What is HOA security and why is it so important?
The HOA security responsibility is to protect the community’s assets. As the community stakeholders, they are responsible for the security decisions to protect the community. The HOA security program should mitigate threats that could affect the community’s Goodwill. Crime increases in a community could affect that neighborhood’s real estate values and reputation. The HOA security plan should include security policies, procedures, physical security, and security guards to enforce the security rules and act as a deterrent and response for the community.
Is the HOA Responsible for Security?
The HOA has a moral and legal responsibility to ensure the community is safe and secure. If a security loss event occurs on the property, the HOA could face lawsuits based on if there was adequate security to provide a safe community. A certified residential security consultant can assist by providing a security assessment and helping the HOA risk management plan.
HOA Risk Management Plan
The HOA risk management plan should start with a property security assessment to determine the assets, threats, vulnerabilities, and countermeasures required to reduce the risk. Security for HOA begins with the security policies and procedures. What are the security rules of the community? How will they be enforced?
Additionally, HOA security responsibilities include ensuring that physical security provides layers of protection to protect the community’s assets. This incorporates the perimeter walls/fence, gates, lighting, and the HOA security cameras. Depending on the size of the property and the amount of traffic, the community may also have security guards that conduct access control, a gatehouse, and a mobile patrol. Security services can help mitigate HOA vandalism and HOA safety issues.
The HOA gate security systems include automated gates and vehicle barrier arms that deter and delay authorized entry. Many communities install a trap system with two barrier gate arms that mitigate vehicles tailgating through the entry point.
HOA Safety Tips
HOA safety tips can be helpful in a community through a newsletter that promotes security and community buy-in. By incorporating simple security measures such as trimming the vegetation and trees on the property to allow for natural surveillance and eliminate hiding spots for criminals, turning exterior lights on at night, and ensuring your home and vehicles are secured.
Security for residents, how to identify your role?
Every resident in a community is part of the security plan. Knowing your neighbors and having a social community helps to identify something that may seem suspicious. Residents are essential to crime prevention through neighborhood watch programs and being active in the community’s overall safety.
Steps to improve HOA security in our community
- Conduct a security assessment
- Adequate Walls and Fencing to secure the property
- Good lighting
- Property Maintenance
- Security Cameras to detect unauthorized activities
- Warning Signs to deter unauthorized activities
- Security Guards
- Access Control of Vehicles and People
- Security Policies and Procedures
- Neighborhood Watch Programs
How to select security cameras for HOA
Security cameras are selected based on the security application. What are the cameras watching and why? Before investing substantially in cameras, an HOA should conduct a security survey of the property. A certified physical security consultant can assist in designing a plan for cameras to ensure the community is appropriately protecting the property. There are many types of cameras on the market; picking the right system and installer aids in protecting the significant investment.
The HOA security camera policy should require all data obtained is recorded for 30 days to allow for investigative purposes. Also, a custodian should access the data and make changes as an admin.
The neighborhood entrance security cameras should have views of the entry points entering and exiting, views of the license plate when entering, and a facial camera for identification purposes that view the security guard’s interaction with the visitors.
What jurisdiction do HOA security officers have?
The HOA security officers only have the jurisdiction to protect the community they were hired to secure. An HOA will contract a security company to protect the community. The security staff has no authority outside that property to enforce the community rules. The security officer may patrol the exterior perimeters of the community to show the community is a hard target. The security staff has zero authority if the property’s exterior, where it extends from private to public property.
The HOA perimeter security should be inspected during routine foot patrols to look for suspicious activities and to find vulnerabilities in the walls and fences that may require maintenance. The neighborhood security patrol cost may differ based on the number of hours the security officer is on the property. Some communities have a 24/7 patrol, and some may have random spot-check patrols. So cost varies based on the contract hours of services.
What type of security system can the HOA use?
Depending on the size of the property, a security system can differ based on the community’s security needs. Many large-scale gated communities are now using HOA security systems that include thermal cameras around the perimeter walls/fences to detect unauthorized people entering the community. The cameras will pick up a heat signature and alert the security guard force with an image from the area that detects a threat. Security can then send its patrol to investigate the alarm event. Many communities may also incorporate analytic smart cameras that pick up movement and behaviors, such as parking in an area for a certain amount of time. HOA security camera systems will help detect and deter criminal activity.
Community surveillance cameras can vary in cost depending on the types of cameras, where they are being installed, and how the data will be collected. Some camera systems are direct powered and wired for data collection. Meanwhile, cameras that are in distant areas away from direct power can use solar power and use either Radio Frequencies (RF) or Cell to transfer data to the NVR.
Who is responsible for security at an HOA?
The security responsibility is the Board of Directors and the property manager. Like a local government, the Board of Directors makes the security rules, and the property manager ensures the security plan is executed. The HOA security guards work with the property manager to enforce the communities security rules and follow the security procedures. Every neighborhood is different and requires its security program to be customized to the community’s needs.
Why HOA security gets priority among homeowners?
The residents pay HOA security through HOA dues like taxes to provide community resources like security. Residents vote for HOA Board representatives to make decisions and create budgets for the community. Many gated communities have a security committee that advises the Board on security decisions. All board members and committees are comprised of residents that live in that community.
Condominium Security Programs
A condominium’s security program is almost no different from a gated community’s but consists of a high-rise building. Condo security will also incorporate parking garages and more pedestrian traffic. Electronic access control measures are vital to the security of a condominium. A condominium has a condominium association similar to a homeowners association that consists of elected board members that make the security decisions for the condo. They make the security rules and provide oversight of the security guards and the condominium security camera policy.
A condominium association should use condo security consultants to provide expert opinions regarding the security and safety of the high-rise building. Condominium security consultants conduct security assessments, design camera systems and security plans, evaluate the security guards and help direct the stakeholders who make the overall security decisions. The condo video surveillance policy should respect residents’ personal spaces and only be in areas that protect the condo assets.
