CRIME-FIGHTING LANDLORDS

Occasionally local government does something that makes so much sense we
are left wondering why no one thought to do it sooner. A city-sponsored
seminar to help landlords and property managers keep drug and gang activity
out of their rental properties falls into that category.

Hosted by the city's departments of Human Relations, Housing and Community
Development and the Police Department, the one-day training session
scheduled for Thursday is seen by city officials as another useful tool in
the ongoing fight against crime.

Often landlords and property managers have few clues they have rented to
someone who is in a gang or involved in drug dealing until it's too late.
And the bad ones don't care if they do. Ideally, the seminar would help
responsible landlords and property managers identify situations that might
suggest a rental candidate is involved in a gang, criminal activities or
both. They should also be encouraged to perform criminal background checks
and to carefully check references before renting property.

We're not suggesting that landlords refuse to rent to people with a
criminal record, because ex-offenders who are earnestly working to make a
change deserve a second chance. But rental property owners should be
considerate enough of the neighbors to go the extra mile to make sure such
a person has given up the life of crime.

The reasons a landlord can deny renting to someone are tricky because of
strict non-discrimination laws. Usually if a person has good credit and a
good rental history, it's hard to turn them down. That's why the city is
wise to include a session on fair housing and housing code enforcement so
landlords and property managers will know the boundaries.

But law-abiding citizens in some of Durham's poorer neighborhoods are
keenly aware of the chaos caused by just one house filled with gang
members, or one where drug dealing is taking place. No one should be forced
to live under such dangerous and oppressive conditions.

City Manager Patrick Baker suggests that landlords include a provision in
the lease that would allow them to terminate a tenant found to be selling
drugs out of a residence. That's a good idea that all landlords should
consider appropriating.

It has long been held that law enforcement cannot solve Durham's crime
problem alone. It will take an entire community coming together to send an
unwavering message to criminals and gangs. The city's landlords and
property managers can help deliver that message by closely scrutinizing
prospective tenants.