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David Taub Website photo 2024
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 6 years ago on
May 31, 2019

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The Clovis Police Department has pulled a proposed “Crime-Free Housing Program” from Monday’s city council agenda.

The initial proposal included a requirement that landlords provide a list of occupants to the police chief upon request. It also required building managers to be trained by the police department and mandated “appropriate background checks” and a “crime-free lease addendum” for all renters.

The addendum required residents, and any of their guests to “live a crime-free lifestyle.” A violation of any provision could cause a termination of the lease.

Cpl. Chris Berna said the department wrote the proposal after speaking to landlords, managers, and tenants.

“Since it hit the agenda, we were contacted by a couple of groups we weren’t able to reach out to or that we missed,” Berna said of why the item was pulled.

The police department will now reach out to those groups and address any concerns. Berna said one of those groups it will contact is the California Apartment Association. It is one of the nation’s largest apartment trade groups.

Greg Terzakis, the senior vice president of the Greater Fresno CAA chapter, says he likes the intent of the ordinance, but the city needs to work on the practicality of its language. Terzakis called it “too vague.”

Call Volume Higher

“I have confidence in Clovis leadership that they will evaluate this policy to make sure that it is meeting its intended outcomes without having unintended consequences.” — Fresno Housing Authority executive director Preston Prince

In its initial staff report, the police department said its calls for service at multi-family units were greater than single-family homes — mainly due to a “higher density of people occupying a smaller area of property.”

Berna said a similar program exists in Kerman and other cities in the state.

The Fresno Housing Authority is in the planning stages of a project in Clovis. The group’s executive director/CEO Preston Prince says their tenants are screened.

“Providing a safe place for all residents is important to us. We work closely with the local police departments where our housing is located,” Prince said. “I have confidence in Clovis leadership that they will evaluate this policy to make sure that it is meeting its intended outcomes without having unintended consequences, particularly disparate impact on various demographics, particularly people of color who have already experienced historical biases of California’s criminal justice system.”

Revision of ‘Confidential List’

Berna said the department will rework the provision regarding landlords keeping the names of tenants.

 “Right now, we are a city that is expanding rapidly. As a police department, we are finding it difficult to keep up with that growth. We want to do whatever we can to reduce the calls we have to respond to.” — Capt. Curt Fleming

“The intent of it is for active calls, things that are occurring now, that officers are on scene and they need information on who is in that apartment,” Berna said.

He specifically referred to situations such as ongoing threats or assaults.

“Right now, we are a city that is expanding rapidly. As a police department, we are finding it difficult to keep up with that growth. We want to do whatever we can to reduce the calls we have to respond to,” Capt. Curt Fleming said.

As the ordinance reads, failure to comply could be a misdemeanor. But Berna said the likelihood of enforcing that is “slim to none.”

Proposed Ordinance

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David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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