Crime Free Housing Program Increases Quality of Life

909 S. Townsend Ave. | Montrose, CO 81401 | (970) 573-NEWS (6397)

Montrose, Delta, Grand Junction, Western Colorado, Ridgway, Ouray, Telluride, Paonia, Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Gunnison, Norwood, Naturita, North Fork

The Montrose Police Department (PD) founded the Crime Free Housing (CFH) program in 2007 to work directly with the community to help reduce police calls for service as well as lower crime rates, gang presence, and drugs on and around multi-housing properties.

By educating property managers, owners, maintenance workers, and tenants through this program, the PD can point to a 2% reduction of calls to participating properties in the past year alone.

The CFH program, headed by Officer Mark Trimble and Sergeant Larry Witte, has helped improve quality of life in the city by providing structure to help complexes become safer and cleaner. “This program works to lower crime to improve the quality of life throughout the city,” explained PD Commander Gene Lillard. Owners and property managers are tasked with any number of action items, like improving lighting, removing graffiti, and replacing broken windows, all which helps stop the downward spiral of crime on and around these properties. “This program gives owners and property managers ‘teeth’ to ensure tenant compliance to ensure program success, which is to eliminate crime in the neighborhood.”

The Crime Free Housing program consists of a three-phase certification process: 1) an eight-hour property management training class for property managers, landlords, maintenance workers, and tenants; 2) a Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) survey conducted by the PD; and 3) a “safety social” to promote safety awareness, which is hosted by the property manager and the PD and invites the community living within the specific property to attend.

The PD encourages participation in this program to help improve the quality of life for all citizens of Montrose.

Crime Free Housing Program Increases Quality of Life

Submitted by Stacey Ryan with input by Commander Gene Lillard