Landlords in Addison will have to keep a closer eye on tenants’ activity as the village has started a crime-free housing initiative.

The program is starting with informational sessions for landlords.

Addison Mayor Larry Hartwig said the purpose of the meetings is to talk to landlords about the program and answer any questions they might have. 

“Once the landlords are able to understand what the goals are and what we're trying to accomplish, they can understand where we're coming from,” Hartwig said. “We want to improve the housing conditions for tenants (who) live in rental housing so that they're kept to a high standard.”

Under ordinances passed in February, the landlord of a rental property will be held responsible for unruly and misbehaving tenants. If a building incurs a high level of police activity, the village will be able to tell the landlord to exercise his or her lease addendum and have the tenant or tenants removed. 

Hartwig believes if landlords get on board and make an effort to help the program succeed, the village will see property values increase.

“I believe that no matter what income level you are, you should have a right to live in a clean place and a safe place,” Hartwig said. 

Annual inspections of apartments to check for violations will continue, something Hartwig said is done to ensure residents’ safety, not to make money for the village.

“If all the buildings were perfect, we could fire all our inspectors and we'd have a perfect world,” Hartwig said. “The fact of the matter, it's not the way it is. We do not make money off of apartment buildings.”

Landlord George Geores attended a 90-minute informational session last week, and plans to attend the second session, which will be at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Village Board Room at Village Hall, 1 Friendship Plaza. 

The Addison resident is the owner of a six-unit apartment building on Blecke Avenue and said time will tell if the crime-free initiative will work for the village.

“It's a tool and it depends how they utilize it,” Geores said. “We'll have to see how they exercise it.”

He said he is keeping an open mind on the program, which is the first of its kind in DuPage County. Schaumburg and Berwyn have instituted crime-free housing programs in the past.
Geores said there are 450 rental properties and a total of 3,500 units in the village.

“Most landlords are true professionals and know the real estate business better than anybody,” Geores said. “There are some absentee landlords that could care less, and hopefully, that's who they'll go after.”

All landlords will also be required to attend an eight-hour training seminar provided at no cost by the village. Each landlord must attend one of the sessions before November 2010.

“We believe we're giving them the tools to improve their business,” Hartwig said. “We hope they look at it as a partnership instead of a fight.”