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Crime free multi-housing program off to a steady start in North Battleford

Jun 10, 2016 | 7:00 PM

Buildings owned by Macro Properties in North Battleford might be a little bit safer since joining the crime free multi-housing program, according to the city’s community safety coordinator.

Herb Sutton said the program is meant to reduce crime and increase safety in multi-unit buildings through education and physical changes to the buildings.

“I think any community could benefit from this kind of a program and the city is interested in continuing the work to improve community safety,” he said. “Community safety requires a multi-faceted approach and this is one of the pieces of that approach.”

Macro was the first property manager in the city to join the program since it was launched in the fall of 2014. Sutton said they’re starting out slow with the program, since it involves a lot of work from the city, RCMP and property managers.

The property manager has to attend a day of training in Saskatoon, then have their buildings inspected by RCMP and the fire department. The inspections usually result in recommendations, like adding or fixing locks, which Sutton said takes some time to implement. Then the property manager has to have a “safety social” with all tenants, which Macro still has to complete.

Macro property manager Ramona Maraj said they went through the process because they’re trying their best to ensure the tenants in Macro buildings are kept safe, and hopes that will reflect on the tenants.

“I think it’ll give people that sense of security knowing that we’re making every effort to ensure that our buildings are safe,” she said.

Sutton said he’s hoping the program can also be a marketing feature for property managers, as residents might be more inclined to rent a unit when they know the manager’s serious about safety.

He said a lot of the safety recommendations are common sense, like having good locks on front doors and ground level windows. Lighting and the plants around the building are also important, because a dark place sheltered by trees is easier for a criminal to sneak around in. He said they also provide information to do with screening tenants and dealing with problem tenants.

As for the tenants, Sutton said the best advice he can give is to get to know each other, which is something they’re promoting city-wide.

“The safest communities in the world are communities where people know each other, look out for each other, care about each other and that applies at a neighbourhood level, at a street level and also at an apartment building level,” he said. “That kind of thing will really help improve the safety of communities and that means people getting to know each other and taking responsibility themselves.”

He said since the program is in its early stages, they’re only working with property managers who are interested in the program, but once more join they’ll be actively recruiting, especially with buildings they know experience a lot of crime.

 

sarah.rae@jpbg.ca

@sarahjeanrae