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CHAPTER 6. RESIDENT PARTICIPATION AND OCCUPANCY POLICIES

36\. THE ROLE OF RESIDENTS IN PROJECT SECURITY. The importance of

the role of residents in controlling crime and vandalism cannot

be overemphasized. No security program can succeed without the

support and cooperation of at least a large majority of the

residents themselves. Their role begins with individual

responsibilities for their own self-protection and, of course,

for observance of the law and other community standards. A

major dimension of the role of residents is the potential of

residents\' organizations to participate in the planning and

implementation of a security program. Management should take

the lead in showing residents what they can do to improve

security, and in bringing them into a productive relationship

with other key participants in the security program. Once this

start is made, residents can usually be expected to assume a

considerable degree of initiative and responsibility, although

Management should provide continuing support and guidance.

37\. INDIVIDUAL SELF-PROTECTION. Among the types of potentially

effective self-protective measures which may be employed by

individual residents are the following, all of which should be

stressed in a program of resident education.

a\. Informal resident surveillance in the course of daily

activities can be one of the most effective of all security

measures. However, opportunities for resident surveillance

are often limited by design features, the large number of

residents, high turnover in the resident population and fear

of retaliation by offenders. Moreover, such surveillance is

of little worth unless linked to a well-understood system

which will produce ready response by the Police Department

or security personnel.

b\. Reporting procedures to be used in the event of observance

of crime, vandalism, and suspicious behavior, should be

clearly understood by all residents. Where police

assistance is warranted, the resident should first contact

the Police Department directly, and even small children

should know when and how to call the Police Department

emergency telephone number. Primary reliance should not

ordinarily be placed upon security personnel or other

Management staff to respond with force or to relay reports

to the Police Department.

c\. Keeping doors locked might seem too obvious a measure to

deserve mention, but resident carelessness in this respect

is in fact one of the most significant and most common of

residential security deficiencies.

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d\. Residents\' temporary absences render their dwellings highly

vulnerable to burglary and vandalism. Such measures as

leaving lights and radios on and arranging for stoppage or

pickup of newspapers and mail lessen the appearance of

vacancy. While it may be desirable for a resident to inform

Management and neighbors of the absence, it is unwise to

spread the news widely.

e\. Cash and checks are among the most attractive targets for

crime, and should not be kept on the resident\'s person or in

the dwelling, except to the extent necessary. For lower-

income people, use of normal banking facilities may be a

problem. See paragraph 51 below.

f\. Admission of strangers calls for caution on the part of

residents. Where lobby doors are kept locked, residents

should not open the door for persons whom they cannot

identify as legitimate callers. Peepholes or other

\"interviewer\" devices should always be used before opening

the door of the dwelling unit itself. Keys to dwelling unit

doors should be carefully controlled, and their loss should

be promptly reported to Management, so the lock can be

changed.

g\. Movements in and around the property require due caution,

particularly during night-time hours. The elderly, the

disabled, and unaccompanied women are particularly

vulnerable to criminal attack, and should be aware of the

locations and times of greatest danger. Arrangements for

companions may be the best solution.

h\. Confrontation with criminals should be among the subjects of

security education programs for residents. For example,

where robbery is involved, the safest reaction is usually to

yield valuables without struggle. While self-defense may be

warranted in some situations, aggressiveness may provoke

bodily harm.

i\. Identification of property of types which are the most

attractive targets for theft may deter burglary or at least

facilitate police investigation. At the minimum, residents

should maintain a list of valuable items, including

descriptions and serial numbers of such items as television

sets, radios, cameras, and typeweriters. In some

localities, an \"Operation Identification\" program is

sponsored by Police Departments, and other local

organizations, providing for valuable items to be marked

with special devices, thus further easing the problem of

identification if theft should occur.

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j\. Mutual assistance among neighbors can significantly

contribute to security. A resident who is at home

throughout the day can keep an eye on the dwelling of

neighbors who are at work. Younger residents can accompany

elderly persons on shopping trips. Suspicious incidents can

be checked out with neighbors.

k\. Conduct of guests is a responsibility of resident hosts, who

should make sure that guests understand both the standards

and procedures adopted for the security of the premises.

l\. Supervision of children is an individual resident

responsibility, and parents should take special pains to

educate their children about security standards and

procedures.

38\. RESIDENT ATTITUDES AND STANDARDS. To the extent that residents

are apathetic about security, or are themselves prone to condone

or commit crime and vandalism, the very foundation of a

residential security program is imperiled. Efforts to build a

positive security climate among residents, though among the most

difficult aspects of the subject, should therefore pervade the

entire security program. The crux of the matter is building a

sense of community among residents. Everything which

contributes to community cohesion\--even ordinary social

gatherings\--is directly relevant to security. Anonymity is an

obstacle to security, and one of the prime aims of a security

program should be encourage residents to become acquainted with

their neighbors. Positive peer-group pressures should be

encouraged. Even where there is only a small number of

community-minded residents, they can be encouraged to form the

cadre for a growing circle of resident leadership.

a\. Apathy among residents should be one of the prime targets of

a comprehensive security program. Apathy is often the

product of resignation. A campaign to demonstrate that real

improvement in residents\' daily lives can be achieved is

necessary to break this cycle. Such a demonstration in an

area other than security may serve as the initial catalyst

for the vital spark of hope from which resident concern and

involvement can then be developed.

b\. Self-interest is the most powerful motivation for positive

resident attitudes and standards. Residents\' own interests,

rather than the interests of Management, the police,or other

parties, should be the paramount theme of any security

education program for residents.

c\. Fear of crime may be well-founded, but can seriously impair

resident participation in a security program. Means must

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therefore be found to break the cycle by which the threat of

crime creates fears which in turn contribute to an even

greater threat of crime. Where good reason for fear exists,

it is obviously unwise to encourage a false sense of

security. The best approach is to impart a clear

understanding of what the actual threat is, and the degree

of caution which is realistically warranted. As various

elements of a security program are successfully implemented,

residents should be made aware of them, so that the cycle of

fear can be reversed, building successive steps of community

morale upon successive steps of reduction in the threat from

crime. Both Management and the residents\' organization

should systematically combat inaccurate rumors about crime

and vandalism.

d\. Fear of retaliation can significantly hinder resident

cooperation, especially in large projects with a high degree

of anonymity. Such fear may be amply justified, and where

this is so, the only satisfactory remedy is to provide

effective protection against retaliation. A resident who

may be fearful of reporting a suspicious incident to the

police may nevertheless be willing to channel a report

through Management or the residents\' organization, provided

the confidentiality of the source is preserved. This can be

facilitated by encouraging Management personnel who

regularly work on the premises (e.g., office and maintenance

staff) to become widely acquainted with residents and to

respect residents\' requests for anonymity in reporting

offenses and suspicious behavior.

39\. RELATIONS BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND POLICING PERSONNEL. A major

problem, especially in lower income projects, is often that of

poor relations between residents and policing personnel (Police

Department officers and/or security personnel). Where this is

the case, a fundamental task of a security program is to build

mutual respect and cooperation among these elements. This

should begin with frank discussion among representatives of

Management (including the chief supervisor of security

personnel), the residents\' organization, and the Police

Department. These parties should identify the roots of the

problem, and plan a course of action which will realistically

attack those roots. A useful

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approach is joint sponsorship of meetings for both residents and

policing personnel, at which each element can educate the others

as to its circumstances and all can air their complaints in an

atmosphere of constructive criticism. It is essential that

police officers and security personnel make extraordinary

efforts to understand residents and their problems, and to

explain their own functions, limitations, and problems to the

residents. While such educational programs have great

potential, they are by no means adequate substitutes for daily

operational efforts to create mutual understanding and

cooperation.

40\. INVOLVING THE RESIDENTS\' ORGANIZATION. If a residents\'

organization does not already exist, security alone may be

reason enough to create such an organization. In any event,

security should ordinarily be one of the principal subjects of

the organization\'s activities. Some of the specific kinds of

activities which a resident organization may be able to

undertake, in its role as one of the key participants in a

comprehensive security program, are as follows (though this is

not an exhaustive list):

a\. Participation in Planning the Security Program. The

residents\' organization is uniquely suited for gathering

much of the factual information which must form the base of

Management\'s planning effort, including relevant facts on

residents\' characteristics and problems, the capabilities

and attitudes of individual residents, and the residents\'

organization itself. The organization may also be able to

assist in building alliances with governmental and

nongovernmental agencies. The residents\' organization

should participate in making planning decisions, organizing

security personnel systems, and monitoring security

operations.

b\. Participation in Resident Education Programs. The

residents\' organization is an ideal sponsor for security

education programs designed to stimulate resident concern,

create better attitudes, and inform residents about specific

measures which they can take to combat the threat of crime

and vandalism. Newsletters, as well as meetings, are

excellent media for the residents\' organization to use in

carrying out its educational functions.

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c\. Participation in Setting Standards for Resident Conduct.

The residents\' organization should participate in

development of rules of conduct which supplement the basic

lease agreement. Such participation places a stamp of

resident endorsement upon what might otherwise appear as

arbitrary Management policies.

d\. Volunteer Resident Services. Certain tasks involved in a

security program can be appropriately administered by the

residents\' organization. See subparagraph 34b above

regarding resident patrols. Other possible volunteer

services include clerical tasks and in-apartment CCTV

monitoring. Security-related programs such as playground

supervision or assistance to elderly or disabled people may

be particularly suitable for volunteer resident services.

e\. Support for Management Efforts to Obtain Municipal Services.

One of the most useful functions of the residents\'

organization can be to support Management in its efforts to

obtain additional Police Department services and security-

related services of other agencies of local government.

4l. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS. A security program can

create economic opportunities for residents, both in the sense

of full-time jobs within the program itself and in the sense of

training for advancement into other jobs. In turn, these types

of resident involvement can serve to enhance residents\' sense of

self-interest in, and commitment to, the security program. For

both these reasons, Management should afford residents the

maximum benefit of the jobs and other economic opportunities

created by the security program. In this connection, see HUD\'s

Instructor\'s Manual\--Career Ladder and Curriculum Guide:

Housing Management (April 1973), which includes materials on the

following job positions: Resident Security Aide, Resident

Security Officer, Security Officer II, and Community Security

Aide. This publication is available from the Office of Housing

Programs, Special Concerns Staff, HM, Department of Housing and

Urban Development, 451 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20410.

42\. YOUTH PROGRAMS. Most crime and vandalism is committed by young

people between the ages of roughly 15-25, although even younger

children may cause serious problems, especially in the area of

casual vandalism. An effective security program must therefore

give prime attention to this age group. In projects housing

families with children, the following considerations are

relevant:

a\. Parental responsibilities for supervision of children should

be heavily stressed in programs of resident education, and

in standards for residents\' conduct.

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b\. Young residents\' participation in planning and carrying out

the security program should be sought, preferably by the

continuing participation of the young in the activities of

the residents\' organization.

c\. Lines of communication between Management and young people

should be carefully cultivated, and security personnel

should be so trained and supervised as to achieve rapport

with young residents.

d\. Job opportunities for young people constitute one of the

most important means for combatting crime and vandalism.

e\. Recreation for young people is another essential ingredient

for the control of delinquency. Particular attention should

be given to recreation for teenagers.

f\. Drug abuse among young people should be a matter of

especially high-priority action.

g\. Young males, who are the most prone to crime and vandalism,

merit special attention. Athletic programs (e.g. Police

Athletic Leagues, Little Leagues) are particularly important

here. A major concern of a security program should be to

provide boys and young men with positive leadership and

models of behavior through such programs as Scouting, Big

Brothers, Boys\' Clubs, and YMCA\'s. This is not to say that

girls and young women should be slighted, but only to

emphasize that, from the security viewpoint, programs aimed

at young males are of prime importance.

h\. Youth leadership should be carefully cultivated, so as to

provide peer-group encouragement for positive behavior and

participation in the security program and related

activities. For this reason, efforts should be made to

enlist the support and participation of young men and women

who evidence particularly strong leadership qualities.

Employment of those individuals in connection with the

security program may be advisable, e.g., as members of a

planning committee or as members of a Management security

force or resident patrol.

43\. FEDERAL CRIME INSURANCE FOR RESIDENTS. Residents of HUD-

assisted multifamily housing are among those eligible to

purchase Federal Crime Insurance at reasonable premium rates in

certain designated states which have a critical crime insurance

availability problem and which lack appropriate state programs

to provide a solution. The program is currently available in

Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland,

Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and the District of

Columbia.

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Other states may be added as they meet program criteria.

Residential coverage may be purchased by residents from local

property insurance agents and brokers under a combination

burglary and robbery package, and policies cannot be cancelled

or nonrenewed because of losses. However, as a condition of

eligibility, doors and windows must be equipped with locking

devices specified by the Federal Insurance Administration. In

states where Federal Crime Insurance is available, management

and the residents\' organization should inform residents about

the program and encourage them to obtain coverage. Further

information can be obtained from local property insurance agents

and brokers in these states, or from the Federal Insurance

Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451

7th Street, S.W., Washington, D. C. 20410.

44\. OCCUPANCY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

a\. Exclusion of Offenders. It is both permissible and

advisable for Management to adopt and enforce policies aimed

at excluding from the project those individuals or families

who pose a threat of crime or vandalism. This principle

extends to eviction of existing residents, as well as

rejection of applicants for initial admission. The

residents\' organization should participate in developing

these policies (see subparagraph 40c above).

\(1\) Screening of applicants for initial admission should be

the foundation for excluding probable offenders. If

possible, home visits or inquiries to the Management of

the applicant\'s previous dwelling should be used to

supplement application forms and interviews.

\(2\) For the existing resident, particular circumstances may

argue for counselling before a decision is made to

proceed with eviction. In appropriate cases, the

resident should be given assistance and a fair chance

to demonstrate a change to responsible behavior, but

where Management believes the risk too great, it should

take prompt steps to terminate occupancy. The

credibility of the security aspect of occupancy

policies depends upon firmness as well as fairness.

\(3\) LHAs and the owners and managers of HUD-insured rental

housing may not establish policies which automatically

deny admission or continued occupancy to a particular

class of persons, such as welfare recipients or persons

having criminal records.

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However, Management may establish standards bearing on

whether the conduct of particular families or

individuals (in present or prior housing) does or would

be likely materially to diminish other residents\'

enjoyment of the premises or to result in damage to the

property. Such a decision must be based on the facts

in each case, as related to the actual or threatened

misconduct of the individual or family and must take

into account all of the relevant circumstances, but may

not be based solely upon such factors as police

records. Within these legal limitations, there is

considerable latitude for management discretion.

b\. Assignment Policies. Another security-related aspect of

occupancy policies involves options for assignment of

certain categories of residents to particular buildings or

dwelling units. Buildings with exclusively elderly

populations are virtually free of resident crime and

vandalism; in a multistructure project, one technique of

proven effectiveness is to provide separate buildings for

family and elderly occupancy. Some Managers have found it

helpful to assign larger families to low-rise buildings or

to the lower floors of high-rise buildings.

c\. Informing Residents about Occupancy Policies. Whatever

occupancy policies are adopted, they should be clearly

explained to applicants and existing residents. At the

least, a copy of the policies should be distributed in

written form. It is preferable to list detailed standards

of conduct in a set of project rules. The language of such

standards should be readily understandable by every

resident. As a part of the resident\'s orientation upon

initial occupancy, Management should orally review these

occupancy policies. Periodic review at meetings of the

residents\' organization should be a part of the continuing

program of security education.

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