Problem property is

terminology Terminology is a group of specialized words and respective meanings in a particular field, and also the study of such terms and their use; the latter meaning is also known as terminology science. A ''term'' is a word, Compound (linguistics), com ...

used by

city government A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

s seeking to apply pressure to the owners and managers of buildings where

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

has occurred. "Problem property" is also used to describe any land or building that has negative issues associated with it, such as difficulty to sell, uncertain ownership, flooding, etc. In the rental-property industry, the theory is that

landlord A landlord is the owner of property such as a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate that is rented or leased to an individual or business, known as a tenant (also called a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). The term landlord appli ...

s have a duty to ensure tenants will not engage in criminal behavior that affects the quality of life of neighbors. And that the failure of some landlords to screen applicants appropriately for their units can lead to greater criminality and lower quality of life in some

neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...

s. Critics claim that it is in the political interest of local-government officials and

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

to shift the blame for crime from the criminals and the responsibility for fighting crime themselves to nearby property owners. This is a common strategy in

community policing Community policing is a philosophy and organizational strategy whereby law enforcement cooperates with community groups and citizens in producing safety and security. The theory underlying community policing is that it makes citizens more likely t ...

References

{{reflist Urban planning

See also

References