WITHERSPOON SECURITY CONSULTING
Security Solutions for the 21^st Century

APARTMENT, CONDO AND OTHER MULTIFAMILY HOUSING SECURITY 

By

Ralph Witherspoon, CPP

The second most common crime threat to the average American today (after auto theft) is to have his or her home burglarized and possessions stolen. Apartments, condominiums and other multifamily housing are at greater risk than the single–family house, in part because renters must rely on their apartment or condo owners or managers to provide for much of their security. Also, in large complexes, the likelihood is greater that intruding criminals will blend in with the larger population and not be noticed while scouting properties or committing crimes.

And regardless of where the housing is located, city, suburb, small town,  or county, there is always some degree of risk for break-ins or theft. 

Unfortunately, many apartment and condo builders have little or no knowledge about security. Since state or local codes usually do not require security, many builders ignore it or provide only minimal measures. At the same time, the building owners and managers who do want to provide good security for their properties and tenants frequently have little training, and often only a minimal understanding of good security practices and procedures. The result is that many tenants become crime victims and many owners and managers are sued for having “negligent security.”

Most burglars are young males who are seeking easy entry when no one is at home, and most are looking for a home that contains easily portable valuables, such as cash, credit cards, jewelry, guns, computers and electronic devices. They are also looking for concealment and quick escape routes. In an estimated 25 percent of burglaries, entry is gained through an unlocked front, back, patio or garage door. In more than 50 percent of home burglaries, only minimal force is applied to a door or window for less than 10 seconds to gain entry. In other words, in three–quarters of burglaries entry is relatively quick and easy!

While most people fear break-ins at night, the vast majority of burglaries occur during the day when homes are usually unoccupied. Sometimes, however, both the burglar and tenant are present at the same time. That can lead to assault, rape and even murder. So while burglaries are frequently considered to be “only property crimes,” they have the potential to lead to injury and death, with subsequent bad press and litigation against the property owners and managers. Any successful burglary in a complex should alert management to immediately and comprehensively review its security measures.

Providing Physical Security

The first step in protecting multifamily tenants is to “harden” the property, both the building as a whole and the individual housing units. If a potential burglar believes your property to be too difficult or time–consuming to gain entry, he may well bypass it and go to another property. Someone is probably going to be victimized that day ... the trick is to not let it be you or your property.

Since most entry is made through doors, it only makes sense to have solid doors, doorframes, and locking devices. A door is only as strong as its weakest component. And of course, residents should always keep doors locked, even when they are at home. Then, if something happens the door is already locked. Owners and managers should be aware of local fire codes (and the safety of tenants) when considering locks, gates and bars.

Lobby entrance doors provide little physical protection, because some residents often grant entry to strangers. However, locked lobby doors do provide at least a minimal physical and psychological barrier, and thus are deterrents to some potential intruders. Accordingly, they should be used if possible, just don’t rely completely on them.

Ground–level housing units are especially at risk because of the ease of access to multiple points of attack. Cut nearby bushes lower than 30 inches above the ground, or completely eliminate bushes and hedges close to basement or ground–level windows, and all doors including patio doors. Trees within 25 feet of any building should have their branches trimmed so that none hangs lower than 8 feet above ground level. Eliminating potential hiding spots or obstructed lines of sight not only deters some criminals; it permits residents to observe their suspicious behavior and (hopefully) report it. 

Implementing these basic minimum measures should significantly reduce (but won’t necessarily eliminate) the risk of burglary for most multifamily buildings and units. However, individual properties or configurations may require different measures. Security is not a “cookie–cutter” process, and, if any questions arise, you should consult with a professional security consultant or expert.

Lighting

• Exterior lighting should enable residents to note individuals at a distance of 75 feet or more, and to identify a human face at about 30 feet, a distance which will allow them, if necessary, to take defensive action or avoidance while still at a safe distance. Sidewalks and footpaths around and between buildings, parking lots and garages should be illuminated to a minimum level of 1-2 foot-candles.

• Open parking lots where tenants are more accessible to robbers, rapists, car-jackers, and other criminals, require higher illumination levels. The recommended minimum maintained security illumination for open parking lots is no less than 3 foot-candles (measured both vertically and horizontally) on the pavement.
  
  The threat to persons and property in covered/enclosed parking garages can be very high, as such locations are a frequent "hunting-grounds" for robbers and rapists. Isolated floors and locations often make effective surveillance or monitoring difficult. Adequate lighting not only helps people recognize and avoid dangers, in many cases it deters criminals by creating in them a fear of detection, identification and apprehension.
  
  I recommend that covered/enclosed-parking garages, including any interior stairwells be illuminated to a minimum level of 6 foot-candles (measured vertically and horizontally). If the garage or facility has a history of crime, higher level of illumination is recommended. These levels of illumination should be maintained around the clock since sufficient daylight seldom penetrates deeply into a garage. The use of glossy white paint on the walls and ceilings can enhance reflected lighting and thus the ability to spot individuals or movements against the white background.
   
• Inside multifamily dwelling buildings, security lighting is often a problem. This is especially true in the common areas such as corridors, hallways and stairs which require sufficient lighting to enable recognition of faces to determine who belongs in those spaces and who does not, and who is perceived as safe and who may be perceived as posing a danger. A minimum maintained illumination of 5 foot-candles should be provided in those areas. Mailrooms and other high-use gathering spaces such as laundry rooms, exercise rooms, and the like should be uniformly illuminated to a minimum of 10 foot-candles. Again, painting walls and ceilings in those common areas with a glossy white paint increases actual and perceived visibility.
  
  Where an individual family unit in a multi-tenant building opens out onto an exterior open space, identification of persons at the exterior door becomes increasingly important. Illumination from both exterior sides of the door aid in facial recognition. If the lights are mounted in the ceiling or overhead, they should not be directly above or behind where an individual will be standing, as that may shadow the individual's face or features. The minimum recommended lighting for residential entry doors should be 1 foot-candle measured both horizontally at surface, and vertically 5 ft above the doorway threshold.
   
• Residents can also use timers to turn lights on in their home to give the appearance that someone is present. If drapes and blinds are pulled, especially in the living room and other ground floor rooms, and interior lights are on in those rooms, many burglars won't take the risk, especially if a radio is also left on.

Security Officers 

Many apartments and other multifamily properties utilize security officers, either their own employees or contract guard company officers.  In recent years some property managers, believing they were reducing their potential legal liability, have started using what they call “courtesy officers.” These are frequently off–duty police to whom management provides free housing on the property in return for “assistance.” Unfortunately, the courts tend to view these individuals for who they are—people performing security duties but called “courtesy officers” ... and liability to the owners or management isn’t reduced.

While many courtesy officers provide excellent service for their properties, others may actually increase liability. Police officers often have little control over their schedules and may be working days this month, and nights next month. Their presence on the property at any given time, or even on any given day, is not ensured. As a result, security coverage and any deterrence created by their presence is reduced, and residents who think they are being protected are misled. If it is worth spending the money on security, in whatever form, it is worth doing it right and ensuring security officer coverage against the known or reasonably foreseeable risks.

Whether you use in–house or contract security officers:

• Be sure to run a comprehensive background check, including a criminal conviction check, on each officer, and retain the backup documentation. These individuals will, in many cases, literally “have the keys” to the property and in many cases access to tenants’ units. Poor screening here can lead to potential legal damages for injuries or losses, as well as embarrassment and bad publicity for the property.
   

• Ensure that your guards receive not only basic security officer training (documented), but also training specific to your property and the functions they are to perform for you (this includes off–duty police who need to know your property and what duties you expect and require of them).
   
• Draw up specific “Post Orders” and make them part of any contract “by reference.” They should specify exactly what duties the officer(s) should perform, and when, and how management wants the officers to handle any exceptions. They should also specify what reports are to be prepared, and when. At a minimum, the officers should prepare a detailed written activity report each shift, and separate written incident reports of any unusual occurrences. Reports should be kept for a minimum of two years.
   
• Don’t accept sub–standard performance. Complain immediately to the contract guard provider if assigned guards are not doing what they should, when they should, and request a replacement if necessary. However, remember that most guard companies draw their employees from the same general labor pool, and if you insist on paying low rates (pay rates to the guards are generally about 60% of the billing rate to you) you will usually get what you pay for, regardless of which company you use. 
   
• I recommend that you don’t sign any contract that requires you to indemnify the guard company for their errors or mistakes. They should be responsible for any mistakes their employees make. Although many guard companies try to get unknowledgeable clients to sign such contracts, they are not standard within the industry. If the company you are considering won't remove any such clause in their contract, try others.
   
• Keep records (at least two years) on security measures so that you can later show what you did, when, and why. If you do things right, records can only help you. 

Gated Communities

Special care should be taken with walled or gated communities. Gates and fences provide a perception of privacy and security to the residents, and a deterrent to some criminals. But walls and gates can be climbed, and without a security officer screening individuals seeking access, security is not significantly improved. 

When an electronic keypad, rather than a trained security officer is used to control access, it will be only a few weeks before every pizza delivery person in town has the access code. And if they have it, burglars and other criminals won’t be far behind in obtaining it. 

Conclusion

This overview is not intended to provide the reader with a complete security program for multifamily properties. Rather, it provides some basic security considerations derived from well-accepted security principals, which are a starting point for those interested in protecting themselves, their families, and their properties. For those owners and property managers “doing it themselves,” be sure to check your local building and other codes for regulations which may impact what you may or may not do in this area, and as necessary, consult with your attorney. Another good idea: contact a professional security consultant for assistance. 

Readers desiring additional information on these or related subjects should contact a qualified professional security consultant and/or their attorneys.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on generally accepted security principles, and on data gathered from what are believed to be reliable sources. This article is written for general information purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be used as a primary source for making security decisions. Each situation is or can be unique. The author is not an attorney, is not engaged in the practice of law, and is not rendering legal advice. Readers requiring advice about specific security problems or concerns should consult directly with a security professional. The author of this article shall have no liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss, liability, or damage alleged to have been caused by the use or application of any information in this article, nor information contained on this or any linked or related web site.

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