Landlords cut rent deal for police officers

A shared concern for livability issues in neighborhoods near the University has prompted a group of landlords to extend a generous offer to University of Minnesota police officers.
On Tuesday, the University Neighborhood Improvement Association voted in favor of offering police officers a 50 percent discount on rent when they live in neighborhoods near the University.
The offer would only apply to housing owned by participating landlords in the UNIA.
UNIA Executive Director William Wells said the organization’s intention is not to obtain “free security” but to improve the livability in the neighborhood and promote a sense of leadership in the community.
“Police officers in general make strong citizens,” Wells said. “They can be community leaders and participate in neighborhood groups.”
University police Chief Greg Hestness said the offer could be beneficial as long as landlords and police officers have a clear understanding of what the program entails.
“[Landlords] need to be clear about what they expect,” Hestness said.
University police Deputy Chief Chuck Miner said that while it is an appreciable offer, he is not sure how many police officers will participate in the program.
“Obviously, the scenario has to be right and somebody has to be looking for housing,” Miner said.
James De Sota, neighborhood coordinator for the Southeast Como Neighborhood Improvement Association, said UNIA’s offer shows that they share residents’ concerns.
“It shows that there’s a shared concern by the landlords and owners who think that safety is a paramount issue,” De Sota said.
He added that there is concern among residents that police officers no longer live in the metro area near the University.
“There is a different level of understanding you get when you live someplace,” he said.
De Sota said having more police officers who live in the neighborhoods would also provide residents with a greater sense of security.
“Knowing that the people who are protecting and serving them are their neighbors makes a big impact on the surrounding community,” De Sota said.
Hestness agreed that having officers live in the neighborhoods around the University could be beneficial to both officers and students.
“Our officers would be interacting, perhaps, with students in a different way than on duty, so that could all be to the benefit of getting to know one another a little more,” Hestness said.
Wells added that he feels the problems in the neighborhoods are not because of student resident behavior, but a result of gang members and other criminals who come into the neighborhoods and victimize students.
Wells said he received commitments from many members of the UNIA but that not all landlords will be participating in the program.