10 - Request for Creation of a Safe Zone at hotel and apartment housing

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(i) It is the official policy of the city to encourage participation in the crime -free multi -housing program and on-site security measures at all apartment complexes within the city and to encourage controlled entry systems for those apartment complexes where such systems would be feasible. Q) The purpose of crime -free multi -housing is to protect the health, safety, morals and welfare of the occupants of apartment complexes and other citizens of the City of Grand Prairie by obtaining greater compliance with minimum property standards through the establishment of a crime -free program thereby reducing the crime rate within the apartment complexes. The program utilizes three (3) key phases to reduce crime in rental communities: Phase I (Advanced Management Techniques Seminar) is designed for the owner and/or the key property employees such as managers, leasing agents and maintenance supervisors. Phase II of the program requires the landlord to meet the minimum security requirements of crime prevention through environmental design (C.P.T.E.D.). Phase III of the program involves property management hosting a safety social event annually for the residents of their community. All multifamily housing communities approved on or after October 1, 2016 must participate in the Grand Prairie Police Department's Crime -Free Multi -Housing Program in order to help deter and reduce crime in their multifamily housing communities in Grand Prairie. (Ord. No. 9452-2012, § 1, 11-6-12; Ord. No. 10036-2016, § 2, 5-3-16) Sec. 28-19. - Annual multifamily housing inspection procedures. (a) Each year, the city staff notify the owner/manager of the property thirty (30) days prior to the initial inspection and shall inspect the apartment units available for habitation, under such appropriate rules and regulations as may be established by the city department responsible for such inspections. The staff may inspect every unit available for rental each year, or may conduct such inspections based upon the age of the units, the history of violations at the apartment complex, and whatever other factors may be applicable. If the inspection of less than the total amount of units at the apartment complex reveals numerous violations, the housing and neighborhood services director may direct the inspection of other units up to one hundred (100) per cent and citations may be assessed as applicable. (b) If the owner or manager of an apartment unit does not intend to offer unit or units for habitation purposes at the time. of inspection, such owner or manager may designate the units that will not be occupied, with the effect that such units may not be occupied or made available for occupancy until such time as the owner or manager has submitted such units for inspection by the appropriate city staff that conducts such inspection, and until such time as the vacant unit has been approved for habitation. (c) There shall be an inspection and if necessary, re -inspection fee for each unit, which may be amended by action of the city council. Such fee, whether or not a unit designated for occupancy is actually inspected or if the officers inspect a representative sample of the units is required. If it is necessary to re -inspect a unit to determine if corrections have been made, such re -inspection shall be subject to a fee per unit and/or building. (d) If units are designated as unoccupied by the owner or management, they need not be submitted for the annual inspection until such time as such owner or manager shall prepare the unit for occupancy, unless, in the opinion of the city staff responsible for conducting the inspections, there is reason to believe that the vacant unit is in such a condition that it could affect other units within the same building, or that the vacant unit has some structural or internal damage that is or is not visible from the outside, but which affects other units to the effect that they may not be habitable. In addition, if the number of units that are designated as uninhabitable constitute a majority of a building or area of the complex, the vacant units may be designated for inspection at the discretion of the city staff members responsible for such inspections. (e) If an inspection is required of vacant or unoccupied units, either by the owner or manager or the city, all appropriate inspection and reinspection fees will be due.