Ideas for improving gated community and HOA security
Neighborhoods with home owners associations or in gated communities come with nice amenities like community pools, club houses, or a sense of privacy and security. Gated communities generally have a higher level of security because a gate or a guard house with a gate controls who accesses the neighborhood. Some neighborhoods use a key card system for residents along with an intercom that notifies the resident their guest arrived so the resident can “buzz” their guest through the gate.
Some gated communities employ security services and have security guards who patrol the neighborhoods within the gates. If they have a guard house, security staff control who gains access as residents need to register their guests on a log or guest list before they are admitted in.
Stay Alert
A fence or wall and a gate may enhance community safety, but these neighborhoods can still be vulnerable to intruders and crime. Just as in non-gated communities, residents should stay alert and and have security plans. A fence or gate protect residents more than non-gated communities, but individual home security and neighborhood residential security should still be maintained.
Common Gated Community Crimes
Home Invasion. As unlikely as it sounds, home invasions do occur, even if less frequently than in non-gated communities. The community may have places that are vulnerable to entry, or aren’t walled completely, or the gate may malfunction. Adhering to good home security measures, such as good lighting, and watching out for unusual activity continues to be important practices in gated communities.
Some basic home security tips: keep home and vehicles locked; maintain good upkeep of your yard and landscaping; install a home security system; install motion detection lighting; install a keyless entry system or don’t hide spare keys in obvious areas, to name a few ideas.
Car break-in, theft, vandalism. If your community has guest parking lots or you park in your driveway, cars parked there can be targeted for break-ins, theft, or vandalism. Residents tend to feel their cars are safe from these issues and relax security measures.
Mail and package theft. According to 2024 statistics, 58 million packages were stolen country-wide. Fourteen percent of Americans don’t take precautions to prevent theft. Package theft is on the rise – “porch pirates” are active year long and gated communities are not immune. Consider using any secure delivery option your retailer offers, or use a workplace address to receive your packages.
Vandalism. This can be done by residents or guests. Vandalism to community areas such as pools, parks, play areas, or benches and signage are typical. During summer months, it’s common for community pool areas experience vandalism to pool property and sometimes theft of property.
Boosting Community Security
Common areas such as community centers, pools, parks, recreational facilities, walking paths, and playgrounds all have the potential to attract criminal activity.
Gated and non-gated community and HOAs can create security plans to monitor the grounds and common spaces to boost safety and security for residents. A comprehensive community security plan should include all layers of security including technology, lighting, a security service (if available to the community,) as well as community engagement.
Your HOA – Proactive Security Measures.
Good maintenance of your security gate. Making sure the gate is properly functioning at all times is critical, whether you use a security service to monitor access or not. A system using key fob or key card systems can also log access and provide information should an incident occur.
Lighting. Installing and maintaining good reliable lighting is always a deterrent to crime. There should be good light anywhere the HOA installs cameras, as well as places like trash bin or mail areas that people might use after dark. Motion detection lighting can be a good alternative especially to save energy and if your community is on a tighter budget.
Security camera system. A good high-quality and high-definition surveillance system can deter crime or intruders, whether common areas or your own home. Surveillance cameras should be installed in areas that residents frequently use and other areas that pose vulnerabilities – like parking lots and less visible pathways. Burglars want an easy target; security cameras make your home a higher risk entry.
Professional security. Your HOA hiring a security company for regular patrols and monitoring provides another layer of security. Patrols in visible and marked vehicles are easily recognized and are good deterrents. A security patrol is also able to monitor the community or neighborhood perimeter for unusual activity. The security patrol can also address any incident in real time, while also initiating contact with local law enforcement.
Community-level security. Aside from nationally recognized Neighborhood Watch, Rapid International’s community-level security program offers residents a way to participate in keeping their neighborhoods secure. The program trains residents in security patrol, while staying safe within civilian boundaries. It relies on neighbors collectively engaging in and working along with Rapid staff to have ownership in keeping their neighborhoods safe. Watching out for each other and knowing the neighborhood routines are powerful information points only residents themselves can bring to this security measure.
By having a comprehensive security strategy and installing security devices, HOAs can reduce the risk of crime and increase safety for residents. These measures not only protect property but ensure quality of life that all of us deserve.
Rapid International Offers Community Solutions
Rapid International provides security services, including staffed areas and patrol services, in partnership with your community. We work to make people and communities safe and secure. Please get in touch, and ask about our community-level security program – we believe the strength of collaboration and partnership make neighborhoods safer for everyone. In Georgia, call: (706) 844-2586, in California call: (213) 364-1394 or email us at info@therapidway.com.
Security is not a gimmick or a gadget: it’s a state of mind.
Andrew Calderon – Rapid International Security Services
IG: rapidgroup.ga | Linked In: Rapid International Group, Inc.
