How do I find a quality maintenance tech?

[Phillip Syrios]

I own a real estate investment company in Kansas City and we do our own management. We have about 170 units 100 of which are houses spread across the metro. We have grown to the point where we need more hands on maintenance help and I have had a very hard time finding people. We are hoping to hire someone full time but any help would be a relief.

My question is where are the best places to find someone like this? I have put job postings on craigslist many times and have not found anybody we feel can get the job done, and I have exhausted my social network in asking for referrals anybody know where I should turn?