If you look at your cities or local police department website you might find something that mentions “crime free housing.” If you rent your home you may have had to sign something about not committing any crimes. That means that your city has adopted a “crime free housing” ordinance which forces landlords to evict entire households if they or their guests commit crimes on or off the property.
This policy sounds good at first. However, it makes very little sense. It only punishes innocent people. If someone is guilty of a crime then they will go to prison. Under these policies it only requires that someone you know is accused of a crime and you and your family can be thrown out on the street.
The Executive Director of the “international crime free association” Timothy L. Zehring, touts that over 3000 departments have joined. Membership is a mere $50 for one person per year or $200 for 5. Businesses can pay $500 to appear on “crime free” pamphlets and literature which police officers will recommend to landlords who are forced to take “crime free” training under threat of city ordinances.
The whole scheme is clearly a side hustle for retired cops with little thought given to how that policies affect people and towns in the long run. It’s clear that they don’t take criticism well based on their about page which is filled with pages of bizarre rants about “mainstream media” and connections to current president Joe Biden.
Only 3k agencies? Out of almost 18k?
Most (I imagine all,) rental properties have that clause because of civil forfeiture being a tool used to combat organized crime.
If they allow you to break the law on their property, then they run the risk of losing that property. Especially when it comes to drugs.
Is it… justice? Maybe not. Is it abused? Almost certainly. It’s used by law enforcement as an easy way to sized and close down crack houses, and the DEA will absolutely seize an apartment building if they can. So even half-way competent landlords don’t give them the chance.
