Crime Free Multi-Housing Program

About Crime Free Multi-Housing

The Crime Free Multi Housing Program (CFMH) is an honest, direct and solution oriented crime prevention initiative designed specifically to help apartment owners, managers, residents, police and other agencies work together to keep illegal and nuisance activity off rental property.

History

The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program began in 1992 at Mesa, Arizona and was first implemented in Canada by the New Westminster Police Service in 1994. Numerous other BC communities have now adopted the program. The British Columbia Crime Prevention Association now has a committee which overseas the B.C. Crime Free Multi-Housing Program. The program continues to yield extremely positive results.

Key Elements of the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program

Phase I

Management training: beginning with an 8 hour workshop managers are educated on how to effectively manage their properties and use present legislation to stop the spread of illegal and nuisance activity on rental property

Phase II

The second phase of the program explores ways in which managers can tailor the exterior of their apartments and basic security features to create an environment that decreases the opportunity for crime.

Phase II takes place by means of a security inspection in which The Community Policing Office makes recommendations to ensure that the apartment meets certain minimum standards set out in the program. The property must be clean and well maintained.

  • Graffiti must be immediately removed.
  • The trees and shrubs must be pruned to allow a clear view of the property.
  • A dead bolt must be installed on all suite doors. The bolt must be a minimum 1-inch in length and the hole in the frame must be the same size as the bolt for a tight fit.
  • For wood frame doors, strike plates must be secured with a 3 inch screw through the plate, the frame and the stud.
  • All suites must have eye viewers which give a 180 degree view. These viewers must be installed at a height that allows all residents to use them.
  • Sliding doors and windows on all ground and first floor suites require secondary locks, in addition to functioning primary locks.

Phase III

Resident training: beginning with a Safety Social residents learn to work with owners, managers, police and other residents to be eyes and ears for their apartment community.

Successful completion of these three phases results in an apartment community becoming fully certified in the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program and obtaining the privilege to post the signs stating they have joined the City of White Rock Crime Free Multi-Housing Program and may use the CFMH logo for marketing purposes.

Regular friendly reviews and annual re-certification ensures that the certified apartment community continues to meet the requirements of the Program and ensure the crime prevention goal.

Note

"Crime Free" Multi-Housing does not mean those participating expect crime to be entirely eliminated but that an apartment community will not tolerate criminal behaviour on the part of its residents, their guests or others and they will seek to create as crime free of an environment as possible.