Renters’ Choice: Safety First!

Residents have a right to feel safe in their apartments. This month, MHN and Kingsley Associates ask residents how they feel their communities deal with security issues.

“I really wish the front door had a card reader. It feels dangerous to have to go through the garage with cars coming around the corner and possible strangers lurking.” —Houston

“Residents need to walk their pets on leashes. Some people like me fear dogs.” —Orlando, Fla.

“One of my biggest complaints is that they do not consistently salt stairways when it snows or is icy. This makes walking up and down the stairs in poor weather hazardous.” —Albuquerque, N.M.

“During hazardous weather, it would be nice to have the sidewalks and parking lots cleared of snow and ice.” —Brentwood, Tenn.

“Putting letters on doors is not safe! It allows others to know when someone is home or not.” —Chester, Va.

“The apartment itself is really nice, new and modern. The building had great amenities and probably one of the most important factors was that I felt safe.” —Rosemount, Minn.

“I love that the property is set back from the road so it is secluded and quiet and pretty safe. The setting is serene and pretty, and that appeals to me.” —Scottsdale, Ariz.

“They chose a very dark paint scheme, which would be good except that there isn’t enough light to support it and the lights are timed rather than light-sensitive; this is a safety issue.” —Kent, Wash.

“This is supposed to be a gated community. I loved that about it because it meant more safety and control over people in or out of the complex. The gates seem to be open or not working many times over the months I’ve lived here.” —Riverside, Calif.

“Being a single, young, independent woman, safety was my first priority and I couldn’t feel safer here.” —Alpharetta, Ga.

“We need more protection when packages are delivered to our building that are too large to go in our mail boxes. Sometimes these are stolen when left at our apartment door.” —Atlanta

“Maintenance walked into my home without any written or verbal notice and scared my daughter. I thought that was very unprofessional and very inappropriate behavior.” —Kissimmee, Fla.

“The safety and security offered by the concierge and doormen is great. Issues are rare, and when they occur, are handled promptly and graciously.” —New York

“Security cameras should be mounted to mitigate theft in the garage. My bike was stolen and my husband’s car was broken into.” —Emeryville, Calif.

“I suggest activating a side door as a resident-only entrance since it’s hard to close the front door in someone’s face as they are following you in.” —Mountain View, Calif.

“Safety is number one. The gate is constantly open, there are no security cameras, the walkways and the parking lot are very poorly lit and packages get stolen all the time.” —Austin, Texas

“My vehicles have been vandalized. Extra security or simply cameras in the garage could solve those problems. I pay way too much no not be able to safely leave my car in the garage.” —Torrance, Calif.

“A little more communication should be going on when issues occur. I think 24-hour security would be a plus since there are sometimes issues with kids soliciting and running the halls.” —Baltimore

“I did not even receive a call back when my bike and car were stolen from the property. No one cared at all.” —Eugene, Ore.