Multi-residential housing safety

There are some criminals who prey specifically upon multi-residential housing complexes, such as apartments, condominiums, and town homes. These criminals often live nearby the target areas and are familiar with the neighborhood. They may actually live in the complex or have a friend or relative who is a current resident.

These are some safety considerations you may want to consider as you look at potential places to live:

• Is the perimeter of the property well-marked and secured? This sends a clear signal of security awareness to the would-be criminal.
• Ideally, the complex should be surrounded by a fence that discourages unwanted access to the complex and makes it difficult to leave the area with stolen property. The fewer entrances and exits, the better.
• Exterior lighting is a deterrent to criminal activity, even in multi-residential housing.
  • There should be a system in place in through which residents can report lighting malfunctions or suggestions for improvements.
  • Exterior lighting should be controlled by automatic devices, such as photocell.  Motion detection lighting is recommended for areas of the complex that do not normally have pedestrian traffic or activity.
• All exterior electrical boxes should be locked.
• Landscaping should be kept in such a manner so as not to endanger residents by providing hiding places and access points for criminals.
  • There should be clear views (unimpeded by landscape elements) above ground along pathways and walkways.
  • Bushes and shrubbery should not exceed two feet in height unless they are reasonably transparent. Trees should be trimmed so that their lowest hanging branches are no lower than six feet from the ground.
  • Trees should be trimmed if they provide access to buildings by climbing or if they interfere with exterior lighting.
  • Bushes and shrubbery near building should be kept trimmed below first floor window height.
• For safety reasons, addressing, including street, building and unit numbers, should be mounted in permanent and durable manner that is unobstructed by anything that would tend to obscure the numbers.
  • The color of the numbers should be of a contrasting color to the background to which they are attached.
  • Each principal building should display the number or letter assigned to it at or near each end of the building.
• Laundry rooms can present complex security problems.
  • Laundry room door locks should require a tenant or owner key.
  • The laundry room door should have a window in it.
  • A duress alarm and/or a telephone should be available in the laundry room.
  • Interior lighting should be wired to remain on permanently during hours of operation.
  • Residents should be encouraged not to use the laundry facilities alone or during late night hours.
• Key control is an important issue in multi-residential housing. Key control requires restriction and documentation of those who use back-up and master keys. This is specifically applicable to apartment complexes.
  • Have the locks on the unit been replaced or re-keyed?
  • Do keys or code keys indicate a unit number? This is not recommended.
  • Does the manager keep a log of whoever checks out a backup key?
  • Are backup keys secured in a lockbox?

Last Updated on Wednesday, 12 September 2012 15:39