CHICAGO, IL -- Apartments.com Survey Reveals Renters' Feelings Toward Crime Prevention and Safety In conjunction with the National Crime Prevention Council's (NCPC) National Crime Prevention Month in October, www.Apartments.com conducted a survey to gauge safety concerns of current renters. Results reveal that seventy-eight percent of respondents feel moderately to extremely safe in their apartments. The www.Apartments.com survey was conducted between September 14 and September 30, 2006.
In addition, the survey discovered that an overwhelming number of respondents (97%) state that the crime rate of a particular neighborhood plays a significant part in apartment selection. By selecting apartment locations in perceived "safe" neighborhoods, renters are more likely to feel at ease in their homes.
According to the NCPC, the organization best known for McGruff the Crime Dog(R), apartments are eighty-five percent more likely to be victimized by burglaries than other types of housing. The www.Apartments.com survey, however, revealed that being a victim of a violent personal attack is the number one crime concern to renters (37%) followed closely by theft/burglary (33%). Although renters feel safe in their home, vigilance and prevention is necessary to avoid becoming a victim of property theft or other crimes.
Most renters are proactive about protecting themselves and employ one or more measures to prevent crime in their apartment. Renters identified installing deadbolts (44%) as the most common protective measure in their apartments. Twenty-five percent arm themselves with mace or pepper spray and twenty-three percent use light timers.
Apartment communities are also mindful of creating a safe environment for their residents. Fifty-nine percent of renters state that their management company/landlord has installed deadbolts or other heavy duty locks on apartment doors, twenty-five percent of renters live in gated communities and twenty-one percent live in communities where there is an organized neighborhood watch program. According to the NCPC, 20 million people participate in Neighborhood Watch.
The NCPC offers this safety checklist to avoid crime in apartment communities:
-- Inside the apartment: Renters should ensure that they have a deadbolt
installed on entry doors. A wooden rod should be inserted in tracks and
pins in the overhead frame of sliding doors to prevent them from being
lifted out. Renters should know exactly who has copies of entry keys.
-- Around the building: Renters should be comfortable with speaking to the
landlord or building manager if there are suspicious persons on
property. Building managers should keep mailboxes, garbage receptacles,
laundries, walkways, entrances, elevators, hallways, stairways and
other public areas well lighted.
-- Get to know the neighbors: Renters and building managers are encouraged
to join or organize an apartment or neighborhood watch group. Building
management and renters should work together to identify and solve
potential crime hazards such as proper lighting and suspicious persons.
As part of its monthly "What Renters Want" series, www.Apartments.com surveys renters on various topics. For more information on these surveys or to receive a copy of survey results, please contact Lisa DeVries at ldevries@apartments.com .
About The National Crime Prevention Council
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is a private, nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to be the nation's leader in helping people keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime. NCPC manages public service advertising under the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign -- symbolized by McGruff the Crime Dog(R) and his "Take A Bite Out Of Crime(R)" slogan -- and acts as secretariat for the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, more than 300 national, federal, state, and local organizations representing thousands of constituents who are committed to preventing crime. NCPC is funded through a variety of government agencies, corporate and private foundations, and donations from private individuals. NCPC also participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (#0840 on the pledge card). For more information on crime prevention issues, visit http://www.ncpc.org/ .
About www.Apartments.com
www.Apartments.com is the most visited national apartment Internet listing subscription service distinguished by more than two million rental listings from managed properties, newspaper classifieds and for-rent-by-owner units. Its personalized searches, highly visual ads featuring 360-degree virtual tours and professional photography, and comprehensive community listings, make it possible for in-market renters to access rental inventory from across town or across the country and make informed decisions quickly. The site's foundation of solid partnerships with the local newspaper and television station Web sites of more than 170 affiliates across the country includes the Chicago Tribune ( http://www.chicagotribune.com/ ), The Washington Post ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/ ) and the Los Angeles Times ( http://www.latimes.com/ ). www.Apartments.com, a division of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, LLC, delivers highly qualified, ready-to-rent prospects to more than 14,500 trade customers, which increases closure rates and decreases the average cost of leasing an apartment.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:
Source: www.Apartments.com
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CONTACT: Lisa DeVries of www.Apartments.com, P: +1-312-601-5305, or
F: +1-312-601-5115, or ldevries@apartments.com
Web site: http://www.apartments.com/
http://www.ncpc.org/
About This Release
If you have any questions regarding information in this press release, please contact the organization listed in the press release. Issuers of press releases and not TCI are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
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