Source: https://www.buffalourbanrenewal.com/housing-services/fair-housing-info/landlord-training-manual-part-3-of-3/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 12:46:21+00:00

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The sooner it is recognized, the faster it can be stopped.
Cocaine and Crack. Cocaine is a stimulant. Nicknames include coke, nose candy, blow, snow, and a variety of others. At one time cocaine was quite expensive and generally out of reach for people of low incomes. Today, the price has dropped to the point that it can be purchased by all economic levels. Cocaine in its powder form is usually taken nasally (“snorted”). Less frequently, it is injected.
“Crack,” a derivative of cocaine, produces a more intense but shorter high. Among other nicknames, it is also known as “rock.” Crack is manufactured from cocaine and baking soda. The process required does not produce any of the toxic waste problems associated with methamphetamine production. Because crack delivers a “high” using less cocaine, it costs less per dose, making it particularly attractive to drug users with low incomes. Crack is typically smoked in small glass pipes.
Powdered cocaine has the look and consistency of baking soda and is often sold in small, folded paper packets. Crack has the look of a small piece of old, dried soap. Crack is often sold in tiny “Ziploc” bags, little glass vials, balloons, or even, as is - with no container at all.
In general, signs of cocaine usage are not necessarily apparent to observers. A combination of the following are possible: regular late-night activity (e.g., after midnight on weeknights), highly talkative behavior, paranoid behavior, constant sniffing or bloody noses (for intense users of powdered cocaine).
Powdered cocaine usage crosses all social and economic levels. Crack usage is so far associated with lower income levels. While Los Angeles style gangs (Bloods and Crips) have made crack popular, other groups and individuals have begun manufacturing and selling the drug as well.
Methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is a stimulant. Nicknames include: meth, crank, speed, crystal, STP, and others. Until the price of cocaine began dropping, meth was known as “the poor man's cocaine.” Meth is usually ingested, snorted, or injected. A new, more dangerous form of methamphetamine, “crystal meth” or “ice,” can be smoked.
“Pharmaceutical” grade meth is a dry, white crystalline powder. While some methamphetamine sold on the street is white, much of it is yellowish, or even brown, and is sometimes of the consistency of damp powdered sugar. The drug has a strong medicinal smell. It is often sold in tiny, sealable plastic bags.
Hard-core meth addicts get very little sleep and they look it. Chronic users and “cooks” - those who manufacture the drug - may have open sores on their skin, bad teeth, and generally appear unclean. Paranoid behavior combined with regular late-night activity are potential indicators. Occasional users may not show obvious signs.
Tar Heroin. Fundamentally, heroin is a powerful pain killer - both emotionally and physically. Nicknames include brown sugar, Mexican tar, chiva, horse, smack, “H,” and various others. Heroin is typically injected.
Tar heroin has the look of creosote off a telephone pole, or instant coffee melted with only a few drops of water. The drug has a strong vinegar smell. It is typically sold in small amounts, wrapped in tinfoil or plastic. Paraphernalia that might be observed include hypodermic needles with a brown liquid residue, spoons that are blackened on the bottom, and blackened cotton balls.
When heroin addicts are on the drug, they appear disconnected and sleepy. They can fade out, or even fall asleep, while having a conversation. While heroin began as a drug of the wealthy, it has become a drug for those who have little income or are unemployed. Heroin addicts don't care about very much but their next “fix” - and their clothes and demeanor reflect it. When they are not high, addicts can become quite aggressive. As with most needle users, you will rarely see a heroin user wearing a short - sleeved shirt.
Marijuana. Marijuana is also known as grass, weed, reefer, joint, “J,” Mary Jane, cannabis, and many others. Marijuana is smoked from a pipe or a rolled cigarette, and typically produces a “mellow” high. However, the type and power of the high varies significantly with the strength and strain of the drug.
The marijuana grown today is far more powerful than the drug that became popular in the late `60s and early `70s. Growers have developed more sophisticated ways to control growth of the plants and cause high output of the resin that contains THC - the ingredient that gives marijuana its potency. Today's marijuana is often grown indoors to gain greater control over the crop and to prevent detection - by competitors, animals, or law enforcement. It takes 90 to 180 days to bring the crops from seed to harvest.
Users generally appear disconnected and non-aggressive. The user's eyes may also appear bloodshot or dilated. Usage of marijuana crosses all social and economic levels.
Marijuana is generally sold in plastic bags, or rolled in cigarette paper. The smell of the smoke has been described as a “musky” cigarette smoke.
The following list describes signs of drug activity that either you or neighbors may observe. As the list will show, many indicators are visible at times when the landlord is not present. This is one reason why a solid partnership with trusted neighbors is important.
Note also, while some of the indicators are reasonably conclusive in and of themselves, others should be considered significant only if multiple factors are present.
This list is primarily targeted to tenant activity. For information on signs of dishonest applicants, see the chapter on Applicant Screening.
Dealing. Dealers sell to the end user - so they typically sell small quantities to many purchasers. Dealing locations are like convenience stores - there is a high customer traffic with each customer buying a small amount.
Heavy traffic. Cars and pedestrians stopping at a home for only brief periods. Traffic may be cyclical, increasing on weekends or late at night, or minimal for a few weeks and then intense for a period of a few days - particularly pay days.
Exchanges of money. Cash and packets traded through windows, mail slots, or under doorways.
Lack of familiarity. Visitors appear to be acquaintances rather than friends.
People bring “valuables” into the unit. Visitors regularly bring televisions, bikes, VCRs, cameras and leave empty-handed.
Odd car behavior. Visitors may sit in the car for a while after leaving the residence or may leave one person in the car while the other visits. Visitors may also park around a corner or a few blocks away and approach on foot.
“Lookouts.” Frequently these will be younger people who tend to hang around the rental during heavy traffic hours.
Various obvious signs. This may include people exchanging small packets for cash, people using drugs while sitting in their cars, syringes left in common areas or on neighboring property, or other paraphernalia lying about.
Failure to meet responsibilities. Failure to pay utility bills or rent, failure to maintain the unit in appropriate condition, general damage to the property. Some dealers smoke or inject much of their profits - as they get more involved in the drugs, they are more likely to ignore bills, maintenance, and housekeeping.
Expensive vehicles. Particularly when owned by people who have reported a relatively low income. Some distributors make it a practice to spend their money on items that are easily moved - so they might drive a $50,000 car while renting a $20,000 unit.
Pagers. Particularly when used by people who have no visible means of support.
A tendency to make frequent late-night trips. Many people work swing shifts or have other legitimate reasons to come and go at late hours. However, if you are seeing a number of other signs along with frequent late-night trips, this could be an indicator.
Secretive loading of vehicles. Trucks, trailers, or cars being loaded and unloaded late at night in a hurried, clandestine manner. “Load and distribution houses” (most likely to be found in border states) are essentially repackaging locations and involve moving large quantities of drugs.
Marijuana Grow Operations. Grow operations are hard to identify from the street. They are more likely to be found in single-family residential units than in apartments. In addition to the general signs of excessive fortifications or overly paranoid behavior, other signs are listed below.
Electrical wiring that has been tampered with. For example, evidence of residents tampering with wiring and hooking directly into power lines.
Powerful lights on all night in the attic or basement. Growers will be using powerful lights to speed the development of the plants.
A sudden jump in utility bills. Grow operations require strong lighting.
A surprisingly high humidity level in the unit. Grow operations require a lot of moisture. In addition to feeling the humidity, landlords may observe peeling paint or mildewed wallboard or carpet.
Rewiring efforts or bypassed circuitry. Again, grow operations require a lot of electricity - some use 1,000 -watt bulbs that require 220 -volt circuits. The extra circuitry generally exceeds the power rating for the rental and can burn out the wiring - resulting in fires in some cases, or often the need to rewire before you can rent the property again.
Various obvious signs. For example, basements or attics filled with plants, lights, and highly reflective material (e.g., tinfoil) to speed growing.
Meth Labs. Meth labs, though prevalent in some other parts of the nation, are not common in the state of New York. However, given that the possibility exists, we have included the following brief information here for general knowledge, reprinted from the National Landlord Training Program manual.
In states where clandestine labs are prevalent they have been set up in all manner of living quarters, from hotel rooms and RVs, to single-family rentals or apartment units. Lab operators favor units that offer extra privacy. In rural settings it's barns or houses well away from other residences. In urban settings it might be houses with plenty of trees and shrubs blocking the views, or apartment or hotel units that are well away from the easy view of management. However, while seclusion is preferred, clandestine labs have been found in virtually all types of rental units. Once a meth “cook” has collected the chemicals and set up the equipment, it doesn't take long to make the drugs - about 12 hours for one batch.
Strong ammonia smell. Very similar to cat box odor (amalgam process of methamphetamine production).
Other odd chemical odors. The smell of other chemicals or solvents not typically associated with residential housing.
Chemical containers. Chemical drums or other chemical containers with their labels painted over.
Smoke breaks. If other suspicious signs are present, individuals leaving the premises just long enough to smoke a cigarette may also be an indicator. Ether is used in meth production. Ether is highly explosive. Methamphetamine “cooks” get away from it before lighting up.
Strong unpleasant/chemical odors. A particularly strong cat box/ammonia smell within the rental may indicate usage of the amalgam process for methamphetamine production. The odor of ether, chloroform, or other solvents may also be present.
Chemistry equipment. The presence of flasks, beakers, and rubber tubing consistent with high school chemistry classes. Very few people practice chemistry as a hobby - if you see such articles, don't take it lightly.
A maroon -colored residue on aluminum sashes or other aluminum materials in the unit. The ephedrine process of methamphetamine production is a more expensive process, but it does not give off the telltale ammonia/cat box odor. However the hydroiodic acid involved does eat metals and, in particular, leaves a maroon residue on aluminum.
Bottles or jugs used extensively for secondary purposes. For example, milk jugs and screw-top beer bottles full of mysterious liquids.
Discarded chemistry equipment. Garbage containing broken flasks, beakers, tubing, or other chemical paraphernalia.
If you have reason to believe there is a meth lab on your property, leave immediately, wash your face and hands, and call the narcotics division of your local law enforcement agency to report what you know. If you are feeling any adverse symptoms (for example headaches, nausea, skin irritation, or other symptoms) or otherwise have reason to believe your exposure has been extensive, contact your doctor - some of the chemicals involved are highly toxic.
General. The following may apply to dealing, distribution, or manufacturing.
Expensive vehicles. Regular visits by people in extremely expensive cars to renters who appear to be significantly impoverished.
A dramatic drop in activity after police are called. If activity stops after police have been called, but before they arrive, this may indicate usage of a radio scanner, monitoring police bands.
Unusually strong fortification of the unit. Blacked -out windows, window bars, extra deadbolts, surprising amounts spent on alarm systems. Note that grow operators and meth “cooks,” in particular, often emphasize fortifications - extra locks and thorough window coverings are typical.
Frequent late-night motorcycle or bicycle trips. This would only be a significant sign if the trips are made from a location where other indicators of drug activity are also observed.
Firearms. Particularly assault weapons and those that have been modified for concealment, such as sawed-off shotguns.
A willingness to pay rent months in advance, particularly in cash. If an applicant offers you six months' rent in advance, resist the urge to accept, and require the person to go through the application process. By accepting the cash without checking, you might have more money in the short run, but your rental may suffer damage, and you may also damage the livability of the neighborhood and the value of your long-term investment.
A tendency to pay in cash combined with a lack of visible means of support. Some honest people simply don't like writing checks, so cash payments by themselves certainly don't indicate illegal activity. However, if other signs are also noted, and there are large amounts of cash with no apparent source of income, get suspicious.
Unusual fortification of individual rooms. For example, deadbolts or alarms on interior doors.
Willingness to install expensive exterior fortifications. If your tenants offer to pay surprisingly high dollar amounts to install window bars and other exterior fortifications, they may be interested in more than prevention of the average burglary.
Presence of any obvious evidence. Bags of white powder, syringes, marijuana plants, etc. Also note that very small plastic bags - the type that jewelry or beads are sometimes kept in - are not generally used in quantities by most people. The presence of such bags, combined with other factors, should cause suspicion.
Stop the problem before it gets worse.
Address problems - quickly and fairly - as soon as they come up. Know how to respond if a neighbor calls with a complaint. If eviction is required, do it efficiently. If you don't know, ask a skilled attorney.
Effective property management includes early recognition of noncompliance and immediate response. Don't wait for rumors of drug activity and don't wait for official action against you or the property (e.g., warning letters, fines, closure, or forfeiture). Prevention is the most effective way to deal with rental -based drug activity. Many drug operators have histories of noncompliant behavior that the landlord ignored. If you give the consistent message that you are committed to keeping the property up to code and appropriately used, dishonest tenants will learn that they can't take advantage of you or your property.
Fear of the legal process. Many landlords don't take swift action because they are intimidated by the legal process. However, the penalty for indecision can be high - if you do not act, and then accept rent while knowing that a tenant is in noncompliance, you may compromise your ability to take any future action about the problem. Your position is strongest if you consistently apply the law whenever tenants are not in compliance with the rental agreement or your landlord -tenant laws. Your position is weakened whenever you look the other way.
⑬ Note that some “complaints” contain inaccurate or incomplete assumptions about legal rights or procedure.
Fear of damage to the rental. Some landlords don't act for fear the tenant will damage the rental. Unfortunately, such inaction generally makes the situation worse. Problem tenants may see your inaction as a sign of acceptance. You will lose what control you have over the renter's noncompliant behavior; you will lose options to evict while allowing a renter to abuse your rights; and you will likely get a damaged rental anyway - if they are the type who would damage a rental, sooner or later they will.
To be sure, tenants can be victimized by friends or relations - for those tenants who seek you out and ask for assistance, help as best you can. But be careful of stories you hear from tenants who don't admit to problems until after you have received complaints from neighbors or police. The sooner tenants who “front” for others realize they will be held responsible, the sooner they may choose to stop assisting in the crime.
If you are not familiar with the process for eviction, contact a skilled landlord -tenant attorney before you begin. By paying for a small amount of legal advice up front, many landlords have saved themselves from having to pay for a lot of legal help further down the road. The law may look simple to apply, but as any landlord - or tenant - who has lost in eviction court can attest, it is more complicated than it seems. While researching this manual, we repeatedly heard from both landlords and legal experts that the vast majority of successful eviction defenses are won because of incorrect procedures by the landlord and not because the landlord's case is shown to be without merit.
If you don't know a good landlord -tenant attorney, find one. If you think you “can't afford” an attorney, think again. Too often, out of fear of paying an attorney fee, landlords make mistakes in the eviction process that can cost them the equivalent of many months' rent. Yet many evictions, when done correctly, are simple procedures that cost a fraction of a month's rent in attorney's fees.
Finding a good landlord -tenant attorney is relatively easy. Check your yellow pages phone directory for those attorneys who list themselves as specialists under the subcategory of “Real Property Law” or “Landlord and Tenant.” Generally, you will find a very short list, ⑭ because few attorneys make landlord - tenant law a specialty. Call at least three and interview them. Ask about how many evictions they do per month and how often they are in court on eviction matters. In our experience, the safest bets are those attorneys who do many evictions - they see it as a major part of their practice, not a sideline that they ' advise on infrequently. Once you find attorneys who have the necessary experience, pick the one you feel most comfortable working with and ask that person to help.
⑭ In some smaller jurisdictions you may not find any attorneys listed as specialists in this type of law. In such a case, try contacting a local property management association for referrals or call a few local property management companies and find out who they use, then interview the attorneys to find the one you feel comfortable with.
With the initial call, stay objective and ask for details. Don't be defensive and, equally, don't jump to conclusions. Your goal is to get as much information as you can from the neighbor about what has been observed. You also want to avoid setting up an adversarial relationship - if it is illegal drug activity, you need to know about it.
Also, make a commitment that you will not reveal the caller's name to the tenant without permission (unless subpoenaed to do so). In the past, some landlords - perhaps believing that neighbor reports were exaggerated - have treated dangerous situations too casually and told criminals the names of neighbors who called to complain. If the neighbors have exaggerated, you do no harm by protecting their names. If they haven't, you could put them in real danger by revealing too much.
• A detailed description of what has been observed.
• A letter documenting what has been observed, sent to you and to your local law enforcement agency's narcotics division. If you have Section 8 tenants, have a copy sent to the local Public Housing Agency also.
• Name, address, and phone number, if willing to give it. If neighbors don't know you, they may be unwilling to give you their names on the first call. This is one reason why we recommend you meet neighbors and trade phone numbers before a crisis occurs. Consider: If the only thing neighbors know about you is that you have rented to a drug dealer, they will have reason to be cautious when they call.
• Names of other citizens you can call who could verify the complaint, or ask that they encourage other neighbors to contact you. You will need more evidence than the phone call of a single neighbor to take meaningful action. Explaining this need may help further encourage the neighbor to ask others to call. Also, having multiple complaints can help protect the caller by taking the focus off of a single complainant as the “cause” of the drug dealer being discovered.
A single call from one neighbor doesn't necessarily mean your tenants are doing anything illegal. However, a single call is justification to pursue the matter further.
Find out more. Go to other sources for additional information and assistance. Your goal is to collect enough information to verify any problems at the rental, and then to take appropriate action.
Get in touch with other neighbors. Even if your tenant is running a high-volume dealing operation, it is likely that some neighbors will suspect nothing - many citizens are unobservant or give their neighbors a wide benefit of the doubt. However, while some neighbors may be unaware of the scope of the problem, it is also likely that others will have a lot to tell you.
Contact a community policing officer or contact an investigator. Get in touch with a community policing officer for the area in which your property is located if you have verified police activity at that address.
If you feel comfortable doing it, consider a property maintenance inspection. Again, few tenants involved in serious illegal activity are model renters. Discovery of maintenance violations may provide sufficient basis for serving notices without having to pursue the more difficult route of developing a civil level of proof that dangerous criminal behavior has occurred.
Once you've identified the problem, address it. If you discover that your tenant is innocent, contact the neighbor who called and do your best to clear up the matter. If you discover no drug activity but strong examples of disturbing the neighbors' peace or other violations, don't let the problem continue - serve the appropriate notices. Likewise, if you become confident your property is being used for drug activity or other dangerous behavior, take action. Advise the police narcotics division of your findings and your plan. The following section outlines basic options for eviction that a landlord might pursue with tenants involved in illegal activity.
If evidence allows it, consider terminating the lease and bringing an eviction based on the tenant's use of the premises for “illegal trade or manufacture, or other illegal business.” ⑮ This is a rarely used, but entirely legal, method for evicting a tenant involved in the sale, manufacture or distribution of illegal drugs from a rental unit. If this type of eviction is planned, advance discussion with a qualified landlord-tenant attorney is very strongly recommended. Also, given the accusations involved, the testimony of a police officer is often a necessity to prevail in court, should the tenant choose to fight the eviction.
If your tenant wishes to fight in court, you will need to establish a civil - not criminal - level of proof that drug trade has occurred. This is a lower level of proof than local law enforcement would need to get a conviction. Nevertheless, allegations of drug activity or other dangerous activity should be made with care. Again, given the seriousness of the charge, always contact an attorney before proceeding with this option.
Note that frequently, if the tenants are involved in illegal activity, they move out quickly rather than fight the eviction - it won't help their drug operation to appear in court. One exception is Section 8 tenants who, for reasons unrelated to the drug activity, may be more inclined to resist eviction (as described in the chapter on Applicant Screening).
If you have the option, consider a “no -cause” or “nonrenewal' notice. In some rental situations, such as month-to-month rentals or at the expiration of a lease term, you may be able to evict without giving a cause. With most month-to-month tenancies in New York, you may terminate the rental agreement by giving your tenant notice at least one month in advance of the end of the term - so if the rental period ends on the last day of each month, and you want your tenant's last month to be June, serve the months’ notice no later than May 31. For those who have this ability, a no -cause eviction is often the preferred method, even when the tenant has committed major violations of the lease, simply because no proof of “cause” is required in court.
Nonpayment evictions. Before a landlord can begin a court action to remove a nonpaying tenant, the landlord must begin by making a demand for the rent. ⑯ It is only after the tenant fails to comply with such a demand that the landlord can begin the court action. While the process may sound simple, because cases can be lost in court on the basis of how a demand was made, those who have not enforced a nonpayment eviction through a court action are well-advised to get basic legal advice on how to do so before starting the process.
Other lease violations. If an eviction for noncompliance with a lease or rental agreement goes to court, the fundamental question is not, “did any lease violation occur?” but rather “were the violation(s) that occurred sufficiently serious to merit eviction?” In the language of the law, it is up to the court to decide whether the violations are sufficient to deem the tenant “objectionable.” ⑰ Therefore, particularly in the case of evictions for lease violations - which is what almost all “for - cause” evictions are about - it is important that a landlord document the types of problems present at the premises and the efforts the landlord made to have the tenant correct the problems. Except in the case of truly extreme behavior (obvious examples might be assaulting the landlord or causing intentional substantial damage to the premises), a landlord will need to establish a trail of warning notices that document either recurring instances of the lease violating behavior or show the tenant's failure to correct a “curable” lease violation when requested to do so.
Example: one instance of a tenant engaging in a late night shouting match in a courtyard may be a lease violation, but would likely not qualify as cause for eviction. On the other hand, if similar behavior has occurred a number of times over a number of months, and the landlord can show multiple warning notices for it, the pattern of evidence would likely support the idea that the tenant is “objectionable.” This is also where the strength of a New York lease is tested most - the degree to which the lease plainly and appropriately describes violations that would render the tenancy objectionable and cause lease termination, is the degree to which the lease is useful in supporting eviction of a problem tenant.
Consider mutual agreement to dissolve the lease. A frequently overlooked method. Essentially, if both you and your tenant can agree that the tenant will move by a specific date, you may not need to proceed with a formal eviction at all. In some instances this can be beneficial to both parties. Write the tenant a letter discussing the problem and offering whatever supporting evidence seems appropriate. Recommend dissolving the terms of the lease, thus allowing the tenant to search for other housing without going through the confrontation of a court-ordered eviction. Let Section 8 renters know that a mutual agreement to dissolve the lease does not threaten program eligibility.
Make sure the letter is evenhanded - present evidence, not accusations. Make no claims that you cannot support. Have the letter reviewed by an attorney familiar with landlord -tenant law. Done properly, this can be a useful way to dissolve a problem to both your tenant's and your own satisfaction without dealing with the court process. Done improperly this will cause more problems than it will solve. Don't try this option without doing your homework first.
Again, if illegal activity is occurring, most tenants will take the opportunity to move on. Finally, if you evict someone for drug activity, share the information. Landlords who are screening tenants down the road may not find out about it unless the information is documented. If it is a Section 8 renter, make sure the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority has a letter from you on file. Also, contact the screening company or credit reporting service you use and advise them of the circumstances - they may also be able to keep track of the information.
The popular belief is that a lease termination notice is sufficient to force a tenant to move out by the date specified for cancellation or nonrenewal. In fact, the notice is just the first step. Technically, the landlord's notice to vacate means that, should the tenant not move out by the date specified for lease termination, then the landlord may file suit to regain possession of the property (usually suing because a tenant is “holding over” - that is, remaining on the property past the end of the lease term). While many tenants will move out when the term expires, if a tenant does not, the landlord will need to start a legal action with the local courts to regain possession of the property.
In cases where a tenant wishes to resist eviction, the tenant will be allowed to remain on the premises, until a landlord has received a court judgment against the tenant.
Landlords may not take the law into their own hands by using force or unlawful means to evict tenants. For example, a landlord may not use threats of violence, remove a tenant's possessions, lock the tenant out of the apartment, or willfully discontinue essential services such as water or heat. ⑱ Penalties for taking such action can be substantial - for instance, a tenant who is locked out of his/her apartment in this manner may recover triple damages in a legal action against the landlord.
To use the force of law to remove a tenant, a landlord must sue in court and win the case. An eviction proceeding may be brought in Buffalo City Court. In order to commence an eviction proceeding, the tenant must be served with a petition (a formal written request) giving notice of the reasons for the eviction. Once the action is commenced, a court date will be set where the tenant will be given an opportunity to assert a defense.
Ultimately, only a sheriff or marshal can carry out a court eviction of a tenant - that is, only a sheriff or marshal has the legal right to remove a tenant - by force if necessary - for failing to comply with a court order to move out. ⑲ In the City of Buffalo, the City Marshal is located at 50 Delaware. The Marshal's number is (716) 847-8430. Legal forms for evictions may be purchased at most stationery stores.
Perhaps the most compelling point we can make about the entire eviction process - from service of notice to arguing in court - is this: Eviction is an expensive, time-consuming way to “screen “tenants. You will save much heartache and considerable expense if you screen your tenants carefully before you rent to them, instead of discovering their drawbacks after you are already committed.
Credible testimony of neighbors who have observed related behavior (such as that described in the chapter on Warning Signs of Drug Activity).
Their own testimony about additional signs that may have been observed on inspection of a unit.
The subpoenaed testimony of a police officer who has made an undercover buy from a tenant or arrested a tenant for possession of drugs.
⑲ Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law §749.
When chronic problem activity is present in a neighborhood, every affected citizen makes a conscious or unconscious choice about what kind of action to take. The choices are to move away, to do nothing and hope the problem will go away, or to take action to stop the problem. Doing nothing or moving away usually means the problem will remain and grow larger - somebody, someday will have to cope with it. Taking action, especially when it involves many neighbors working together, can both solve the problem and create a needed sense of community.
Many neighbors are under the impression that solutions to crime are the exclusive responsibility of the police and the justice system - that there isn't much an individual citizen can do. Actually, there is a lot that citizens can do, even must do, in order to ensure they live in a safe and healthy neighborhood. Getting more involved in your neighborhood isn't just a good idea - it is how our system of law and civic life was designed, and the only way it can really work. With that in mind, the following is a list of proven community organizing techniques to help you begin.
Find others concerned about the problem and enlist their help. As you consider the steps described below, keep in mind that multiple neighbors following the same course of action will magnify the credibility and effectiveness of each step. In particular, several neighbors calling a government agency separately about the same problem will usually raise the seriousness of the problem in the eyes of the agency. Involvement of multiple neighbors also increases safety for everyone. People involved in illegal activity might target for revenge one neighbor they perceive as causing them problems, but are less likely to try to identify and harass multiple people.
Make sure police are informed in detail. It, doesn't matter how many police we have if people don't call and tell them where the crime is. Even if you have had the experience of calling without getting the results you expect, keep calling. As you also follow other recommendations of this section, keep working with police throughout the process.
Report incidents when they occur. Call 9-1-1 if it is an emergency or call police narcotics detectives, gang units, and other special enforcement units as appropriate. You may need to do some research to find out which part of what agency deals with a particular type of problem.
Keep activity logs or diaries about the address when disturbances are frequent, and encourage neighbors to do the same. Share copies of these logs with an officer, in person if possible.
Encourage civil abatement action. When speaking with enforcement officials, be aware that, in addition to criminal investigation, police often have the option of using civil law to help solve a problem - such as fining the owner or closing property that is associated with illegal drug activity.
Use tax records to find the owner. Local property tax assessment records generally will identify who owns the property.
Contact the owner. It is amazing how often this simple step is never taken. Discuss the problem and ask for assistance with stopping it.
Suggest this training. If the property is a rental, consider delivering a copy of this manual and encourage the owner to attend a Landlord Training Program in your area.
Describe events. Provide the owner with specific descriptions of events: Answer the questions who, what, where, when, and how about each event.
Help locate criminal records if appropriate. Learn how to access criminal background information, or how the property owner can. For example, if an occupant has a criminal record in your county, the local court house should have records.
Share activity logs. Give copies of activity logs to the landlord, if it appears the landlord will use them to support lease enforcement actions.
Remind others to call. After any action you take, call several other neighbors and ask them to consider doing the same thing, whether it is reporting an incident to police, calling the landlord, or speaking to a local official. Do not ask neighbors to call and repeat your report. Do ask neighbors to make an independent assessment of the problem you have observed and, if they also consider it a problem, to report it as well.
Call the Public Housing Authority. If the residents are receiving public housing assistance, contact the local Housing Authority and report the problems observed.
Call code inspection. Call your local building maintenance code enforcement department to report maintenance code violations. Maintenance codes address exterior building structure and appearance, interior structure and appearance, as well as nuisances in yards such as animals, abandoned cars, trash, and neglect. Most properties with problem residents will have many violations of maintenance codes as well.
Consider calling the mortgage holder. Sometimes the holder of the mortgage on a property can take action if the property is not in compliance with local law. Generally, if a financial institution is holding a mortgage on real property, the name of the institution will be listed on the title records, kept by the county.
Write letters. Citizens have the power to write letters to anyone - mayors, council members, chiefs of police, building inspectors, and many others. Your written documentation can add credibility and legitimacy to a problem that may not have received as much attention as it required. The first letters should be to those in a position to take direct action - a police officer, code inspector or other person tasked with addressing problems like the one you are working on. Don't write letters to managerial or political authorities until you have given the “chain of command” a chance to work. Do write letters to such authorities if it becomes apparent that the help your neighborhood needs is not forthcoming. When necessary, follow up calls or letters with personal appointments.
Two strategies of last resort. Generally, these activities should be undertaken only by a well - organized group, and only when consistent, diligent work with police, neighbors, and city officials has made little or no progress.
Consider getting the media involved. After making a concerted effort to get results through other means, discussing the problem with the media can be a way to focus more attention - and sometimes resources - on a problem. However, going to the media with your complaint before communicating clearly to the accountable organization can be counterproductive - it can cause justifiable resentment in public officials who feel “blind-sided” by the media attention on an issue about which they, had no prior warning. Also, be aware that if the problem is associated with criminal drug or gang activity, attracting media attention that results in your being the featured interview subject can put you in a position where your personal safety is more at risk.
Start legal action against the property owner. Citizens harmed by a nuisance property can also pursue lawsuits directly. In the final analysis, even the most negligent property owners will take action when they are made to understand fully that it will cost more money to ignore the problem than it will to stop it. The legal options for this type of approach vary substantially by jurisdiction. In general, this is not an easy process to pursue and should be considered only as a last resort. Again, the vast majority of neighborhood problems can be solved without having to go through the time and expense of legal action.
While there are various approaches to taking legal action against a property owner, one that seems worthwhile to explore for some types of extreme situations is this: New York State's Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law §715 grants a unique power to, among others, both law enforcement agencies and to any person who lives, or owns property, within 200 feet of a specific type of problem property. In effect, law enforcement agencies and neighbors each have the right to require the landlord to evict a tenant when the property is used in whole or in part as a “bawdy house, or house or place of assignation for lewd persons, or for purposes of prostitution, or for any illegal trade, business or manufacture.” The law specifies that, should the landlord fail to take that action, the neighbors, or the law enforcement agency, may evict the tenants just as if they, themselves, were the landlord of the property. Further, in such a situation the court could cause the owner of the property to pay civil penalties. Again, this type of approach shouldn't be undertaken without a careful study of the legal implications in doing so. Nevertheless, it is important to be aware of the option so that it can be considered.
Know how to work with the system to ensure rapid problem resolution. Have a working knowledge of how your local law enforcement agency deals with drug problems in residential neighborhoods.
It is a common misconception that law enforcement agencies can evict tenants involved in illegal activity. In fact, only the landlord has the authority to evict; the police don't. The police may arrest people for criminal activity. But arrest, by itself, has no bearing on a tenant's right to possess your property.
Eviction, on the other hand, is a civil process. The landlord sues the tenant for possession of the property. Note the differences in level of proof required: Victory in civil court requires “a preponderance of evidence” - the scales must tip, even slightly, in your favor. Criminal conviction requires proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” - a much tougher standard. Therefore, you may find yourself in a position where you have enough evidence to evict your tenants, but the police do not have enough evidence to arrest them. Further, even if the police arrest your tenants, and a court convicts them, you still must evict them through a separate process - or, upon release, they have the right to return to and occupy your property.
Many landlords are surprised to discover the degree of power they have to close drug rentals and eliminate their threat to the neighborhood. As one police captain put it, “Even our ultimate action against a drug operation in a rental - the raid and arrest of the people inside - will not solve a landlord's problem, because the tenants retain a legal right to occupy the property. It's still the tenants' home until they move out or the landlord evicts them. And, as is often the case, those people do not go to jail, or do not stay in jail long.” It's surprising, but the person with the most power to stop the impact of an individual “drug house” operation in a neighborhood is the property owner - the landlord. Ultimately, the landlord can remove all tenants in a unit. The police can't.
The only time law enforcement may get involved in eviction is to enforce the outcome of your civil proceeding. For example, when a court issues a judgment requiring a tenant to move out and the tenant refuses, the landlord can go to the sheriff or marshal and request that the tenant be physically removed. But until that point, law enforcement cannot get directly involved in the eviction process. However, the police may be able to provide information or other support appropriate to the situation - such as testifying at the trial and providing records of search warrant results.
Again, criminal arrest and civil eviction are unrelated - the only connection being the possibility of subpoenaing an arresting officer or using conviction records as evidence in an eviction trial. No matter how serious a crime your tenants have committed, eviction remains your responsibility.
Police officers are paid, and trained, to deal with dangerous criminal situations. They are experts in enforcing criminal law. They are not authorities in civil law. As such, if you have tenants involved in illegal activity, while you should inform the police, do not make the common but inaccurate assumption that you can “turn the matter over to the authorities” and they will “take it from there.” Because landlord -tenant laws are enforced only by the parties in the relationship, when it comes to removal of a tenant, landlords are the “authorities.” With that in mind, you will get best results from the police by providing any information you can for their criminal investigation, while requesting any supporting evidence you can use for your civil proceeding.
In order to get the best cooperation, remember the rule of working with any bureaucracy: The best results can be achieved by working one-on-one with the same contact. Further, while this rule applies to working with any bureaucracy, it is especially important for working with a law enforcement agency where, if police personnel share information with the wrong people, they could ruin an investigation or even endanger the life of an officer. If an officer doesn't know you, the officer may be hesitant to give you information about suspected activity at your rental.
Your best approach, therefore, is to work with the community policing officers assigned to the area in which your property is located. An established relationship with officers who know the area and its residents can make a tremendous difference in your ability to obtain information and cooperation.
The type of assistance possible will vary with the situation - from advice about what to look for on your property, to documentation and testimony in your eviction proceeding. But remember that it is not the obligation of the police to collect information necessary for you to evict problem tenants. While you can get valuable assistance from the police, don't wait for the police to develop an entire criminal case before taking action. If neighbors are complaining that you have drug activity or other dangerous situations in your rental, investigate the problem and resolve it as quickly as possible (see the previous chapter on Crisis Resolution). Do not assume that the situation at your unit must be under control simply because the police have yet to serve a search warrant at the property.
Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law Section 715, “The Bawdy House Law” permits a municipality or a property owner within 200 feet of a problem property, to bring an eviction proceeding in Buffalo City Court against tenants involved in an illegal business. An illegal business is defined as drug dealing, prostitution or gambling at the subject premises.
RPAPL §715 requires that the initiating party provide written notice to the owner of the subject premises regarding the problems at the property, and that he must make an application to remove the involved persons within five (5) days. If the owner fails to make an application the municipality or owner may commence an eviction proceeding to have the occupants removed. The landlord will become a party to that eviction proceeding and the Judge is authorized to impose a civil penalty up to $5,000.00 for the failure of the landlord to address the problem. Currently, Buffalo City Court Housing Judge Diane Y. Devlin hears all Bawdy House cases. SEE HANDOUT FOR FULL TEXT OF RPAPL §715.
Chapter 294 of the City of Buffalo Ordinances is the Nuisance Abatement law. This action is filed by the City of Buffalo in New York State Supreme Court. Pursuant to Chapter 294, two or more convictions for the following offenses is necessary to commence an action: drug possession/activity, prostitution, obscene performances, promotion of obscene material, operation of a business not licensed as required by law, a building used for unlawful activities as described in § 123 of the Alcohol Beverage Control Law, a violation under Chapter 511 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Buffalo, a criminal nuisance as defined in §240.45 of the Penal Law, or certain Vehicle and Traffic Law violations.
The remedy pursued by the City is to first seek a preliminary injunction, allowing the immediate closure of the building pending further proceedings and eventually closure of the building ordered by the Judge for up to one year. In addition, the Court can impose a $1,500.00 fine for each day the nuisance remains unabated and a $1,500.00 fine and/or 15 days in jail for violation of the Court Order. SEE HANDOUT FOR FULL TEXT OF CHAPTER 294.
Traditional common law enforcement targeted the perpetrator of the crime and concentrated on conviction and punishment. It did look to the property that the criminal either used or generated from his crimes. The federal forfeiture law combines traditional law enforcement with the removal of property from the criminal enterprise to achieve a more long-lasting deterrent effect on the illegal activity.
The federal asset forfeiture program targets the money/profit motive.
1. Punish and deter criminal activity by depriving criminals and those that help them of their property either used or acquired through illegal conduct.
2. Enhance cooperation among federal, state, local and foreign governments through equitable sharing.
3. Provide revenue to enhance law enforcement to catch more criminals.
Proceeds - anything acquired, generated or derived from the illegal activity. This can be money, cars, boats, houses, jewelry, businesses, horses, etc. The government is allowed to trace the proceeds to specific property if need arises, i.e. Purchase of a house with drug proceeds.
Facilitating Property - any property, real or personal, that makes the underlying criminal activity easier to commit. For example, if a drug dealer uses a house to store and sell drugs, the house is said to facilitate the drug dealing.
Corpus Delicti property - this is property that is so integral to the criminal activity, that without it, there would be no crime, i.e. Smuggling of goods, money in currency reporting cases.
Owner of property does not have to be charged with a crime.
Civil forfeiture does not depend on the conviction of the wrongdoer.
Burden of proof is preponderance of the evidence -on the government.
The defendant in civil forfeiture is the property.
Civil forfeiture is usually remedial.
Almost all Civil forfeiture statutes now have an innocent owner defense available.
• Innocent owner had no knowledge of the illegal activity and if aware of the illegal activity did everything that one could do within reason to prevent it.
Civil Forfeiture of Drug houses. Title 21, United States Code, Section 881(a)(7) provides for the forfeiture of real property that was used to facilitate felony distribution, possession or manufacture of controlled substances.
• More than one search warrant and arrest at a location.
• Provide notice to owner to allow him to correct the problem.
• Allows our office to monitor the situation, is it better, or does it remain a problem property?
• Are they the same tenants involved (not just arrested) or different people altogether?
• What are the owner and mortgagee doing in response to the problem? Are they taking all reasonable steps to prevent future illegal activity?
Burden of Proof is on the government to show by preponderance of the evidence that the real property facilitated the drug dealing.
However, burden is on owner to prove yourself an innocent owner by preponderance of evidence.
Some federal cases hold that an owner must do all of the above to be considered an 'innocent owner'.
To request Non-Emergency Police Assistance call 853-2222.
• Why is lead a problem?
• Where can lead be found?
2. WHY IS LEAD A PROBLEM?
3. WHERE CAN LEAD BE FOUND?
These are generally available through your local public library. State laws are also available through your state legislature's information service. Contact your local county and city governments for applicable ordinances.

References: §749
 §715
 §715
 §715
 § 123
 §240