Swansea staff and police back repeal of voluntary crime‑free housing ordinance

Village of Swansea staff and the police department recommended repealing Chapter 155 of the village code, the voluntary crime‑free housing program, on May 4, saying the ordinance has not been implemented as written and creates operational inefficiencies and legal risks.

Dan Thomas, the village's code administrator, told the community and economic development committee that the program's required crime‑free housing committee was never established, trainings have occurred only twice since the program's 2018 launch, and the code's background‑check and certification provisions pose potential legal issues. He said the current registration structure offers a reduced $25 rate for participants when the standard registration fee is $100, and that there is no effective check to ensure training or certification actually occurred.

"The program is not formally put together the way the ordinance outlines," Thomas said, arguing that the village already has code‑enforcement tools, occupancy inspections and police interventions to address problem properties and that the ordinance mostly adds administrative burden rather than improved public safety.

Police Chief Matt Blumbberg supported the recommendation, telling trustees that, as a non‑home‑rule jurisdiction, Swansea has limited enforcement authority under the ordinance and that many of the program's functions are already carried out through routine police and code enforcement work. "Even if it were instituted, the worst thing that could happen to a non‑compliant landlord is they got to pay $100 instead of $25," Blumbberg said, noting integration and data‑sharing costs with regional dispatch and record systems would add further expense.

Committee members asked about neighboring communities and whether repealing the ordinance would reduce public safety or simply remove bureaucracy. Thomas and Blumbberg said neighboring municipalities vary—some have mandatory programs while others accomplish similar outcomes through inspections and code enforcement—and stressed that the village could still hold landlord outreach and training sessions without codifying the full ordinance.

The committee moved to forward the repeal for board consideration. During the public comment period, Rocky McDonald, who attended earlier landlords' meetings, urged the board not to eliminate useful outreach. "I don't think getting rid of the program completely is what needs to be done," McDonald said, recommending annual meetings that bring landlords, the police chief and the zoning administrator together to share background‑check resources and practical property‑maintenance guidance.

Staff said they would notify the roughly 259 landlords who had identified as voluntary participants and would include explanatory messaging on the village's upcoming Facebook page and the Swansea report if the board adopts the repeal. Thomas and Blumbberg also said that if the board approves the repeal, the village could later draft a narrower, less‑cumbersome ordinance if officials decide the program should return in a different form.

Next steps: the repeal was forwarded to the full board for consideration at a future meeting; if the board adopts the change, staff planned direct mail and online notices for landlords and residents.