Homeowners Associations represent some of the trickiest properties when it comes to effective security solutions. Common areas like pools and clubhouses need to be secured overnight, entrances require access control, and multiple residents and their guests are always coming and going.
For the last 7 years, HOA-veteran, Integrity Based Management, has found success with our powerful surveillance systems and remote guarding solutions. With 24 associations spread out around the Las Vegas area, they’ve seen their fair share of issues.
But remote guarding has ensured that the vast majority of problems are prevented. Here’s their story.
Suspicious Activity, Squatters, and Pool Problems
When Ishana Bradner, owner of Integrity Based Management, started having problems with unwanted activity at one of her associations, she began looking into new security solutions.
“This particular association had issues with suspicious people entering the community that we didn’t feel belonged there,” says Bradner. One of her biggest problems was squatters, whose numbers had risen as the economic crash worsened.
Bradner was also experiencing issues with residents, guests, and trespassers using the pool areas after hours, creating concerns about property damage and potential liability issues.
Traditional Security Guards Too Friendly
For years, Bradner and her communities had relied on traditional on-site security guards, but there were two problems. On-site guards were too expensive, and they weren’t effective.
“The security guards tended to become friendly with the residents, allowing for more leeway for troublemakers,” recalls Bradner. “It prevented them from doing their job as a professional security company.”
Plus, security guards represented a huge cost for associations, which pulled money away from other necessities, like maintenance. Bradner notes, “Any type of [on-site] security patrol or security guard is definitely more expensive. They charge by the hour. They charge by the days of the week. It’s astronomical the amount of money that’s being spent on that service.”
The Solution? Remote Guarding with Talk Down
Bradner contacted us to talk about a more affordable and more effective solution for her association. We discussed the issues she was facing and made a recommendation for a surveillance system that used integrated analytics and remote guarding.
Integrated analytics allowed Bradner to set her cameras to create alerts anytime they detected intrusions, which included trespassing, squatting activity, and after-hours use of common areas.
Plus, HOA board members familiar with the community could create custom alerts tied to specific cars and people, using facial and license plate recognition technology. Now, they’re getting the results they want.
Bradner recalls a recent incident where residents snuck into an HOA’s pool area after hours. When a camera detected activity in the pool, it triggered an alert and sent it to a remote guard. The guard identified the problem and used talk down to inform the pool users that they were not permitted there at that time, and needed to leave, which is exactly what they did.
“To me, the talk down feature is so beneficial. People don’t really look at cameras. They don’t realize that they’re being watched. But when you hear someone talking directly to you, you realize ‘Oh my gosh, they can actually see me and they’re watching me with the cameras.’ That is the biggest deterrent of all.” — Ishana Bradner
Want to find out what remote guarding can do for your business or property? Learn more about your options by getting your free quote today.