According to John Gramlich of the Pew Research Center, “both violent and property crime rates have dropped significantly since their ‘peak’ in the early 1990s. An annual report compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows violent crime decreasing by 49% between 1993-2017 and a 50% decrease in property crime for the same period” (Gramlich, 2019).

While the statistics mentioned above indicate a trend in the right direction, close living quarters and frequent interactions with neighbors on a high-density apartment complex can result in escalating activity at any community.

Tenant safety has always been, and will continue to be, a top priority for AFI. Earlier this year, an asset in North Carolina was showcased that saw a 40% reduction in on-site crime since AFI began managing the property in 2017 (www.afi-llc.com, 2019).

With tenant safety being top priority, recently AFI’s on-site team at a campus asset in Lawrence, KS worked diligently with the Property Owners to replace all outdated entry doors on site with high-tech, secure, key-fob entry doors.

The new doors not only improve curb appeal at the property, but they accomplish AFI’s goal to maintain a safe and secure living space for all tenants. In addition to increasing safety on the property, this project was completed almost $30,000 under budget AND included the implementation of a property-wide security system.             

Prior to moving, AFI advises prospective renters to ask themselves the following questions regarding property safety:

1. Is the community well-lit? Properties with poor exterior lighting tend to attract suspicious activity.
2. How is the property’s curb appeal? Failure to tend to general maintenance items can be indicative of a lack of concern from the landlord.
3. Are crime statistics available online? There are several free online tools potential tenants can use to learn more about the crime history of a property such as CrimeReports.com and CrimeMapping.com

Since the security door install, both CrimeReports.com and CrimeMapping.com indicated zero reported incidents at the Lawrence, KS asset.

Gramlich, J. (2019, January 3). 5 Facts About Crime in the U.S. Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/03/5-facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/

Cosby, C. (2019, May 28). Safety Is Not an Amenity. Retrieved from:
 https://www.afi-llc.com/safety-is-not-an-amenity/

Apartment Security and Safety Tips for Renters from Safewise. Retrieved from: https://www.safewise.com/resources/apartment-security/