Do the homeowners in your association take the right efforts to protect their properties from burglary? No homeowner enjoys spending time thinking about the realities of home break-ins, but the fact is that these unsavory events do happen, and it is imperative for homeowners to think through some of the ways in which they can remain safe.
As an HOA board member, you can plan an important role in promoting safety and proper precaution among the homeowners in your community. Consider some of the simple steps to ward off burglars in your HOA, and pass them along to the homeowners around you.
- First, and perhaps most obviously, it is smart for every homeowner to install double cylinder, dead-bolt locks on their outside doors and include a reinforced strike plate to strengthen the doorframe.
- It is prudent for homeowners to be in the habit of keeping all doors and windows locked, even if they’re just stepping out of the house for a few minutes.
- Bars and lock pins can be easily installed on all sliding doors and windows, adding an extra layer of security; not only is this a fairly easy home improvement, but these items are fairly inexpensive at stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot.
- Rather than hide a key somewhere around the property—under a front mat, for example—it is a good idea for homeowners to leave keys with a neighbor or in the HOA office.
- While on vacation, it is good for homeowners to arrange for their mail to be collected and their trashcans to be moved on schedule, to offer the impression that someone is still home.
- Photographing high-priced properties, and writing down serial numbers, does not prevent them from being stolen, but it does increase the odds of recovering them.
Finally, HOA boards are encouraged to think about putting neighborhood watch programs into place; these can go a long way toward keeping communities safer, burglars less common.