Oceanside CA- “Keeping illegal activity out of rental property,” is the goal of the Sheriff’s Department Crime Free Multi-Housing (CFMH) program. Now there is a webpage to help rental property owners/managers, as well as those looking for a new apartment to learn more about this program. Just go to www.sdsheriff.net/cfmh.
There are three ways criminal activity comes into a rental community:

• The criminal lives there
• They visit friends there
• They come to the property to commit crimes

The Crime Free Multi-Housing program consists of three phases:

1. 8-hour training for rental property owner/manager – classroom instruction on tenant screening, fair housing issues, eviction process, drugs, gangs, graffiti, and crime prevention.
2. Site survey and pass security inspection – Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Specialist will walk through the complex and require changes to make the property safer for tenants such as more lighting, proper trimming of landscaping, security cameras, mirrors, new locks and Neighborhood Watch meetings.
3. Host a community meeting to explain the program. As part of the certification, managers can now require renters to sign a contract promising not to commit crimes. If renters break the contract, they can be evicted.

The apartment community will be presented with a Crime Free Multi-Housing sign when all the phases have been completed.
One of the most recent properties to participate in the program is the Maplewood Apartments in Lakeside which was the site of a shooting on September 25, 2012 that wounded two deputies attempting to arrest a child molester. For photos of the certification, follow us on Facebook:[Link].
You can always report suspicious activity by calling the Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200. For more crime prevention tips, visit www.sdsheriff.net/crimeprevention