A service of:
Community123.com
Professional websites for HOAs & condos, since 2004
🎁 1st year FREE for HOATalk members! →
← Return to Topics List

Pool Security

Started by BillD16 • 13 replies • 112 views

💬 Join us to post & get advice from 50,000 HOA & Condo leaders.

Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in

BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 972
Posted:
My HOA Board is spending money again. Ref: Texas, 600 SFHs, shared pool. Dues are $500/year.

1. Without telling anyone, the Board arranged for a new mobile credentials gate access system for our pool. It was $5,100, plus some amount ($72?) per month moving forward. The system is run by a 3rd party vendor, neither the Board nor the PMC has access to it to edit or run it. Note that the previous obsolete fob system will continue to run in parallel by our PMC.

2. The analog 16 camera system at the pool has been dead for almost 3 years. The company that installed it back when has offered to fix it for $1,350. Then it’s $90/monthly ongoing maintenance and testing the system to see when it goes down.

3. The same company will upgrade the system to hybrid analog/digital.for $8,700 plus $90/month.

4. Another company has offered a new, fully digital 12 camera system for $12,700 +$1,400/year subscription including AI face and license plate detection. Like the gate access system, neither the Board nor the PMC has access to the cameras or recordings.

There have been a couple of acts of theft and vandalism at the pool since 2023, total value $3,000-$4,000, reimbursed by insurance.

Thoughts?
HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”
TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059
Posted:
Insurance reimbursements can also increase your insurance premium (all depends on the company).
Security measures may provide discounts on insurance premiums.

Your Board is responsible for common areas and common elements.

Sounds like your Board is doing what is allowed.
BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 972
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By TimB4 on 04/26/2026, 8:57 AM

Insurance reimbursements can also increase your insurance premium (all depends on the company).
Security measures may provide discounts on insurance premiums.

Your Board is responsible for common areas and common elements.

Sounds like your Board is doing what is allowed.

Also I wonder about AI IPCams being used around children. If the 3rd party that runs the system suffers a data breach, is our HOA liable?
HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”
MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459
Posted:
Bill,
It seems to me like the changes in security are a good thing. The problem I see it how they are doing it.

In my community we had a PMC that was the very worst and we were talking about changing them in 2019. As a board president who had gone through replacing a PMC in Ca. I knew that we needed to get all of the records we could from the prior company before we made this change. They refused to give us any of the Fob information or even a homeowners list for our 1450+ community. At the same time, they had sent a letter to all of our owners that new Key Fobs were going to cost $50.00 each which was double the cost they were being sold at currently. My board at my direction installed our own Fob system that we own and control for less than $4500.00. We maintain the database and own the records. I personally add and delete users when the PMC sends me a note of a sale or transfer. In the 6 years that we have had the system. We were able to reuse all of the existing Fobs into the new system and have sold over 900 new Fobs for the $25 fee. This not only has paid for the Fob system but also allowed us to put the Fob revenue into upgrading our Camera system to the latest software and add many cameras to help with security of our pool. We pay no annual fees on our Fob system or our camera system. To add or delete members on the Fob system takes me less than 2 minutes and I have trained our management team to do this when I am away on vacation. We own they system and we give them access which can be removed if we ever change PMCs. I did all the work setting up the system for Free and also add and deleting accounts. It is very simple and anyone could be trained in less than an hour to do what I do currently.

It sounds like some poor decisions were made while making your changes.
TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By BillD16 on 04/26/2026, 10:44 AM


Also I wonder about AI IPCams being used around children. If the 3rd party that runs the system suffers a data breach, is our HOA liable?

Based on the many data breaches that released my personal data, yes the HOA would be accountable for a third party data breach. From AI: While the third party may be directly negligent, the primary company remains responsible for ensuring proper security safeguards, contractual protections, and timely breach notification to affected individuals.

That said, typically the remedy is credit monitoring from another third party (you may or may not have heard of) where you have to provide your personal data again, so that company can monitor for it and let you know if they find anything.
KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239
Posted:
The fob system and your pick of security cam systems, but not AI recognition cameras, will suffice.

The community pool is publicly accessible so, if the AI option is selected, a notification and - I bet - conspicuous signage is reasonable protection. The HOA really has no business interest in maintaining a facial recognition and license plate recognition database.
BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 972
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By KellyM3 on 04/26/2026, 1:43 PM

The fob system and your pick of security cam systems, but not AI recognition cameras, will suffice.

The community pool is publicly accessible so, if the AI option is selected, a notification and - I bet - conspicuous signage is reasonable protection. The HOA really has no business interest in maintaining a facial recognition and license plate recognition database.

Funny, when I first read your response, I kinda zipped through it and read it as “… maintaining a fascist recognition and …” :)

Seriously, though: I agree. The only ‘upside’ is that they want to rely on the security company to monitor the camera feeds. I have no idea how that will work out in real life.

Bill
HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”
SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964
Posted:
Really, Bill, I thought you were done with HOA board stuff, especially after the drama with Dragon Breath Lady!

As for the cameras, it’s not a bad idea, although there’s emerging concern about AI, facial recognition and how it can be abused (deepfakes and such). Because of that, I agree with Kelly that posting a sign to let people know the camera is there and making sure it (them?) can’t be reached for tampering and what not, is probably enough for now.

I seem to recall during the DB lady uproar, there were incidents of people behaving badly regarding the lifeguards and monitors and it may be the board wants to avoid that. Personally, I say you should have monitors AND cameras – the monitors may be able to de-escalate and the cameras can keep track on who does what.

Regarding the children, everyone knows cameras are everywhere, so the board can take steps to ensure only authorized people have access to the footage. The security camera company should be able to offer suggestions. Make sure the association master insurance is also aware in case they have additional suggestions to reduce rise. That’s the board’s job, not yours.

I get that you want to keep an eye on what they’re doing and you should. You’re still a homeowner in this community and have better insight on what’s going on. But as I said several conversations ago after you stepped down, it’s best to tell this crew what you think and leave it there. Don’t forget some of these folks tried to have you sacked as president anyway and if they’re still around, they probably won’t listen to you anyway (because they’ll have to admit you were right on several matters).
If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius
BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 972
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By SheliaH on 04/28/2026, 10:20 AM

Really, Bill, I thought you were done with HOA board stuff, especially after the drama with Dragon Breath Lady!

As for the cameras, it’s not a bad idea, although there’s emerging concern about AI, facial recognition and how it can be abused (deepfakes and such). Because of that, I agree with Kelly that posting a sign to let people know the camera is there and making sure it (them?) can’t be reached for tampering and what not, is probably enough for now.

I seem to recall during the DB lady uproar, there were incidents of people behaving badly regarding the lifeguards and monitors and it may be the board wants to avoid that. Personally, I say you should have monitors AND cameras – the monitors may be able to de-escalate and the cameras can keep track on who does what.

Regarding the children, everyone knows cameras are everywhere, so the board can take steps to ensure only authorized people have access to the footage. The security camera company should be able to offer suggestions. Make sure the association master insurance is also aware in case they have additional suggestions to reduce rise. That’s the board’s job, not yours.

I get that you want to keep an eye on what they’re doing and you should. You’re still a homeowner in this community and have better insight on what’s going on. But as I said several conversations ago after you stepped down, it’s best to tell this crew what you think and leave it there. Don’t forget some of these folks tried to have you sacked as president anyway and if they’re still around, they probably won’t listen to you anyway (because they’ll have to admit you were right on several matters).

Hi Shelia!

Yeah, I know. And arguably, why should I care? The last two Open Meetings have been attended by only 2 or 3 people (where I was one of them).

It’s a coincidence, but Austin just recently enacted the TRUST Act:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/s/ZUBkcD41oT

which isn’t binding on the HOA, but goes to show there are a lot of people around here have concerns about AI surveillance and privacy.

I posted something to the neighborhood FB, asking how people felt, and got some “interesting” responses from people who are “friends of the Board”. Like “Admin: can this post be removed?” Or: “the Board does not engage with Facebook”. In fact, they don’t ‘engage’ at all.

(I know I’m ranting) how legit is it for the Board to authorize a $12,000 expense when a) the budget is $10,000, b) the Treasurer is not present, c) based on supposed “surplus” from last year? Back when I was gainfully employed at an F100 Corporate Monolith, spending unspent money from last year’s budget wasn’t allowed. But maybe it’s different for HOAs?

Part of it is that when I was on the Board, our assets rose from $500K to $600K. A fair amount of that came from reading and rejecting stupid proposals. But now I sit and watch it all get pissed away.

As for cameras being a good idea: I’ve put some deep thought into that, and concluded that they do not provide much value to an HOA.

Bill
HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”
MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By BillD16 on 04/30/2026, 8:53 AM


--------------------------------------
Quoted Post:
Posted By SheliaH on 04/28/2026

, 10:20 AM

Really, Bill, I thought you were done with HOA board stuff, especially after the drama with Dragon Breath Lady!

As for the cameras, it’s not a bad idea, although there’s emerging concern about AI, facial recognition and how it can be abused (deepfakes and such). Because of that, I agree with Kelly that posting a sign to let people know the camera is there and making sure it (them?) can’t be reached for tampering and what not, is probably enough for now.

I seem to recall during the DB lady uproar, there were incidents of people behaving badly regarding the lifeguards and monitors and it may be the board wants to avoid that. Personally, I say you should have monitors AND cameras – the monitors may be able to de-escalate and the cameras can keep track on who does what.

Regarding the children, everyone knows cameras are everywhere, so the board can take steps to ensure only authorized people have access to the footage. The security camera company should be able to offer suggestions. Make sure the association master insurance is also aware in case they have additional suggestions to reduce rise. That’s the board’s job, not yours.

I get that you want to keep an eye on what they’re doing and you should. You’re still a homeowner in this community and have better insight on what’s going on. But as I said several conversations ago after you stepped down, it’s best to tell this crew what you think and leave it there. Don’t forget some of these folks tried to have you sacked as president anyway and if they’re still around, they probably won’t listen to you anyway (because they’ll have to admit you were right on several matters).
--------------------------------------

Hi Shelia!

Yeah, I know. And arguably, why should I care? The last two Open Meetings have been attended by only 2 or 3 people (where I was one of them).

It’s a coincidence, but Austin just recently enacted the TRUST Act:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/s/ZUBkcD41oT

which isn’t binding on the HOA, but goes to show there are a lot of people around here have concerns about AI surveillance and privacy.

I posted something to the neighborhood FB, asking how people felt, and got some “interesting” responses from people who are “friends of the Board”. Like “Admin: can this post be removed?” Or: “the Board does not engage with Facebook”. In fact, they don’t ‘engage’ at all.

(I know I’m ranting) how legit is it for the Board to authorize a $12,000 expense when a) the budget is $10,000, b) the Treasurer is not present, c) based on supposed “surplus” from last year? Back when I was gainfully employed at an F100 Corporate Monolith, spending unspent money from last year’s budget wasn’t allowed. But maybe it’s different for HOAs?

Part of it is that when I was on the Board, our assets rose from $500K to $600K. A fair amount of that came from reading and rejecting stupid proposals. But now I sit and watch it all get pissed away.

As for cameras being a good idea: I’ve put some deep thought into that, and concluded that they do not provide much value to an HOA.

Bill

Bill,
I have read your post for years and for the most part have agreed. I find your comments about cameras to be 100% inaccurate. Without cameras any accident or damage to person or place will be without any evidence. If a lawsuit is brought against your HOA a settlement will be the guarantee or worse. I also think the board and the HOA may be held liable for not securing the pool area to stop bad actors. I am not a lawyer but have been doing this for a very long time and being able to know what happened and why it happened helps prepare against future failures. Cameras also work 24 hours a day. That means in your case the camera system would cost about $1.50 per hour for the first year.

All Ex-board members assume the existing board are making poor decisions but just like all the other owners you do not have all the details.
ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,335
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By BillD16 on 04/30/2026, 7:53 AM

how legit is it for the Board to authorize a $12,000 expense when a) the budget is $10,000, b) the Treasurer is not present, c) based on supposed “surplus” from last year?

This spending involves bona fide safety and liability concerns. In my experience this means the spending is legit enough.

When spending income from the previous year, the only time limited problems might arise is when the HOA files tax form 1120 (not 1120-H). See https://www.davis-stirling.com/HOME/E/Excess-Income-Resolution .

The treasurer does not have to be present for a vote on such spending.
Back when I was gainfully employed at an F100 Corporate Monolith, spending unspent money from last year’s budget wasn’t allowed.
What did the for-profit corporation do with this "unspent" money?
ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,335
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By BillD16 on 04/30/2026, 7:53 AM

Back when I was gainfully employed at an F100 Corporate Monolith, spending unspent money from last year’s budget wasn’t allowed.

It seems every (non-AI) site on the net addressing this says corporations can use the excess cash for (inter alia) the acquisition of capital, meaning physical assets like land, buildings, machinery and surprise surprise, technology.

Tax implications may arise, but these tax implications are not a barrier per se to a corporation wanting to spend money left over from the previous year.
BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 972
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By MarkM19 on 04/30/2026, 10:38 AM


--------------------------------------
Quoted Post:
Posted By BillD16 on 04/30/2026

, 8:53 AM

--------------------------------------
Quoted Post:
Posted By SheliaH on 04/28/2026

, 10:20 AM

Really, Bill, I thought you were done with HOA board stuff, especially after the drama with Dragon Breath Lady!

As for the cameras, it’s not a bad idea, although there’s emerging concern about AI, facial recognition and how it can be abused (deepfakes and such). Because of that, I agree with Kelly that posting a sign to let people know the camera is there and making sure it (them?) can’t be reached for tampering and what not, is probably enough for now.

I seem to recall during the DB lady uproar, there were incidents of people behaving badly regarding the lifeguards and monitors and it may be the board wants to avoid that. Personally, I say you should have monitors AND cameras – the monitors may be able to de-escalate and the cameras can keep track on who does what.

Regarding the children, everyone knows cameras are everywhere, so the board can take steps to ensure only authorized people have access to the footage. The security camera company should be able to offer suggestions. Make sure the association master insurance is also aware in case they have additional suggestions to reduce rise. That’s the board’s job, not yours.

I get that you want to keep an eye on what they’re doing and you should. You’re still a homeowner in this community and have better insight on what’s going on. But as I said several conversations ago after you stepped down, it’s best to tell this crew what you think and leave it there. Don’t forget some of these folks tried to have you sacked as president anyway and if they’re still around, they probably won’t listen to you anyway (because they’ll have to admit you were right on several matters).
--------------------------------------

Hi Shelia!

Yeah, I know. And arguably, why should I care? The last two Open Meetings have been attended by only 2 or 3 people (where I was one of them).

It’s a coincidence, but Austin just recently enacted the TRUST Act:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/s/ZUBkcD41oT

which isn’t binding on the HOA, but goes to show there are a lot of people around here have concerns about AI surveillance and privacy.

I posted something to the neighborhood FB, asking how people felt, and got some “interesting” responses from people who are “friends of the Board”. Like “Admin: can this post be removed?” Or: “the Board does not engage with Facebook”. In fact, they don’t ‘engage’ at all.

(I know I’m ranting) how legit is it for the Board to authorize a $12,000 expense when a) the budget is $10,000, b) the Treasurer is not present, c) based on supposed “surplus” from last year? Back when I was gainfully employed at an F100 Corporate Monolith, spending unspent money from last year’s budget wasn’t allowed. But maybe it’s different for HOAs?

Part of it is that when I was on the Board, our assets rose from $500K to $600K. A fair amount of that came from reading and rejecting stupid proposals. But now I sit and watch it all get pissed away.

As for cameras being a good idea: I’ve put some deep thought into that, and concluded that they do not provide much value to an HOA.

Bill
--------------------------------------

Bill,
I have read your post for years and for the most part have agreed. I find your comments about cameras to be 100% inaccurate. Without cameras any accident or damage to person or place will be without any evidence. If a lawsuit is brought against your HOA a settlement will be the guarantee or worse. I also think the board and the HOA may be held liable for not securing the pool area to stop bad actors. I am not a lawyer but have been doing this for a very long time and being able to know what happened and why it happened helps prepare against future failures. Cameras also work 24 hours a day. That means in your case the camera system would cost about $1.50 per hour for the first year.

All Ex-board members assume the existing board are making poor decisions but just like all the other owners you do not have all the details.

Okay, I’m willing to agree that they have *some* value for mitigating lawsuits. But they don’t *prevent* crime. My neighborhood’s cameras have *never* been used to enforce a violation for misbehavior at the pool - and maybe that’s largely a good thing? In *one* instance they were used to work with police to press charges against a homeless guy who hung out and did some vandalism one winter. We recovered several thousand dollars from insurance. I don’t believe the homeless guy was ever found. I was personally involved with this incident and it was very depressing.

So okay, we need a camera system. Maybe it will make up for the lack of lifeguards. But do we need an expensive SaaS AI-driven camera system that tracks faces and license plates, that costs $12K plus $1400/year (and the details of how we work with the vendor are unknown)? For 1/10th the money we could repair our current system. Which seems to be what most people want. But the board doesn’t communicate with anyone except for poorly attended open meetings. If you think I shouldn’t care - you’re probably right.

Bill
HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”
BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 972
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By ElleN on 04/30/2026, 11:57 AM


--------------------------------------
Quoted Post:
Posted By BillD16 on 04/30/2026

, 7:53 AM

Back when I was gainfully employed at an F100 Corporate Monolith, spending unspent money from last year’s budget wasn’t allowed.
--------------------------------------

It seems every (non-AI) site on the net addressing this says corporations can use the excess cash for (inter alia) the acquisition of capital, meaning physical assets like land, buildings, machinery and surprise surprise, technology.

Tax implications may arise, but these tax implications are not a barrier per se to a corporation wanting to spend money left over from the previous year.

Okay. I really don’t know how much of this accounting stuff is law versus policy. I know I saw this come up yesterday when Congress was grilling Pete Hegseth, so maybe it’s a thing in military / government spending, too?

Back when I was working, I believe the excess money went back to “The Source”, ala _The Matrix_.

Bill
HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”

🎯 You've read this entire discussion

Join the conversation with 50,000 HOA & Condo Leaders:

  • ✓ Ask follow-up questions
  • ✓ Share your experience
  • ✓ Get expert advice
  • ✓ Access 350,000 discussions
Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in here

Terms of Use and Privacy Statement