Strategies to Prevent Property Crime and Increase Safety

An HOA should always be concerned with property crime prevention. Board members who ensure their communities are safe will give your HOA a considerable return on investment and a better and safer neighborhood. In order to prevent property crime in your HOA, there are many steps you can take. Here are the key strategies you can implement to keep your community safe.

Keep Residents Informed

Well-informed residents will be the safest residents. Make sure your monthly or quarterly newsletter keeps residents updated on any relevant crime trends. Also, remind them to take safety precautions such as locking windows and doors, garage doors, illuminating doorways, and installing alarm systems as well as doorbell cameras. Encourage everyone to get to know their neighbors and be proactive and involved in preventing property crime in the neighborhood.

Consider the Landscaping

One vital way to prevent property crime in an HOA is to have well-manicured landscaping. HOA management companies are great at ensuring property maintenance requests and work orders are handled efficiently and effectively. They’ll negotiate and develop service contracts with clear guidelines that are to be met. With these contracts, vendors will be selected and supervised by the management company to ensure all work is completed to the highest standard. As a result, the HOA community will have orderly and clean-cut landscaping, secure fencing, and well-lit areas. If a criminal now passes by, they’ll think twice about entering the community as a watchful eye is always paying attention to ensure the HOA’s safety.

Install Lighting & Security Cameras

In general, improving the amount and quality of lighting in your common areas is always a good idea. It makes your neighborhood look better, enhances safety, and will help prevent property crime. If your common areas exhibit any dark spots, you should always brighten them up with good lighting. This will eliminate any mischievous acts from occurring.

If property crime rates are trending the wrong way in your area, your HOA may want to install security cameras as well. Having visible cameras in well-lit areas can prevent property crime from happening.

Organize a Neighborhood Watch

Having neighbors look out for one another is a great way to keep an area safe and encourage a better community. When homeowners are encouraged to participate in the neighborhood watch, it not only provides a deterrent to outsiders coming into the community, but it prevents ‘inside jobs’ too.

More than just a neighborhood watch, the HOA can organize neighbors to help pick up packages, watch for children getting off the bus or walking home from schools, and pick up mail for neighbors who have gone out of town for a few days.

Keep Your Community Safe

Ensuring that your HOA community is taking the necessary precautions to prevent property crime will provide a better neighborhood for you and your entire community. However, if your HOA notices there may be deeper issues at play, contacting a property management company or professional security service will help solve the problem and get your neighborhood back to safety.

AR Management can help boards with property, fiduciary, and decision management. If your HOA is looking for assistance, contact us today.