Urbana — Ch. 12.5 Landlord-Tenant Relationships § 12.5-39
Safety and security
Operative Text
To ensure the safety of all residents of rental properties, every owner shall: (a) Establish a building and unit security plan, including a key tracking system. (b) Restrict regular access to building and unit keys of occupied rental units to the owner or the owner's agent with the exception of owner-occupied rental units which are exempt from this provision. Keys may be issued to vendors and contractors for the purpose of maintenance and repair, but in such cases the owner or owner's agent shall take responsibility for the tracking and prompt return of such keys in order to protect the safety and security of tenants. If keys are lost in the course of maintenance and repair activities, the owner shall promptly change the locks at his/her own expense. (c) Cooperate with the city and its police department to address continuing safety issues and crime problems at any rental property. This cooperation shall take the form of at least one (1) meeting with city officials and, if necessary, an inspection of the property to review security and crime issues for formulation of remedies. The resulting security plan may include, but is not limited to, a review of access and security issues, lighting, access to common areas, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), neighborhood watch programs, graffiti removal, "no trespass" notices, lease clauses, and such other measures which are appropriate to the individual property and the type of problems at issue. (d) Every owner or local agent of a multifamily building containing twenty (20) or more units shall attend a city-sponsored training about crime prevention at rental properties. Said training shall be conducted on an as-needed basis by the Urbana Police Department and other relevant city staff. (e) The Urbana Police Department and community development services department shall compile and provide educational materials to assist owners and tenants with safety and security concerns. Such materials may include assistance with developing security plans, model leases, crime prevention information, emergency contact information, etc.
Urbana Code § 12.5-39 requires rental property owners to take a series of active steps to protect resident safety and security. These include maintaining a key tracking system, restricting who can hold keys to occupied units, cooperating with city officials on crime and safety concerns, and—for owners of buildings with 20 or more units—attending city-sponsored crime prevention training. The Urbana Police Department and community development services department are also directed to produce educational materials on safety and security for both owners and tenants.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 12.5-39, compliant rental property operators generally maintain a documented key tracking system and limit key access to themselves, their agents, and authorized vendors or contractors. When keys are issued to vendors or contractors for maintenance, operators track those keys and ensure their prompt return; if a key is lost during such work, the operator changes the locks at their own expense without delay. Owners or local agents of buildings with 20 or more units are expected to complete city-sponsored crime prevention training offered by the Urbana Police Department, and to cooperate with city officials—including attending meetings and allowing property inspections—when ongoing safety or crime issues arise.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 12.5-39 establishes that tenants in Urbana rental properties have a right to expect their landlord to maintain a key security plan, restrict unauthorized key access to their unit, and respond promptly if keys are lost during maintenance by rekeying locks at no cost to the tenant. Tenants who believe their landlord is not meeting these obligations may raise the violation with the City of Urbana's community development services department or the Urbana Police Department, both of which are named in § 12.5-39 as participants in safety oversight and educational outreach. Tenant-rights organizations in the Urbana area can also help residents understand what documentation or steps may be relevant when a safety or security concern goes unaddressed.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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