Community Security Summary
One of the primary objectives of a community association is to maintain and protect what’s often the largest investment of its residents: their homes. This Best Practices Report delves into the different steps that community associations and their manager can take in crime prevention for their residents.
A community association has the responsibility to protect both the common areas and resident home value. Before deciding what security measures to take, it is imperative that associations determine the security goals of its community, and this report delves into ways that associations can survey and 
communicate with their residents to determine a plan of action. The report reviews methods that association boards and managers can follow to determine the current resident impact, including determining resident instability and resident mobility. The report also includes helpful checklists and sample surveys guide in facilitating this process.
Once an evaluation of the current security needs has been determined, the next step is the consider and decide which security services would be best applied to meet the needs of the community. The report offers key questions for considering which security measures would fit in with the community’s needs.
The report covers in detail the various methods that a community can counteract criminal activity including: video surveillance systems, alarm systems, access control systems, vehicular access control, pedestrian access control, and automated vehicular gate systems. Each of these methods has been thoroughly examined and the report provides a detailed analysis of the various market options. The report also outlines the pros and cons of each option and what options would better suit a community.
The report lastly offers two case studies of how an association created a security program suited for its community’s needs and desires. The reports include how the association responded to resident needs and the methods they used to determine what security measures were best for the association.
