Protection for our community

We pray alot of money in home owners dues. Although the board has installed security lighting and signs to the some areas nothing has really made us feel safer. I would like to know what is entailed in installing security gates to limit access to our neighborhood.

Deb,

If the streets are private there might be a chance. Ignoring the cost, the Board would have to go through the city/county to obtain permission.

Keep in mind that gates without walls will only prevent those driving. Individuals or groups can still walk around or climb over a wall.

Additionally, unless your governing documents specify security as a responsibility of the Association, then it's simply not their job.

Security gates don't really provide added safety or security. Studies have shown that properties in gated communities command a higher price than those in un-gated communities.

Having a Neighborhood Watch group in the community is fine. Having it connected in any formal way to the Association or the Board of Directors is not a good idea. They should operate at arm's length. There's just too much that can go wrong.

Absolutely not.

The HOA should not be involved with any neighborhood watch. This has been discussed in a few threads.
Simply too much liability for the Association.

Individuals should, if desired, form a neighborhood watch on their own without HOA involvement.
The local police or sheriff department will assist you and train you for a neighborhood watch.

At minimum you would have to pay MORE money. Because the money you pay now is presumably for present expenses.

And I agree that the board/ HOA should not be involved in any way with a neighborhood watch.

Gates and other measures are often paying for "False security". I don't think a HOA can make one feel "safe". That is a personal thing. Your basically asking you and your neighbors to spend money on security measures. So far they have done it for additional lighting. If you want more, then you ALL need to decide what for and how much willing to spend.

I would call the police department for security advice. They have lots of options on how to deter crime. You may be surprised that gates may not be on that list. Considering they would work like speed humps for emergency responders. How the police supposed to respond readily if they are going to have issues getting through the gate?

Neighborhood watch should NOT be funded by the HOA and be SEPARATE. It doesn't mean the SAME HOA members won't be in the NW, it just can expand it to include non-members like renters/family members etc... Having the NW part of the HOA just makes your liability go up. We all know about the Trayvon Martin Case in Florida. The HOA got sued big time for what happened.

I agree with Fred. Whether or not the board supports the effort should not be a consideration. Organization of a Neighborhood Watch should not depend on obtaining the board's permission or blessing.

That's fine. As for me I am advocating for our HOA to sever the community's "Neighborhood Watch" committee from the association and the board.


Things can and do go wrong. I want no part of my HOA endorsing the local Neighborhood Watch committee. I guess I could abide by a one-time statement from the board like, "You do what you want to do but leave us out of it."