1. Niner Choice Off Campus Safety Program
July 11, 2012 Presented by: University Area Off Campus Taskforce

2. University Area Off Campus Taskforce
Developed in partnership between:
UNC Charlotte Dean of Students Office
Off Campus Outreach
Office of Student Conduct
UNC Charlotte Police and Public Safety
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department – University City Division
CRD

3. Housing Overview UNC Charlotte enrolls approximately 25,000 students
The University can house approximately 5,200 students on campus
There are over 53 multi-family communities in Response Area 2
There are 6 apartment communities and 8 condominiums that lease by the bedroom
There are 6 new properties in development or construction stage in Response Area 2
Botz
CMPD began looking into crime in the R2 area regarding Priority 1 crimes – saw University Village, 901 Place & University Club at top 3 in Priority 1 crimes
Part 1 crimes = homicide, rape, murder, robbery, aggravated assaults, larceny, arson, B&Es
R2 boundaries – Old Concord to County Line, 85-Harris Blvd

4. Off Campus Housing Focus Areas - CMPD
Apartments - property management companies
University Club
University Village
901 Place
The Edge
University Walk
The Flats at Mallard Creek
Condominiums – landlords; individually owned
Shannon Green I
University Terrace & University Terrace North
Alexander Town
Colville I & II
Campus Walk
College Station
Botz

6. Issues of Concern for the Taskforce
Crime statistics in off campus Focus Areas
Practice of placing:
non-students with student renters
felons and probationers with student renters
Lack of consistent safety measures
Code and fire safety violations
Off campus complexes utilizing names that associate them with the University (Campus Walk, Campus Edge, University Village) and not being cognizant of their business practices
Sean
* Talk about what we saw when we drove through some of these areas when considering going through with the Off Campus Bus Tour

7. 2011 Calls for Service
47,683 Citizen & Officer Initiated Calls for Service in Response Area 2
Botz

8. 533 Part 1 Crimes in Multi-Family Housing in
2011 Crime Data
533 Part 1 Crimes in Multi-Family Housing in
Response Area 2
Botz

9. 16,608 Citizen & Officer Initiated Calls for Service in
Response Area 2
Botz
2012 – only tabulated to June

10. 231 Part 1 Crimes in Multi-Family Housing in
2012 Crime Data
231 Part 1 Crimes in Multi-Family Housing in
Response Area 2

11. Crime Data Comparison 2011 Part 1 Crime January 1-June 10, 2011
Incident Type
Frequency
Larceny-Other 29
Residential Burglary
Larceny from Auto 22
Auto Theft 8
Larceny from Building 6
Armed Robbery 3
Aggravated Assault-Knife 2
Aggravated Assault-Gun 1
Aggravated Assault-Other Weapon
Arson
Commercial Burglary
Total
103
Incident Type
Frequency
Residential Burglary 27
Larceny-Other 23
Larceny from Auto 19
Auto Theft 7
Armed Robbery 6
Larceny from Building 3
Aggravated Assault-Gun 2
Larceny of Bicycle
Larceny-Pocket Picking
Aggravated Assault-Knife 1
Aggravated Assault-Other Weapon
Larceny-Shoplifting
Rape
Total 95
Botz

12. 2011 Probationers Overlay

13. 2012 Probationers Overlay

14. Student Victims by Response Area for 2011
Division/Response Area
Number of Student Victims
Percentage
University City/RA2
343
54.88%
University City/RA3 75
12%
Central/RA2 54
8.64%
University City/RA1 36
5.76%
Central/RA1 29
4.64%
Providence/RA1 23
3.68%
Steele Creek/RA3 20
3.2%
Steele Creek/RA2 17
2.72%
Independence/RA1 11
1.76%
South/RA1 9
1.44%
North Tryon/RA1 8
1.28%
Total Number of Victims
625
Botz
University City Division had a total of 454 Student Victims (72.64%)
*rough data
UNCC, CPCC, Kings College, Queens University, The Art Institute of Charlotte,
Johnson C. Smith University, and Johnson & Wales University

15. Student Victims by Response Area for 2012
Division/Response Area
Number of Student Victims
Percentage
University City/RA2
137
53.72%
Central/RA2 24
9.80%
Steele Creek/RA2 21
8.23%
Central/RA1 18
7.05%
Independence/RA3 17
6.6%
University City/RA3 16
6.27%
Independence/RA1 13
5.09%
Metro/RA2 9
3.52%
Total Number of Victims
255
BotzUniversity City Division had a total of 153 Student Victims (60%)
*rough data
UNCC, CPCC, Kings College, Queens University, The Art Institute of Charlotte,
Johnson C. Smith University, and Johnson & Wales University

16. Niner Choice Program An educational safety program in
partnership with: UNC Charlotte Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department University City Division Charlotte Fire Department Neighborhood & Business Services (code enforcement)
Lowe’s Home Improvement
Christine
Modeled, with permission, after the University of Alabama Crimson Choice program
Goals:
To promote increased security measures in University Area off campus properties;
To increase relationships and communication between off campus properties and the University; and
To help students and their families make informed decisions regarding off campus living options by providing them with criteria to consider

17. Niner Choice Proposed Designation Criteria
Completion of Security Assessment:
Windows must have functioning lock
Front door must be solid core construction
Sliding glass doors must have functioning locks
Deadbolt locks on front door
Working smoke detectors
Labeling individual bedrooms with letters/numbers
Individual bedroom doors can be secured
Well maintained landscape (shrubbery)
Handrails for stairways
Lighting (walkways, parking lots, entrances and exits)
Gated communities must have working gates
Christine & Sean
We will also consider the reported crime rate at the property

18. Niner Choice Proposed Designation Criteria
Lease agreement includes the following:
A Drug and Crime Free addendum
An unauthorized occupants addendum
Policies addressing noise complaints, parties, parking, towing, alcohol in common areas
Business Practices:
Perform background checks and provide statement regarding what criminal threshold they utilize in determining whether a tenant may reside in the unit
If rent to non-students: place students with other student renters
Hired security company
Complex will rekey doors at request (tenant may incur expense)
Tenants and landlords must abide by lease agreements
Property/landlord have following agreements with CMPD:
Authority to Act as Agent
Alcohol Authority
Christine & Sean
We are looking at a point system for designation purposes – with certain areas as mandatory compliance, and other areas as optional (ie. Hired security) where a property can earn more points

19. Off Campus Property Inspections
A Niner Choice Inspection Team will be created in partnership with Off Campus Outreach, CMPD, and PPS and staff members.
Inspections will be conducted on a yearly basis:
Inspections schedules will rotate on a monthly basis;
Re-inspections within a calendar year can be done based upon complaints or reported issues.
Participating properties:
10% of units in large scale properties will be inspected (ie. properties with over 20 units)
Individually owned condos/townhomes/houses will be inspected.
Violations of fire and/or code regulations found by the Inspection Team will be reported to appropriate agency.
Christine
How does the Inspection Team get into the apartments – do they need permission from tenant?

20. Niner Choice Designation
Off campus properties can volunteer to participate and receive the Niner Choice designation (yard signs, ability to include in marketing materials, lobby certificate).
Properties that contract and advertise with Off Campus Partners (OCP), a property locater website within the Off Campus Outreach program unit, will be placed in a “Niner Choice” designated area of the OCP website.
A property can lose the Niner Choice designation if it fails annual inspection or if reported issues are not appropriately addressed.
The University Area Off Campus Taskforce will manage Niner Choice inspections and property designations.

21. Niner Choice Disclaimers
A Niner Choice designation does not guarantee the safety and security of participating properties.
UNC Charlotte cannot guarantee that accidents or criminal activity will not occur at Niner Choice designated properties.
Niner Choice is a safety education program designed to provide information to students and families in an effort to help them make informed decisions about off campus living options.
Rental owners remain solely responsible for the operation, physical condition, safety and security of off campus properties.
Property reviews conducted are limited in nature and do not proclaim to find every potential hazard or violation; and are based upon the condition of the property at the time of inspection.
Christine

22. Niner Choice Marketing
An electronic letter will be sent to Response Area 2 property owners via the distribution list maintained by CMPD.
A meeting will be hosted by the University Area Off Campus Taskforce, Off Campus Partners, and Lowe’s Home Improvement to discuss the details of the Niner Choice program and address questions from property owners.
Sean Langley will reach out to individual properties within two weeks after the meeting to discuss interest in Niner Choice. Sean will be the main contact point for the program.
Place Niner Choice information on the Off Campus website.
Promote through media stories (Campus News, Charlotte Observer).
Develop Niner Choice designation insignias (stickers, certificates, yard signs, etc).
Goal = Fall semester roll out

23. University Area Off Campus Taskforce Future Initiatives
Preferred Tenant Program
Offering off campus students a series of educational classes designed to provide students with fundamental knowledge and resources about living off campus.
Completion of program offers incentives (discount in rent) to the preferred tenant from participating landlords/property managers.
Off Campus Welcome Team
Volunteers from UNC Charlotte and CMPD will visit area apartment complexes and neighborhoods welcoming off campus students and distributing information.
Student Resource Guide – produced by CMPD
A guide to information surrounding safety, off and on campus resources, and tenant rights.
Preferred Tenant program – modeled after University of Wisconsin-Milwuakee
Off Campus Welcome Team – modeled after Syracuse University