A few years ago, Blue Springs police officers were fielding daily calls about disturbances at two apartment complexes near Interstate 70 and Woods Chapel Road.
Now disturbances are down at the complexes, which are under new management. Both have been renovated recently .
Police Department Deputy Chief Bob Muenz credits the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, a national initiative to clean up apartment complexes.
Participating landlords attend training and attach a “crime-free” addendum to their lease.
“When their tenant signs that, if the police get called so many times to the resident, they can evict them,” Muenz says. “It gives them more teeth in their property contract.”
The addendum covers everything from loud music to property damage to disturbances.
Legitimate calls don’t count against a tenant’s total, Muenz says.
“If you call the police department and you have a justified need, that doesn’t go against you as far as your contract,” he says. “If the police are called because you are the problem, that goes against your tenant agreement.”
That protects someone calling to report domestic abuse.
Muenz says Blue Springs landlords have been “very receptive” to the program.
“Because it helps them maintain their property,” he says. “If they can maintain their property and maintain good tenants, then they have a higher profit margin.”
On Friday, Jackson County COMBAT held a large trash drop-off and prescription drug take-back to benefit residents. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office passed out gun locks.
Muenz says COMBAT helps fund many programs in Blue Springs, such as the Campus Law Enforcement Officer program and the three detective Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Elle Moxley is a reporter for KCUR. You can reach her on Twitter @ellemoxley.
