NEWS
Officials push security
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Also by Megan Costello:
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Related Stories:
- Committee discusses new lock plan (October 7, 2004)
- Committee approves lock proposal (December 2, 2004)
- City Council to decide on locks law (December 14, 2004)
- Committee passes proposal for locks (November 19, 2004)
- Lock law looms for local landlords (April 14, 2005)
by Megan Costello
Wednesday, September 1, 2004
In light of recent summer assaults, two city officials are pushing a proposal that would require landlords to have exterior locks on all buildings with more than two apartments.
Alderpersons Mike Verveer, District 4, and Judy Olson, District 6, introduced the ordinance.
“Having exterior locks seems like common sense,” Olson said. “It’s unfortunate it took tragic incidents to bring this issue before the council. Exterior locks should have been a requirement before.”
Several assaults occurred in Madison this summer, such as numerous beatings in Hoyt Park. A woman living near Camp Randall was raped, and a woman on the 600 block of University Avenue was beaten and sexually assaulted.
The proposal also would require a doorbell and an intercom system allowing visitors to contact tenants before entering. New buildings also would need a high-security key vault containing keys letting emergency personnel inside during an urgent situation.
Olson said she has heard support from the City Council and believes the proposal will pass.
“From landlords I’ve heard some support and some opposition, but I have a feeling it’s going to pass,” Olson said.
University of Wisconsin senior Sam Thompson is one of many students who said she understands the importance of safety in apartment buildings.
“I’ve known a handful of people who have had their places broken into,” Thompson said.
Even with the possibility of an exterior-lock law, it will be the tenants who control their own safety, according to Crime Prevention Officer Mary Thurber.
“The system will only be as good as the people living there,” Thurber said.
Exterior locks may help tenant safety, but often the locks bar tenants out or they cause residents to prop them open for guests, according to Michael Greiber, Corporate Counsel of Madison Property Management.
Madison Property Management controls more than a hundred buildings with many newer buildings containing exterior locks.
“Very frequently we see tenants and other people break the lock mechanisms or tape the locks closed,” Greiber said.
Regulation of apartment security is important to provide correct safety, said Megin Hicks, Tenant Resource Center Program Director.
“We try to incorporate safety issues into outreach presentations during summer months when theft and assaults may flare up,” Hicks said.
The Tenant Resource Center office at 1202 Williamson St. services more than 7000 tenants through outreach presentations and office visitations, of which 20 percent are students.
“The information we provide happens to be a large focus for students because many of them are first-time renters,” Hicks said.
Landlord actions in response to tenant requests have been both good and bad, Hicks said.
“It’s a mixed bag,” she noted. “We hear about landlords that are slow to make repairs on safety features but at the same time we hear about landlords who do respond to student requests.”
Thompson agreed exterior locks should be mandatory, but even with locks, theft and assault will continue if people choose to open the doors.
“Everyone in the building should follow the basic rules like not propping open the doors, otherwise what good are the locks?” Thompson said.
Following basic rules is the real kicker because more than 50 percent of apartment burglaries occur because a tenant propped open a door or left a door unlocked, according to Thurber.
The proposal will be introduced to the council Sept. 7. It will then be recommended to several committees, such as the Landlord Tenant subcommittee and the Housing Committee for further study.
If the ordinance passes, landlords will have 60 days to establish exterior locks and intercom systems on their properties.
Anonymous (September 1, 2004 @ 1:10pm):
To put locks outside on a building for some of us would just be another hassel to get in we know when we rent a place if it does or does not have security on the building already. If we were concerned we wouldnt rent it -how are you going to get us to and from our cars safely? Maybe put up security cameras on all light posts??
