing Ordinance

Carpentersville, Illinois

December 5, 2006

The program emphasizes two messages:

• Effective property management can significantly benefit the health of a community.
• Legitimate techniques can be used to stop illegal activity on rental property.

1. The landlord training seminar – 3-4 hour training course discusses issues on how to keep illegal activity out of rental property. Also a discussion panel having key personnel available to review rental and legal issues. Including additional information:

• keeping property up to code
• maintaining property to habitability standards
• applicant screening techniques
• rental agreements
• fair housing issue
• on-going management techniques
• warning signs of and gang activity
• the eviction process
• the role of the police

2. Notification of police activity – once you complete the seminar, the police landlord training coordinator will notify property owners, managers and or landlords of police activity which occurred on your rental property.

Common types of incidents which would be provided but not limited to are:

• noisy parties
• public nuisance
• possession and or distribution of controlled substances
• disorderly conduct or disturbances
• alcohol related incidents (sale to minors or MIC/MIP)
• assaults or abuse
• criminal damage to property
• violation of protection order
• delinquency of a minor

Program benefits:

Results of actively managing your rental property include:

• a stable more satisfied tenant base
• increased property values
• improved personal safety for tenants, landlords and managers
• peace of mind from spending more time on routine management and less time on crisis control.
• appreciative tenants and neighbors

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

Points to Consider – Costs for Drug Activity in Rental Property

• Decline in property values – particularly when the activity begins affecting the reputation of the neighborhood.
• Property damage arising from abuse, retaliation, or neglect; property damage from police raids.
• Fire resulting from manufacturing or growing operations.
• Civil penalties, including temporary closure of the property – or even property seizure.
• Loss of rent during the eviction and repair periods.
• Fear and frustration when dealing with dangerous and threatening tenants.
• Increased resentment and anger between neighbors and property managers.
• The loss of other valued residents.

Crime Free Housing Program – Keeping Illegal Activity out of Rental Property

ORDINANCE

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 5 AND TITLE 8 OF THE

CARPENTERSVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING RENTALS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE VILLAGE

WHEREAS, the President and Board of Trustees find it to be in the best interests of the Village to adopt the following amendments relative to rentals of residential properties in the Village.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Carpentersville, Kane County, Illinois, as follows:

SECTION A: The Carpentersville Municipal Code, Title 5, “Business Regulations’, Article II, “Licensing and Inspection Regulations for Residential Rental Property, Section 5.36.190, “License-Application’ is hereby amended by adding new subsections E. and F., which shall read as follows:

E. All persons applying for a license to operate a residential rental property shall submit proof that they have successfully completed a mandatory Crime Free Housing Seminar, administered by the Carpentersville Police Department, prior to issuance of the license. The Seminar may be attended after submittal of the application and the license may be issued after successful completion, as provided in Section 5.36.270.

F. All persons applying for a license to operate a residential rental property within the Village shall submit an affidavit stating that for all leases commencing after December 31, 2006, they will utilize a crime free lease addendum or have a clause in all leases similar to a crime free lease addendum, as further detailed in Section 5.36.260.

SECTION B: The Carpentersville Municipal Code, Title 5, “Business Regulations’, Article Il, “Licensing and Inspection Regulations for Residential Rental Property,’ Section 5.36.200, “Inspection Requirements — Temporary certificate license issuance or denial”, subsection B is hereby amended in its entirety as follows:

B. Upon receipt of a completed application for a license including the payment of all required fees and the scheduling of a required licensing inspection, the code official shall issue a temporary certificate indicating that a license has been duly applied for, and that such license shall be issued or denied after the property has been inspected for compliance with applicable village codes and all other requirements, including completion of a mandatory Crime Free Housing Seminar, have been met or completed.

SECTION C: The Carpentersville Municipal Code, Title 5, ‘Business

Regulations”, Article II, Licensing and Inspection Regulations for Residential Rental Property,” Section 5.36200, Inspection Requirements — Temporary certificate License issuance or denial subsection F. is hereby amended in its entirety as follows:

F. A licensing follow-up inspection will be conducted at the end of the compliance time frame unless arranged for earlier by the applicant. Upon completion of the licensing follow-up inspection of the residential rental property, a License shall be issued if the residential rental property scheduled for inspection meets the requirements of applicable village codes and all other requirements, including completion of a mandatory Crime Free Housing Seminar, have been met or completed. If the code official finds that the requirements of applicable village codes have not been met, a written denial of the license application revoking the temporary certificate and specifying the defects shall be transmitted by regular U.S. mail to the applicant.

SECTION D: The Carpentersville Municipal Code, Title 5, ‘Business Regulations”, Article II, “Licensing and Inspection Regulations for Residential Rental Property,” Section 5.36.250, “License suspension and revocation.” is hereby amended by amending subsections “A.” and “B.’ thereof to read in their entirety as follows:

A. Whenever, upon inspection of the licensed residential rental property or through other available information, it is determined by the appropriate officials of the village that conditions or practices exist on the residential rental property which are in violation of the provisions of this or any applicable law or ordinance of the village or that the property is otherwise not being operated in a manner conducive to the public health, morals or safety, the official making the determination shall in writing identify the specific facts of the violations and state what ordinance is being violated and state that unless the ordinance violations are corrected within a reasonable time specified in the notice, the operating license may be suspended or revoked. Notice pursuant to this section shall be sent by mail to the owner and a copy mailed to the occupants at the address of the property or individual dwelling unit found to be in violation.

B. The building shall be reinspected by the appropriate village officials at the end of the time allowed for correction of the violation(s) cited. The code official may suspend and/or recommend revocation of any license issued hereunder if it appears to his satisfaction from the report of any village officer or employee following reinspection, or any other available information, that the licensee is in continuing violation of any law or ordinance, or that a nuisance violation pertaining to tenant activity on the premises has or continues to occur (See Section 8.20.040), or that the licensee is operating in a manner not conducive to the public health, morals or safety.

SECTION E: The Carpentersville Municipal Code, Title 5, “Business Regulations”, Article II, “Licensing and Inspection Regulations for Residential Rental Property,” Section 5.36260, “Violation-Penalty” is hereby renumbered as Section 5.36.280 and new Sections 5.36.260 and 5.32.270 are hereby inserted, to read in their entirety as follows:

5.36.260. Crime Free Lease Addendum:

Any owner or property agent entering into leases regarding residential rental property after December 31, 2006, shall utilize a crime free lease addendum or have a clause in the lease similar to a crime free lease addendum. Samples of crime free lease addendums shall be available at no cost from the department of code administration. The department of community development shall review any clauses within actual leases to determine if the clause is similar to the required crime free lease addendum. The clause is to make criminal activity a lease violation and shall specify that criminal activity is not limited to violent criminal activity or drug-related criminal activity engaged in by, facilitated by, or permitted by the tenant, a member of the household, guest or other party under the control of the tenant. The operator or property agent shall have authority under the clause to initiate an eviction proceeding as specified in the Illinois Forcible Entry and Detainer statutes. Proof of a criminal violation shall be by a preponderance of the evidence. Failure to include a crime free lease addendum or similar approved language may result in suspension or revocation of the license to rent property within the village.

5.36.270. Crime Free Housing Seminar:

A. After December 31, 2006, any owner of residential rental property or residential rental property within the village, or their property agent, shall attend and complete a Village of Carpentersville Crime Free Housing Program Seminar prior to being issued a new or renewed license to rent under this Article.

B. In the event a Village of Carpentersville Crime Free Housing Program Seminar is not available prior to obtaining the license to rent, a temporary license may be issued subject to the owner or property agent attending the Program Seminar within three months of issuance of the temporary license. In the event the Seminar is not attended within three months, the temporary license shall be void without any need of further action. After the seminar is attended, a license shall be issued for the balance of the year.

C. A property agent shall be considered an agent of the owner. If a new property agent is hired, the new agent shall have three months after hiring to attend the Village of Carpentersville Crime Free Housing Program Seminar.

D. An owner, agent or designee shall attend the Village of Carpentersville Crime Free Housing Program Seminar every three years.

E. The Crime Free Housing Program Coordinator, as designated by the Chief of Police, shall provide the Department of Code Administration with a list of owners, agents and/or designees who have attended the Village of Carpentersville Crime Free Housing Program Seminar, with the date of attendance and verification that the owner or property agent has complied with this ordinance and is eligible to obtain, maintain or renew the license to rent.

SECTION F: The Carpentersville Municipal Code, Title 8, “Health and Safety”, Chapter 8, “Nuisances Generally,” Section 8.20.040, “Premises” is hereby amended by designating the existing text as subsection A. and adding a new subsection B., to read in its entirety as follows:

B. It is hereby declared a nuisance and against the health, peace and comfort of the village for any property owner, property agent or manager to allow or permit the following:

1) rental of a dwelling unit within a residential rental property, or rental of a residential rental property to a tenant who allows any of the following offenses to occur relating to the tenant, member of the tenants household, guest or other party under control of the tenant to occur: murder, kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, prostitution, solicitation of prostitution, pandering, obscenity, child pornography, harmful materials, sale of obscene publication, criminal housing management, possession of explosives,’ unlawful use of weapons, sale of firearms, gambling, keeping a gambling place, concealing a fugitive, any violation of the Illinois controlled substances act, any violation of the cannabis control act or commission of any two (2) or more of any other crimes under the laws of the State of Illinois or under the laws of the federal government not specifically listed above; or

2) rental of a dwelling unit within a residential’ rental property, or rental of a residential rental property to a tenant who allows any of the following offenses to occur relating to the tenant, member of the tenant’s household, guest or other party under control of the tenant to occur: commission of four (4) or more village ordinance violations in a six (6) month period.

SECTION G: Those sections, paragraphs, and provisions of Title 5, of the Village of Carpentersville Municipal Code which are not expressly amended or repealed by this Ordinance are hereby re-enacted, and it is expressly declared to be the intention of this Ordinance not to repeal or amend any portions of the Village of Carpentersville Municipal Code other than those expressly amended or repealed in Section 1 and 2 of this Ordinance.

SECTION H: The invalidity of any section or provision of this Ordinance hereby passed and approved shall not invalidate other sections or provisions thereof.

SECTION I: The provisions of this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect upon its passage, approval and publication, in accordance with law.

ADOPTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES of the Village of Carpentersville, Illinois at a regular meeting thereof held on the 5^th day of December 2006, pursuant to a unanimous roll call vote.

APPROVED by me this 5^th day of December, 2006.