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1. What if I live out of state or a significant distance or I travel often, and am unable to attend a seminar?

If you do not live in the State of Illinois you are required by Village Ordinance to appoint an in-state agent for your property. If you live a significant distance from Palatine, it is recommended that you appoint an “agent” for your property. An agent does not necessarily mean you need to hire a property manager, you can simply ask a close friend or family member who is willing to help. The purpose of having an agent is so the Village and Police Department have a contact person in close proximity that can assist if there is an emergency on your property. In order to list someone as your agent you need to fill out another rental license form.

2. What is a Lease Addendum and how do I get one?

A Crime Free Lease Addendum is a form that you are required to add to your existing lease (similar to a lease rider). This form will be signed by your resident when they renew their lease. A copy of the lease addendum you will be using needs to be provided to the Crime Free Coordinator. Sample lease addendums are provided on this site. You are welcome to adopt the sample addendum or you may have an attorney prepare one for you. If you choose to adopt the sample addendum, you may cut and paste it to your personal files and add your property information to it. Once you have completed your addendum, you should bring a copy to the seminar you are attending or you can email your addendum to tgulisano@palatine.il.us Please be sure to note what seminar you are attending.

Note: You are required to use the addendum with all your future leases.

3. What happens if I do not comply with the Crime Free Ordinance?

By not complying with the ordinance you may subject yourself to being cited by the Village. If a citation is issued you will be required to appear in court for an adjudication process and could be subject to fines. You will still be required after court to become compliant.

4. If I have attended a seminar in another town, will I be required to attend Palatine’s as well?

If you have attended a seminar in another town within the last year, you may be exempt from attending Palatine’s seminar with a few exceptions. You still must provide a copy of the lease addendum you will be using in Palatine and provide the Crime Free Coordinator with a signed letter from the police department in the town you attended the seminar. If you are attending a seminar in Palatine and own property in any of the above listed towns or any new towns that participate in the program, please ask the coordinator to sign and give you a letter of exemption for your other properties. Please note - Not every town that does crime free is accepted in Palatine, please check with the coordinator to determine which towns are acceptable.

5. I already paid my license renewal fee and completed an inspection of my property. Do I still need to attend the seminar?

You are still required to attend the seminar and provide a copy of your Crime Free Lease Addendum before you can be issued your new rental license. Paying for the permit and completing the inspection does not exempt you from being compliant with the new ordinance.

6. I rent to family and don’t really have a lease. Do I still need to be compliant with the ordinance?

Yes. You are still required to be compliant because you have a rental license. Although you are not required to have a lease for your property, you will be required to have a lease addendum. A copy of the lease addendum must be supplied to the Crime Free Coordinator. Sample lease addendums may be used as long as your property information is clearly typed on the copy provided.

7. The Program is called Crime Free Multi-Housing, but I own a single family home or individual unit. Do I still need to attend a seminar and adopt a lease addendum?

The term Crime Free Multi-Housing is a copywriter term and is used universally throughout the United States and abroad for this type of program. The Village of Palatine Ordinance does require anyone with a rental license for a dwelling unit to be compliant with the ordinance. This includes owners who have 1 unit or a single family home.

8. I received the mailing and forgot to register for a seminar before my expiration, what should I do?

You can contact the Crime Free Office at 847-202-6641 and request conditional approval which will extend your expiration date for no more than 30 days. This conditional approval is given on a case by case basis and is not issued to everyone.

9. Am I able to bring my child to the seminar with me?

Children are not permitted at the seminar. Some of the material presented at the seminar is not appropriate for older children and younger children could create a distraction in class. The training room is not designed for small children and there are many areas of the room that could pose a hazard.

10. Who is permitted to attend the Crime Free Refresher Course?

The only person who is permitted to take the refresher course is the person who took the original course 3 years prior. If an agent or owner has changed and they represented the property at the original seminar, the new owner or agent is responsible for taking the original seminar.

11. What are the dates of the seminars?

Seminar dates vary throughout the month. Generally a seminar is hosted once a month, usually on a Saturday. The dates are not provided on-line as each applicant only has a select number of seminars offered to them.

12. Is Palatine the only town participating in this program?

There are roughly 54 towns in the State of Illinois participating in the Crime Free Program and several have ordinances similar to Palatines. Some of the local towns include:
- Addison
- Carpentersville
- DesPlaines
- Elgin
- Miles
- Mount Prospect
- Naperville
- Niles
- Oak Forest
- Riverside
- Rosemont
- Schaumburg
- Westmont and Round Lake Beach
- Wheeling
- Etc.

13. Can my friend or family member attend a seminar on my behalf?

A friend or family member can attend on your behalf as long as the person is listed as a co-owner or agent for your property and they will be managing it on a regular basis. Co-owners and agents are equally liable for the property and any village litigation. Again, if you need to list someone as an agent, you will need to fill out an application.

14. Where are the seminars hosted and what time do they start?

The seminars are hosted at the Palatine Police Department, 595 North Hicks Road. The seminar times vary depending on the date. Seminars begin promptly at 8 a.m. and end at noon. Attendees are expected to arrive on time to receive credit for attendance. Snacks are generally provided.