State Specific Question About: CALIFORNIA (CA)

Have a neighbor BIG troublemaker to our small 5 plex. Always making "friends" with our tenants then borrowing money and not repaying- in fact she passed a counterfeit note to one of our residents. I couls call police - but dont want to be in danger-

" is it possible to have this person tresspassed [sic] warning by the Police to keep off our property ? "

NO.

If this person comes onto your property at the invitation of one of your tenants, then YOU are violating the tenants' right to quiet enjoyment of the property that they have rented, and YOU can be sued for that violation.

Police have nothing to do with it. The visitor is not trespassing.

I don't know about CA but in AZ, technically yes you as owner could trespass her off the property. However unless she is ON the property and refuses to leave the pd will say it's civil. And here it's cite and release, so they can vome right back until the pd gets tired of returning, then they use disorderly conduct or more likely, drug possession.

You might try an order of protection requiring her to stay away. But that might be shaky in court without threats, but A good lawyer might prevail. Might...

I have - in fact after she threatened me the last time i asked her to leave- i did a background check , and she's spent 5 years in prison for burglary, check fraud, and counterfeit notes.

She knows i know about her counterfeiting to a residendent - if i reported her on that she will spend years in prison- THAT is what frightens me- i want her off the property but can not tell her i know her background, it's dangerous

I fail to see why you are making this your problem. Tell your new tenants one time, "the next door neighbor is sort of a pushy pest. If you are friendly with her, there is a good probability she will ask you for money." That would be enough warning for most people to not say more than "hello". If they engage with her, that's on them.

Also, you don't have folks "trespassed".

what does "counterfeiting to a resident" mean and what are "counterfeit notes"? --72.70.xxx.xxx

Passing Counterfiet money Fake $100 notes to a resident-

Alsao did i mention it's a small 5 plex that i LIVE at?

Then walk out there and show her who's in charge. --50.107.xxx.xxx

_and everytime i pull in at night im worrying if one of her convict friends will shoot me?

Tell your new tenants that they should avoid her. If they have any problems, they should call the police. If she is actually bothering you, then you can call the police. If your tenants invite her in, are stupid enough to keep loaning her money, get counterfeit bills and not report it, then that is their problem not yours. With 4 other tenants, you will probably be putting up with a lot of people visiting that you may not want, but that is the tenants right to have them.

I like the idea of putting a few obvious security measures in place, as Fred suggested.

It leaves me a little perplexed tha many on here are just short of condoning her soliciting on your property. Many multi-family units in my area have No Solicitation signs posted. She soliciting for borrowed funds, by my simpleton way of thinking.

Me, I have a chat at my local precinct, see what they advise. Could be, she’s already on their radar, they might appreciate you letting them know your concerns. Whenever I have had a break-in, no matter how minor, police definitely asked me to report any additional information to them. And, they may offer to do a little extra patrolling on your street. Last thing convenience artists want is to be noticed by the police.

My understanding is a business does have a right to ask an individual to not return to the property. When I worked as a supervisor at a retail store, we were having issues with persons committing possible coupon fraud, which can actually get into large sums of money. Store manager did tell several persons they could no longer return to our store. That was a few years ago., maybe things have changed.

This woman isn’t your tenants’ friend that they are inviting on the property. She is a convenience artist, and your tenants are convenient. I say, start with talking to your local police precinct, they’ll likely put you in touch with officers that patrol your area. And, maybe talk to a property rights attorney.

This is a "no-win" situation. However in California when "TWO" different tenants are effected by an event, like your trouble-making neighbor, then a landlord is supposed to step in and take care of maters.

Step One: Ask your tenants if they are willing to sign a statement listing the problems with the "trouble maker".

Ah, you LIVE there. OK, that changes things, I think.

Again I don't know about Criminalifornia anymore, but here it wouldn't be hard to get a stay away order (protective order for civil harrassment) that would require her to stay off the property and a certain distance from you. She would only be able to accost your tenants off property.

I think a local atty consultation is in order.

Depending on where in CA you live you may be able to get a concealed weapon permit if you are threatened by her friends. Though I think nowadays you can only carry an empty musket. ;)

Read this.

www.shouselaw.com/trespass.html#1

Since you live there, you can probably ask the police to get involved. I agree you likely want a consultation with a local lawyer.

If you live there and really are the landlord, put out a no trespassing sign right away. Then as someone suggested a no soliciting sign. Hardware stores sell them for a couple bucks.

If you are indeed the landlord and not just another resident, tell the new tenants that other tenants have had trouble with X from next door trying to borrow money. That should be enough. It's a face and therefore not slander.

Charlie, some aren’t brave enough to protect the business. Will is, that’s why seeking advice. Others said, ‘not your business’. . But, it IS Will’s business. Literally. Two recent tenants moved out. Do I know the convenience artist harassing them was the issue? Certainly, I do not. But....

Police will do extra patrols if asked, at least in my community. And, my town is very short on police officers. Most communities use a variation on neighborhood policing, where cops work just a small area, so they get to know residents. The police really do want to prevent trouble, rather than arrive when it’s too late.

The term con artist is short for convenience artist. They prey on easy opportunity. My advice to Will is put up signs (lighting, cameras, gates, fences, signs, chats with local officers as they walk the beat, ride the beat, signs that say, ‘This five- plex is NO LONGER CONVENIENT.

CX, you are absolutely correct. Was Wondering when someone would catch that.

In this instance though, the neighbor isn’t really setting up an elaborate ruse, just simply going where the pickings is convenient. Wills job will be to make it less convenient.

Will, I'm thinking you need to contact local police and inform them of your experiences w/ the neighbor, if only to document and open up a report.

1. Neighbor has taken advantage of several of your tenants.

2. Neighbor has passed counterfeit $100 bill to your tennant.

3. Neighbor's visitors cause you to fear for your life.

If the trouble starts to worsen, at least the PD will have the previously-reported info to go on, instead of it being a total surprise to them.

Make your community gated. Have secure entrance/exit with remote cards so you can see who's letting her in. Also place cameras everywhere.

Then you'll know who lets her in. Find reasons to evict her friends.

If she threatens you, get a restraining order against her. Then enforce it every time you see her.

In an earlier post I stated that whe has a 5 yr prison record for Burglary, fraudulent checks and Couterfeiting.

I f is called the police and reported the fake $100 bill, she would be sure to go back to Prison.

THAT puts me in a great deal of danger- with the stakes so high.

Ne:

Record the murder. Just kidding. They will show who's talking to the lady, and if he's worried about getting attacked outside in parking lot, cameras might discourage.

Will, you would be just saying to the police, neighbor lady pesters tenants to borrow money. Heard that maybe counterfeit money was passed. What can I do to keep her from harassing my paying customers? You’re not making a police report; so far as I can tell, she hasn’t committed any crime against you. You are seeking advice on getting along with a troublesome neighbor.

The mention of possible counterfeit money should make the police ears perk up. The police should be a little curious about that, I would think. They might decide to drive by a little more often, knowing she is possibly ‘active’ again. They might get in touch with her parole officer. Usually, parole officers are very discreet. The ones I’ve met look like thug drug dealers, keeping their profile on the down low. The police and parole officers don’t want to put you in jeapardy. As a landlord, you want a friendly casual conversation with local police. No, don’t stand out on the street and point at the woman! Go to the police precinct, as to talk to Neighborhood Police Liason. At least I think that’s the title. The conversation would be casual, you are simply trying to keep neighbor from pestering tenants for money. The police should be able to understand you are just looking to protect ‘quiet enjoyment’ of your property.

NE, apparently Will is worried about being shot for being a snitch, so at least the cameras might record that.

Re reading how scared you seem to be because she has a record......If we all only knew how many times we interact with felons every day... Especially at landlord meetings.

No criminal background check required to become a landlord, as far as I know. I’ve known a few. Good landlords. Wanted to be ‘on the straight and narrow’, after prison, but hard to get a job if a felon. Landlording makes sense for some. (No, my only crimes have been committed by the lead feet I was blessed with, ‘case anybody was wondering. Well, not fast enough to be criminally speeding. Just tickets. Va-rrroooommm!)

Personally I'd just move, then attack. --108.69.xxx.xxx

....I Live at and Own the building.. Why should I Move?

really ? what should i do , go rent an apt from someone

She is befriending the tenants. It's difficult to forbid tenants from having their friends visit.

I would warn each new tenant that you have had complaints from other tenants that the neighbor borrows money and never pays it back. Once you give your tenants a clear warning, it's their choice whether or not to give the woman money that they won't get back.

Somewhat different situation, but there was a woman on the street where we have a sfh who was always pouncing on new neighbors. She really did have an autoimmune condition, but she was continually hitting people up for money after befriending them and pouring out her tale of woe about her condition.

She made the mistake of hitting up someone twice for cash for "prescription copays" because someone "had broken into my car and stolen my prescriptions". Once someone figured out that she was addicted to prescription painkillers, they spread the word to other residents to tread carefully around her. My tenant told me, and I in turn let the next tenants know - they later thanked me for the heads up, as Ms. Autoimmune targeted them within about 2 days.

So, Charlie, you are saying he cannot put up No Soliciting signs, No trespassing signs, he cannot have a chat with police officer at the local precinct, he cannot install any security cameras, he cannot put up any fences? Interesting, very interesting.

What led you to this conclusion that he is either not allowed by law, or incapable of accomplishing any of those things?

Now, I CERTAINLY did not say that any of these would be an absolutely perfect solution. But, I stand by my premise that opportunists will often move along, go bug the neighbors on the other side, if the opportunist feels a bit of pressure. All of my suggestions are aimed at making her move along... .... .... go find an easy target in the building on the other side.

I get very annoyed when people are not willing to stand up for themselves and protect their domicile. If things aren’t good there, DO something to help make them good. Don’t just bail out. I get this attitude from working in special education. Regular education teachers can just ship a kid off to special ed. In special education, dumping the kid off somewhere else isn’t an option, the ONLY ANSWER is to figure out a solution. Sometimes it’s a very slow process. Cannot just bail and run. I like people who work to make things better.

Btw, I put my money where my (big) mouth is. My rentals are in areas a lot of people are ‘ascared’ to go. First thing I do is get great landscaping going, as I have a talent for it. Second, I get to know neighbors, and I improve the heck out of my houses. Beautiful landscaping is shown to reduce stress, and there is even correlation with a reduce in violent crime. I notice it gets the neighbors to improve their homes.

So, yes, small changes can have an impact over time. The individual can make a difference.

If she's passing fake $100s to your tenants, betcha she's doing it to other people too. I think the police/FBI would be VERY happy to have a lead on her. And how would she know you were the one to inform? Stiffen up and go chat with the police.