| Overview
The Crime Free Housing
program is designed to strengthen working partnerships between the Robbinsdale Police
Department and the owners/managers of rental and relative homestead properties. We believe
these partnerships help keep the city a safer and more desirable place to live.
The Robbinsdale Police
Department encourages property owners and managers to practice "active property
management" which keeps them involved at their properties. Through active
involvement, property owners and managers become more aware of potential criminal activity
which needs to be reported to the police department.
To ensure effective
management of rental property, the City of Robbinsdale has a Crime Free Housing provision
within its Housing Maintenance City Code (City Code 425). Key elements of the Crime Free
Housing provision are listed below.
Crime Free Training
Sessions
Between January and June 2011, owners and/or managers of existing
rental properties in Robbinsdale were required to attend a four hour
Crime Free Housing training session offered by the Robbinsdale
Police Department. This training program was designed to provide
practical information pertaining to active and effective property
management. Since the elapse of this initial six month training
period, the police department no longer schedules regular training
sessions for existing property owners.
However, property owners currently applying for a rental license in
Robbinsdale are required to attend a Landlord Orientation Session,
which includes the Crime Free Housing training information. These
orientation sessions are scheduled by the city’s housing office on a
quarterly basis.
Excessive Police Calls
(Repeat Nuisance Ordinance)
The purpose of the Repeat
Nuisance Ordinance (City Ordinance 927) is to protect public safety and to abate repeat
service calls by the city to the same property for nuisance service calls which prevent
police services to other residents. Examples of common nuisance calls include, but are not
limited to, disorderly conduct, barking dogs, parking complaints, disturbances, loud
parties, etc.
After two qualifying
nuisance violations to the same property within a 365-day period, the property owner
and/or tenant receive a warning letter documenting the violations. Upon a third and any
subsequent violation, the property owner and/or tenant are assessed a $250.00 service fee. Additional fees may also be assessed to cover the
actual cost of city service provided.
When four violations of
the Repeat Nuisance Ordinance have occurred at a rental or relative homestead property
within a 365-day period, owners are required to evict all
responsible tenants within a reasonable amount of time not to exceed 60 days. Owners who
fail to evict are subject to possible administrative fees (currently $750 per month)
for every month an eviction does not take place and may have their
rental license suspended or revoked. An owner
is not permitted to offer any other unit within the city for rent to any tenant evicted
for a period of at least one year after the date of removal.
Required Lease
Addendums
After January 1, 2011,
owners of
owners of rental or relative homestead
properties must have lease addendum language, whether there is a written lease agreement
or not, which prohibits the occurrence of criminal and narcotics activity on their
property.
To view the required lease
addendum language, please click the link below. Similar
or comparable language may be substituted with the prior approval of the city manager.
Crime Free / Drug Free
Lease Addendum Language
Violation of Crime Free / Drug
Free Addendum
Owners of properties which have incurred a Crime Free/Drug Free lease addendum violation must
evict all responsible tenants occupying the property in a reasonable amount of time not to
exceed 60 days.
Owners who fail to evict are
subject to possible administrative fees (currently $750 per month) for every month an eviction does not take place and may have their
rental license suspended or revoked. An owner
is not permitted to offer any other unit within the city for rent to any tenant evicted
for a period of at least one year after the date of removal.
Resources
Rental Owner Handbook
Crime Free Housing Manual
Owner
Acknowledgement Form
Robbinsdale
City Code
Minnesota Multi-Housing Association
BCA Criminal History Search
BCA "Informed Consent" Criminal History Search
Additional Information
For additional
information, please contact:
Officer Ryan Seibert
(763) 531-1287
RSeibert@ci.robbinsdale.mn.us
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