While apartment hunting, you usually have your checklist in hand: one bedroom, dining room, dishwasher, cable TV. But one often-overlooked item that can make the difference between a good or bad place is security.
During the decision-making process, it’s easy to be swayed by an apartment’s charm, modern amenities and free cable; however, a lack of security simply will negate everything the apartment offers.
“Many people forget about security when looking for an apartment,” says Sgt. Jim Henderson of the Chicago Police Department’s preventive programs section. “People concentrate on what they want to have, but what you absolutely have to have is good security.”
To avoid trouble, Henderson recommends apartment hunting with a checklist of necessary safety measures. A safe building will reduce your chances of being a victim of criminal activities such as burglary and assault.
Once you’ve selected a location, inspect the apartment building’s exterior because the outside reveals how the landlord maintains a safe property. The building’s lighting is crucial in deterring crime since criminals don’t like light, says Henderson.
“People usually look at apartments during the day, but it’s vital to drive by the apartment late at night with a friend to see how well the building is lit in front and back,” he says.
Not only is a well-lighted property important to keep lurking attackers away, but so is the building’s landscaping. Hedges and bushes should be trimmed low so burglars can’t hide in them; trees and branches around the property should not allow access to windows and balconies. Another safety signal is a clean, well-kept exterior because it visually tells criminals that the landlord cares and is alert to the surroundings.
“All these things give an idea of the building’s management style,” warns Henderson. “If the exterior isn’t in good condition day and night, then that tells you what you’ll be living in.”
Once you’ve found a place that appears safe on the outside, then it’s time to evaluate the interior, focusing on the entrance and the apartment door and windows to see if they offer an open invitation to burglars. When you enter the building, be sure the front door automatically shuts behind you after being opened with a key. Is there a 24-hour doorman? If not, is there an intercom system? The building should offer one of these systems for effective security. Direct access to your apartment door spells trouble.
In checking the apartment’s door, be sure it’s made of solid wood or steel built into a steel frame, says Henderson, and most importantly, the hinges should be on the inside of the apartment.
Many security measures aren’t only yours for the checking, they are required by city building codes. In Chicago, for instance, apartment doors must have a peephole and a deadbolt lock. Windows within 20 feet of the ground or 10 feet of the fire escape or roof must have a lock that secures it in a partially open position, and a lock that completely bolts the window. These measures are enforced not only to keep crime out, but also to help you escape in case of a fire.
During your security inventory, it’s also important to look for subtle clues on how attentive the landlord is to safety, including clear and well-lighted stairwells with no broken or missing steps, a smoke detector in the apartment and windows without cracks. Any sign of neglect by the landlord, no matter how small, could be a potential fire or safety hazard for you.
Before committing to a lease, it’s worth your time to learn about the crime and condition in your building and neighborhood by calling the local police for crime statistics; current tenants also are first-hand sources on the building’s condition and how management responds to problems.
Another preventive measure on your checklist should be to read the city’s building ordinance that states landlords’ and tenants’ rights, including apartment key access by landlords and fire damage regulations. Current and soon-to-be Chicago residents can pick up a free copy of the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance at City Hall. For outlying suburbs, visit the local city hall, municipal building or library.
After a thorough apartment search and security sweep, you’ve found the perfect apartment, signed the lease and moved in. Now it’s up to you to enforce apartment security.
“Landlords can only do so much,” says Stuart Handler of Stuart Handler Real Estate Co., which owns and manages 1,000 apartment units throughout the Chicago area. “Tenants must take responsibility for their own safety.”
A comfortable balance
Randall Agostini, assistant manager of the McClurg Court Center, a 1,075-unit high rise in downtown Chicago’s Streeterville area, agrees. “Residents have to understand that they’re in charge of the front door, not the landlord.”
Agostini explains the landlord has to strike a comfortable balance of customer service, building codes and tight security.
“We provide the tools and educate our staff, but ultimately, it’s the tenants’ responsibility to lock their doors and not let strangers in behind them,” he says.
According to security experts, apartment residents take things for granted, like keeping their doors unlocked while running to the incinerator or laundry room. It’s habits like this that put tenants at risk, as criminals are waiting for that one-second opportunity to slip in.
Security experts advise renters to always keep doors locked, whether they’re in the apartment or not, even with a 24-hour doorman downstairs.
Both landlords and tenants working together prove a strong security system.
“Good landlords will show they care about apartment security by keeping the building clean and safe inside and out,” explains Carole Bialczak, director of community outreach at the City of Chicago’s Department of Buildings. “The tenant is responsible for observing how landlords maintain the property and being keen to his or her surroundings.”
To help, the City of Chicago offers a free, three-hour program designed to educate landlords, tenants and building owners on how to manage and maintain safe apartments. The Landlord Training Program, administered by the Department of Buildings and the Chicago Police Department, gives the educational tools on how to create a safe environment for tenants and how to deter criminal activity in a building.
“The criminal element puts all tenants at risk,” says Chicago Police Sgt. Jeff Collier, a coordinator of the Landlord Training Program. “If landlords learn how to make a safe environment for tenants, then they can discourage crimes in the building.”
Collier adds that tenants should get to know the police officers assigned to the area, learn the daily routine of the building and become acquainted with the other tenants.
Sandy Sharp, who resides in Evanston, affirms his apartment security is fostered by neighbors taking care of neighbors. “We keep an eye out for each other and for anything suspicious to ensure security for all of us.”
Bialczak stresses that apartment security is a triangle formation: the police and city agencies, the landlord and the tenants. “It takes everyone to work together for a safe living environment.”
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For more information about the Landlord Training Program, call 312-744-3430. If you have any building or landlord concerns, Bialczak advises you to contact your local city hall for assistance; in Chicago, call 312-744-5000.
