I have a guy in a rental house who doesnt pay rent and has trashed three homes in past six years cause he and wife are hoarders. He doesnt pay bills (as a matter of public record) and was arrested in May for driving on a revoked licensed, didn't show up in court and was tried in absentia. He is a very well paid Homeland Security Special Assistant. He has a gun. He is unstable and volatile, neighbors are scared of his family and they have five dogs with $1000 worth of tickets for that. How does this guy have a security clearance and is there anything I can do, other than evict him, which I am doing? (CPS has been involved, code enforcement, zoning) Police don't care. He is VERY soft spoken and scary.

This may sound like a dumb question, but why did you rent your house to this psycho?

He had a great job! But yes I did not do a good job of screening, I called his employer who confirmed that he worked there and outlook for continued employment was good but did not check the court record where it says it all...live and learn

As we learned with the Navy Yard shooter, crimes don't always get reported to the people doing the clearance. People are expected to self-report incidences.

You know the person's company, so I'd call them and ask to speak with their Personnel Security office. It may be the Facility Security Officer if they are a smaller company. That office will make sure it's reported.

Is that a violation of this person's "civil liberties", can I get in trouble as the landlord if I do that?

An excerpt from a military publication:

"You will not necessarily keep your level of clearance just because you obtain it. Clearances can be and are revoked. There is a continuing evaluation required for all who hold security clearance. Supervisors are required to report behavior that may indicate an individual is no longer worthy of a clearance. Issues that can result in the revocation of security clearance include (but are not limited to): questions of an individual's allegiance to the United States, issues regarding alcohol consumption, financial considerations, criminal conduct, and security violations."

It sounds like this guy's supervisor would be required to report him if he found out the information you provided above. Of course, you would then be subject to this guy's wrath if he knew or even suspected that you turned him in. Tenants can get really, really ugly - especially if they are unstable to begin with.

It really depends on how much aggravation and angst you are willing to go through. You could probably make this guy's life hell, but he could do the same. I had to give up on one of these types last year because it was taking too big a toll on my life and mental health.

I guess you know now to do a thorough background check on your tenants - credit report, employment, last three landlords, etc. I've found over the years that there are subtle clues that can help you evaluate tenants (within the constraints of fair housing laws, of course). You might consider handing the screening process and ongoing maintenance to a property management company. Yes, it's expensive, but a good agent is worth their weight in gold when dealing with tenants like this. You wouldn't believe what these guys have to go through.

what does this story have to do with security clearences?

you are NOT supposed to have security clearances if you have bad credit history, default on debts, unlawful detainers.This guy should lose his, you should report it to his supervisor/

Burn the place down with the guy inside, and then collect on the insurance. Problem solved.

I'd start by calling the DHS IG hotline.

kyiyiouy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How does this guy have a security
> clearance and is there anything I can do, other
> than evict him, which I am doing? (CPS has been
> involved, code enforcement, zoning) Police don't
> care. He is VERY soft spoken and scary.


All you can do is evict him in relation to your rental and maybe sue him for rent.

What else did you want to do?

I'd be very worried about the condition of the house. Outside of the eviction for nonpayment, I'd be wary of doing anything else that would hinder his ability to pay you back. How many months is the rent overdue? Have you talked to him about it (sounds like you're scared to)? Have you sent any warning letters yet?

When his his lease up? In this case that you are describing, I would not call the employer, because right now it's slander and you could face a lawsuit (I'm not saying you are lying, but based on your description, it sounds like something that he would do). Is there anything in your lease that could help this situation?

Thia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When his his lease up? In this case that you are
> describing, I would not call the employer, because
> right now it's slander and you could face a
> lawsuit (I'm not saying you are lying, but based
> on your description, it sounds like something that
> he would do).

Persons holding clearances are required to notify their security officer of any arrests or any other situations that might jeopardize their clearance. You can file a complaint anonymously without repercussion. A security clearance is a privilege, not a right.

Didn't they give Edward Snowden a clearance as well? That worked out for them!

Go to the FBI (or whoever) website at a library and give an anonymous tip.

Animal control would probably scare him the most. He'd probably go berserk after losing his dogs.

Immediately call the DHS Inspector General's Office and report all that you listed above. He will become the subject of an investigation and if what you say is true will lose his clearance and probably his job.

You should also indicate to the IG that you're afraid for your safety (especially if he has threatened you). If he has threatened you, you should also file a report to local police - they may not do anything but visit the house and talk to him, but if he suddenly has his job security threatened as well as the police talking to him, he may pay you.

Frankly, I have had a similar situation in the past and the best you can hope for is to start the eviction process and hope he doesn't destroy your house before the sheriff physically removes him.

Police report and eviction for your benefit, DHS report for national security (I know it sounds hokie, but we don't want or need this kind of individual handling classified information).

Good luck.