In April, we have our minds on money and money on our minds!

It can’t be helped since April 21-28 is Money Smart Week @ the Pima County Public Library!

Money Smart Week is a nationwide financial literacy event brought to you by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the American Library Association and the Pima County Public Library.

We invite everyone to participate! Come and learn about the resources, programs, services available in Pima County. There are workshops for everyone, from children to adults and covering topics including reading credit reports, financial survival, and fair housing information. We’ll have Storytimes for the kids, Creating Duct Tape Wallets for the crafty, and Coupon Club for the thrifty!

There couldn’t be a better time to begin planning for tomorrow. Financial fitness begins here, at your library… Special thanks to our partners: Debbi Jasperson’s Coupon Club, The Credit Wise Cats, Financial Education Collaborative of Southern Arizona, Southwest Fair Housing Council, Hughes Credit Union, and the Pima County Housing Center.

Lots of events from Monday April 23 to Saturday April 28, at various branch libraries–Nanini, Flowing Wells, Woods, Valencia, Martha Cooper, Dusenberry-River, Kirk-Bear Canyon (click here for full schedule). The free workshops include info on homebuyer education/fitness, identify theft, financial literacy, duct tape wallets, coupon clubs, credit card reports.

Now that Tax Day (April 15) is past, we can all concentrate on other money/financial matters.

The program for this all day seminar includes the following:

* Description of the CFMH steps and certification
* Fair Housing – by Sandy Fagan, Southwest Fair Housing Council
* Why and how to do renter screening
* Background and credit checks
* Rental Agreements and the Crime Free Lease Addendum
* Eviction Processes – Pima County Constable’s Office
* Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act – by a Crime Free Multi-Housing Program attorney
* Rights and Obligations of Landlords – Rights and Obligations of Tenants
* Drug Recognition – What drug users/dealers can do to your rental property – by Tucson Police drug enforcement officers
* Gangs – What gang members can do to your rental property – by Tucson Police gang enforcement officers

From TPD website:
“The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is an international program which partners property owners, residents, and law enforcement personnel in an effort to eliminate crime in multi-housing properties. The program began in 1992 in Mesa, Arizona and has spread to 38 states, 3 Canadian provinces, and over 700 cities. The Tucson Police Department has been a member of this most worthwhile program for several years now,”

If you miss this program, the next ones are schedules for Thursdays April 8, July 8, and October 7, 2010. Log onto their website for further information about the follow up workshops.

“This program is endorsed by the Neighborhood Support Network (NSN) of Tucson and Southern Arizona as one of the best ways to prevent crime and disorder from happening in neighborhoods.” Thanks Don Ijams, NSN Coordinator for sending out their online information on this program.

For info on this CFMH program contact
CSO Becky Noel #37968
Operations Division Midtown Crime Free Coordinator
Tucson Police Department
1100 S. Alvernon
Tucson, AZ 85711
Office (520) 837-7428
FAX (520) 791-5422