The ATA supports the creation of Tenants’ Ombudsman offices in all fifty United States. The purpose of these offices will be to serve as a central point for residential renters to officially voice and register complaints about specific landlord and housing abuses leading to enforcement action.
The ATA recommends that the Office of Ombudsman be an administrative and quasi-judicial function of either the Governor’s Office or Attorney General’s Office of each state. Along with the creation of the Office of Ombudsman, the ATA recommends legislation and regulations that would allow the Ombudsman to bring civil or criminal action or sanctions, including fines, penalties or imprisonment against abusive landlords and landlords who fail to provide for safe, clean and habitable facilities.
All too often, landlords get away with actions contrary to existing law and regulations in their relationships with tenants. The ATA believes that effective enforcement at the state level is needed now to protect the well being of residential renters throughout the United States.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Apartment Crime Prevention Programs
Many apartment owners and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. are promoting a crime prevention program known as "Crime Free Multi Housing".
This program calls for the certification of rental properties by meeting certain physical condition and social standards designed to enhance a property's safety. These standards include security management, exterior lighting and door, window and lock guideline compliance.
We believe this program is generally in the best interest of residential renters. Where we differ with apartment owners, however, is in the "Crime Prevention Lease Addendum" that is considered an integral part of the program. In summary, the Lease Addendum puts all the responsibility for crime prevention on the tenant. We'd like to see the Lease Addendum upgraded to include the landlord's responsibilities as well. This would include legally binding assurances that the property's physical crime prevention standards are maintained and that reported crime occurances are communicated to tenants as they occur.
The ATA believes that it is the landlord's, and not the tenant's, primary responsibility to maintain an apartment community that is safe, habitable and secure.
You can view a copy of Arizona's Lease Addendum by following this link:
www.crimedoctor.com/crimefree2.htm
This program calls for the certification of rental properties by meeting certain physical condition and social standards designed to enhance a property's safety. These standards include security management, exterior lighting and door, window and lock guideline compliance.
We believe this program is generally in the best interest of residential renters. Where we differ with apartment owners, however, is in the "Crime Prevention Lease Addendum" that is considered an integral part of the program. In summary, the Lease Addendum puts all the responsibility for crime prevention on the tenant. We'd like to see the Lease Addendum upgraded to include the landlord's responsibilities as well. This would include legally binding assurances that the property's physical crime prevention standards are maintained and that reported crime occurances are communicated to tenants as they occur.
The ATA believes that it is the landlord's, and not the tenant's, primary responsibility to maintain an apartment community that is safe, habitable and secure.
You can view a copy of Arizona's Lease Addendum by following this link:
www.crimedoctor.com/crimefree2.htm
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