Fresno’s revised eviction form focused on safety
When landlords in Fresno County evict a tenant, they’ll now fill out paperwork intended to make the process safer.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday unveiled a revised “letter of instruction” for landlords to complete before authorities serve notices on tenants losing their homes.
Law enforcement officials discussed the form during an educational luncheon hosted by the California Apartment Association in Fresno and covered by CBS 47 TV.
“Not that we weren’t being as safe as we could before, but we saw where we could improve,” Deputy Doug Richardson told the station.
Speaking at a CAA luncheon Wednesday, Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Doug Richardson discusses a revised form for landlords to complete before law enforcement serves an eviction notice.
CAA tapped Fresno attorney Steve Hrdlicka to work with the Sheriff’s Office on revising the Eviction Instruction Form.
“The information provided will help deputies assess potential risks to help protect both deputies and the public,” Hrdlicka said. “Landlords now have an easy way to alert deputies of potential problems or situations that may be encountered during an eviction.”
For example, landlords will use the form to point out potential threats from suspected gang activity to guns in an apartment.
Further, it allows landlords to identify tenants who may need the county’s help upon being displaced, such as the elderly and disabled.
Work to revise the form came after several evictions turned violent in the region during the past year, including:
- The double-homicide of a sheriff’s deputy and locksmith – and the suicide of the gunman — during an eviction attempt in Modesto.
- A standoff with a SWAT team followed by two arrests during an eviction at a Clovis home in December.
- The killing of an animal control officer in Galt as he tried to retrieve pets the day after an eviction.
With the revised form, the Sheriff’s Office has taken steps to help prevent this type of bloodshed during future evictions.
The form — informative yet user-friendly — also can serve as a model for other California counties.
“On behalf of the California Apartment Association, I was happy to work with the Fresno County Sheriff’s office in producing new eviction instructions,” Hrdlicka said. “The Fresno County Sheriff’s office was truly receptive to every idea presented.”