Homeowner and Condominium Associations Can Band Together to Provide a United Front

The fear of crime is very real. The thought of a home invasion or burglary is enough to send a shiver up any homeowner’s spine. Protecting your neighborhood and your family is a top priority and must be addressed. There are many factors to consider in safeguarding your property and strategically placing yourself to be prepared for any occurrence has you ahead of the game. Banding together with your neighbors to provide a united front gives you the upper hand and takes the control away from the criminals.

Utilizing every tool at your disposal will increase your chances of protecting your property from crime. A professional property management firm can maximize those tools and empower your community.      

Atlanta and Surrounding Communities Crime Statistics 

While it is true that Atlanta and our surrounding communities have seen a decrease in crimes across the board, we are still ranked as the 25^th most dangerous city to live in according to the Congressional Quarterly Press  in 2010. These are scary stats. Our rate of property crimes stood at 30,800 incidents and our violent crime index stood at 5,749 instances for the year ending 2010. These are real numbers and any advantage we can gain in protecting our homes and family will go along way.

Ways to Help

There are many ways to help protect your property and decrease your chances of being a crime victim. Residential crime is just a small slice of the overall picture. Taking the first step to preserve your neighborhood and deter crime will increase your likelihood of not falling victim to property theft.

The advantages of having a professional property management firm are two-fold. Not only do they protect your associations’ best financial interests, they can also polarize and mobilize your neighbors into action. A proactive property management firm can organize and offer the guidance in community safety.

Think about the following options that can be used to deter crime in your neighborhood:

Neighborhood Watch Organizations: A professional property management firm can guide your homeowners or condominium association in ways to develop an active community watch group.

Gate-Guarded Communities: Communities that have the ability to enclose their neighborhoods and install gates can benefit from a reduction in drive-thru and walking traffic. Criminal elements often avoid gated communities.  

Landscaping: Overgrown hedges and unmaintained trees and yards give criminals a place to hide. Trim back shrubbery from your windows and doorways. The same is true on parkways and alleys. Criminals can be lurking and hiding in overgrown areas, just waiting for the opportunity to spring into action.

Camera Systems: If your community is lucky enough to have security cameras installed, consider updating your system to include a long-term disc or tape. Frequently, discs or tapes are on a 24 hour loop and a homeowner does not discover a theft until they return from a vacation two weeks later.

Do Your Association a Favor  

Be the last defense against community crime. Call Access Management Group at 770.777.6890 and see how we can give your association the tools to fight crime and preserve your neighborhood.