2008 June | Renttropolis Online Property Management

23rd June 2008

Albany County’s (NY) Safe Homes – Safe Streets Initiative

The Safe Homes – Safe Streets Initiative is a partnership between landlords, tenants, homeowners, and law enforcement to eliminate the criminal element that conducts its illegal activities within private dwellings through an aggressive use of the power of eviction. It consists of three elements:

Landlord Training
Trespass Affidavit Program
Narcotics Eviction Program

The Safe Homes – Safe Streets Initiative has:

Trained more than 450 Landlords
Registered 422 Homes in the Trespass Affidavit Program
Evicted 25 Problem Tenants
Been asked to apply for the Innovations Award, heralded as the premier public-sector honor in the nation given annually to programs that serve as examples of creative and effective government at its best. The Award is administered by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Why is this program necessary?

When a criminal decides to do his business in an apartment building, he deprives the existing tenants of their right to the peaceful enjoyment of their own homes. Drug dealers create loud foot traffic at all times of the day and night and can be physically intimidating. The result is that honest peace-loving tenants move out, leaving the landlord with reduced incomes and the tenants searching for new homes.

Who’s Involved?

The Safe Homes – Safe Streets Initiative involves a coalition of tenants, landlords, and law enforcement.
Specific participants include:

The Office of the District Attorney
The Albany Police Department
United Tenants
Albany Housing Authority
Albany County Department of Social Services

Looking for documentation you can get it here

http://www.albanycountyda.com/initiatives/safe_homes.html

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20th June 2008

Protecting Your Property with a Landlord Guide

Renting residential or business property can be an extremely profitable business. There is a lot of money to be made buy renting apartments, homes, or business property out to renters. However, this enterprise can quickly sour if your tenants are unable to pay the rent each month or worse damage your property. If you are either currently a landlord or considering purchasing a property, it is important that you read up on how to be a landlord, and understand your rights.

If you own a piece of property that you are considering renting out, it is increasingly important that you know your legal rights as a landlord. Today, many landlords can get stuck with thousands of dollars of unpaid rent or legal fees because they do not know how to write an ironclad contract or don’t know their rights as a landlord. Here are some pointers on getting the information that you need to protect yourself.

There are numerous landlord guides which can be found in websites online or in e-book form. A well informed landlord knows his or her rights and obligations regarding subjects such as security deposits, rental applications, discrimination, repair responsibilities, rent increases, lease termination, and eviction notices. It is also vital to understand how to avoid potentially bad tenants using legal tools such as credit checks, background checks, and criminal checks.

These tools are just one way to protect yourself against renters that could possibly ruin your investment. You also need to learn how to write a strong contract, understand your tenants legal rights and obligations and how to watch out for major pitfalls. So if you are a landlord, a landlord guide is an invaluable tool to protect your investment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Lotter

posted in Landlord Tips, Property Management | 0 Comments

19th June 2008