DRUG DENS FACE FIGHT

Increasing community concerns about crack houses have prompted
landlords to seek police advice on how to handle shady tenants.

Rob Bonin has been a property manager for the past six years and rents
out about 150 suites.

He says many landlords don't know what they can do when tenants have
become troublemakers or even criminals.

"Landlords need to be educated in this area. Definitely it's an
emerging problem in Red Deer."

Bonin said RCMP are willing to help landlords who suspect tenants are
getting involved in crime or turning rented houses into drug dens.

"As long as you're co-operating with the RCMP, they're happy to help
you out."

But landlords have to expect to do some of the legwork themselves, he
said.

"You can't just say, 'Fix my problem.'"

Police can't simply walk into suites and tell residents to get out
even if they suspect illegal activity is going on.

They must have evidence and search warrants.

Community involvement does work, said Bonin.

Two of three homes owned by landlords in Waskasoo were sold after
neighbours drew attention to the unwanted activity going on inside two
of the homes last winter.

They alleged one was a crack house and the other a brothel.

An RCMP officer from the street crimes unit will speak with landlords
at a noon meeting on Friday at the Community Information and Referral
Society office at 4730 Ross St.

The gathering is meant to kick start an effort to develop a landlord
network society to exchange information and support. Other issues will
be discussed as well.

But how to handle criminal tenants is definitely on the minds of
landlords, said Kelly Dodds, a landlord and tenant information worker
with the referral society.

"That is one of the issues a number of the landlords have brought to
my attention in the last month or so," said Dodds. "It seems to be
more and more of a problem."

Dodds said the landlords are putting together the networking society
themselves. Her office can only help because its job is to represent
both landlords and tenants.

The landlords meeting is open to the public and is expected to run
from noon-1 p.m. Those interested should call the landlord and tenant
service at 346-4636.