Pubdate: Fri, 18 Apr 2003
Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 The Chilliwack Progress
Contact:  http://www.theprogress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/562
Author: Jennifer Feinberg

CRIME-FREE BUILDINGS ON THE RISE

It just became harder for criminals to get a foothold in Chilliwack.

Tougher tenant screening, new heavy-duty deadbolt locks and peepholes as 
well as better lighting are just a few of the security tricks being used in 
a local crime prevention effort designed to keep drug dealers, marijuana 
grow-ops and other crime out of local buildings. It's called the Crime-Free 
Multi Housing program and the Lanai 2 Apartments on Cook Street is the 
newest certified member of the program in town.

A celebration was held at Chilliwack Senior Social Society Wednesday night 
to herald the certification.

Building management and tenants have embraced the program enthusiastically 
and taken the security recommendations seriously. Each patio now sports a 
wooden bar to prevent illegal entries and the bars were designed by one of 
the tenants.

"I didn't realize how much crime there was in the area. But now I think the 
tenants feel more confident living here," says Verna Lebel, manager of 
Lanai 2. "As a building manager, it's been awesome just to be able to say 
we're crime-free and things are more secure." She participated in an 
all-day seminar to learn how to reduce crime and then the building was 
assessed and recommendations were made to improve security.

The catalyst for getting certified included a rash of five incidents in the 
building in a six-month period, including robberies in the laundry room, on 
cars in the parking lot and in the locker space.

Ms. Lebel says building owner Marty Kopelow recommended the program after 
filling her in on the success he had with the program and his other 
building in Port Coquitlam.

"We started about a year ago," he says. "When I took over the building in 
PoCo there were two competing grow-ops on the same floor. We turned that 
building around in just 18 months."

The program lets owners take a pro-active approach to taking responsibility 
for their buildings, he says.

"It creates pride in ownership and for the renters," he says. "When people 
feel safer about where they live, their whole attitude and demeanour changes."

Lanai 2 joins seventeen other buildings in Chilliwack that are now 
certified "crime-free" after going through the three-phase process of the 
program.

Program co-ordinator Patti Hamilton says its geared specifically to help 
apartment managers, owners, residents and police to work together to keep 
illegal and nuisance activity out of the community.

"When drug dealers, criminals and other destructive residents operate out 
of rental properties, neighbourhoods suffer and landlord pay a high price," 
she says.

The upshot of heavy crime can cause a decline in property values, property 
damage, fires caused by meth labs or grow-ops and even the loss of valued 
tenants.
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