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New Year, New Multifamily Security Strategies

As we usher in a new year, it’s an opportune time for multifamily property managers to reevaluate and enhance their security measures. With the ever-evolving landscape of security threats, staying ahead is not just a goal but a necessity. Here are some valuable tips to help you fortify your security strategies in the coming year.

Regularly Update Security Protocols

Security protocols should not be stagnant. Regularly review and update your security policies to adapt to emerging threats. Conduct staff training sessions to ensure everyone is up-to-date on the latest security procedures. Encourage a culture of awareness and accountability among your team.

Enhance Lighting and Surveillance

Well-lit areas and robust surveillance systems act as powerful deterrents for criminal activity. Ensure that all common areas, parking lots, and entry points are well-lit. Consider upgrading or expanding your surveillance system to cover blind spots and vulnerable areas, providing an extra layer of protection.

Regularly Audit and Monitor Key Usage

At HandyTrac, we understand the importance of monitoring key usage and we recommend conducting regular audits of key distribution and usage to identify any discrepancies. Implement a robust HandyTrac key control system to easily track and manage keys, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to them.

Community Engagement for Increased Vigilance

Encourage a sense of community among your residents. Establish neighborhood watch programs or online forums where residents can share security concerns and updates. A vigilant community is an effective one, contributing to overall safety.

Emergency Preparedness and Communication

Ensure that your property has well-defined emergency procedures in place. Regularly communicate these procedures to residents and staff. Implement a reliable communication system, such as text alerts or a mobile app, to keep everyone informed in case of emergencies.

Collaborate with Local Law Enforcement

Forge strong partnerships with local law enforcement agencies. Share information on security measures, and seek their input on enhancing safety. Collaborative efforts can lead to a quicker response in case of emergencies and contribute to a safer environment.

As we step into the new year, you can prioritize the security of your multifamily property by adopting these proactive measures. At HandyTrac, we are committed to providing solutions that enhance the safety and well-being of your community. By implementing these tips, you can create a secure and resilient living environment for your residents in the years to come. Here’s to a safe and prosperous new year for your multifamily community!

Multifamily Community Security Tips for the Spooky Season

security tips for the spooky seasonAs the spooky season approaches, multifamily communities need to take extra precautions to ensure the safety and security of their residents. With Halloween just around the corner, it’s essential to address potential security concerns that may arise during this time of year. In this blog post, we’ll explore some multifamily community security tips to keep everyone safe and enjoy a worry-free spooky season.

Well-Lit Common Areas

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to enhance security during the spooky season is to ensure that common areas are well-lit. Adequate lighting in hallways, parking lots, and common areas can deter potential intruders and provide residents with a sense of security. Consider using motion-activated lighting to save energy while maintaining a high level of security.

Secure Entry Points

Make sure that all entry points to the community, including doors and gates, are properly secured. Ensure that locks are functioning correctly, and consider implementing access control systems for added security.

Clear Landscaping

Overgrown bushes and trees can provide hiding spots for would-be intruders. Trim back any vegetation that could obstruct the view of windows and entryways. A well-maintained landscape not only enhances the curb appeal of your multifamily community but also contributes to security.

Neighborhood Watch Programs

Encourage residents to look out for one another by creating a neighborhood watch program. Residents can form a group to keep an eye on the community and report any suspicious activity to the property management or local authorities. This sense of community can help deter potential security threats.

Communication and Education

Educate residents about security best practices, especially during the spooky season. Remind them to keep their doors and windows locked, even when at home, and to be cautious when opening their doors to strangers. Encourage residents to report any unusual activity or concerns promptly.

Halloween Safety Guidelines

As Halloween approaches, provide residents with safety guidelines to ensure a fun and safe celebration. Recommend well-lit pathways for trick-or-treaters, and discourage residents from leaving valuable items on display, which can attract unwanted attention. Consider organizing community Halloween events to keep residents within the safety of the community.

Security Cameras

Install security cameras in strategic locations throughout the multifamily community. Visible cameras can act as a deterrent to potential intruders, and they can also provide valuable evidence in case of an incident. Ensure that the cameras are regularly maintained and that the footage is securely stored.

Key Control

One of the most critical aspects of multifamily community security during the spooky season is effective key control. Key control systems play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and peace of mind of both property managers and residents. Halloween festivities can bring a surge of visitors and increased foot traffic, making it essential to have stringent control over access points. HandyTrac systems offer a modern and efficient solution that goes beyond the limitations of traditional lock-and-key methods. With features like instant reporting, audit trail, and the ability to grant or revoke access, key control systems are invaluable tools to maintain security during this season of tricks and treats. They help prevent unauthorized access, deter potential intruders, and keep a watchful eye on the safety of your multifamily community, ensuring that residents can fully enjoy the spooky season without any security concerns.

The spooky season should be a time of fun and celebration in multifamily communities, but it’s also crucial to prioritize safety and security. By following these security tips, property managers and residents can work together to create a secure environment that allows everyone to enjoy the season without fear. Remember, a safe community is a thriving community. Happy Halloween!

HandyTrac Security Tips for the Holidays

holiday security

As the holiday season approaches, it’s important for multifamily communities to take steps to ensure the safety and security of their residents. One way to do this is by implementing a key control system, such as HandyTrac, to manage and track the use of keys.

With HandyTrac, property managers can easily monitor who has access to keys and when they are using them. This can help prevent unauthorized access to buildings, apartments, and common areas, and can provide peace of mind to residents.

Here are a few holiday security tips for multifamily communities using HandyTrac Key Control:

Keep track of keys

With HandyTrac, property managers can easily track which keys are checked out, by whom, and when. This can help ensure that keys are not lost or stolen, and that only authorized individuals have access to them.

Set up access restrictions

HandyTrac allows property managers to set up access restrictions for keys, so that they can only be checked out during certain times of the day or week. This can help prevent unauthorized access to buildings and apartments, and can provide an extra layer of security during the holiday season.

Monitor key usage

HandyTrac’s key usage tracking feature allows property managers to see a history of key checkouts and access events. This can help identify any potential security issues and allow managers to take action to prevent them.

By using HandyTrac Key Control, multifamily communities can improve their holiday security and provide a safer environment for their residents. And, with its easy-to-use interface and robust tracking capabilities, HandyTrac is the perfect solution for managing keys during the busy holiday season.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Keeping Keys and Residents Safe

Cybersecurity Awareness MonthFor nearly 20 years, Cybersecurity Awareness Month has served to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity across the Nation. The overarching theme: “Do your part, #BeCyberSmart” encourages individuals and organizations to own their role in protecting their part of cyberspace, stressing personal accountability and the importance of taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of recommendations to help you keep your data and online activities safe in an age of ongoing cybersecurity threats.

Secure Your System

Regardless of how your company’s online network is configured, make sure it’s running on a secure system. Use firewalls and encrypting to secure your internet connections and your servers. If you use Wi-Fi, make sure it’s hidden and protected by a strong password — and change the password frequently. Only grant network access to authorized personnel.

Require Strong Passwords for Employee Logins

Employees who log into the system should each have an individual login with a strong password that is difficult to guess. Employees should also be prompted to change passwords regularly.

Remote Access: Use With Caution

If you log into your company’s network offsite using a smartphone or other mobile device, remember that you aren’t necessarily accessing the system using a secure server. Don’t log in using public WiFi, for example — or if you do, log in using a virtual private network (VPN) to hide from hackers.

Perform Frequent Viruses, Spyware and Malware Scans

You should have a strong antivirus, anti-spyware program in place to guard your system, and make sure it receives the latest updates to make sure newer viruses can be detected and eradicated from the system.

Run Updates on All Software

It’s a pain to keep up with software updates, but when developers send these to you, they’re usually dealing with newly discovered cybersecurity threats. Always keep operating systems and other software up to date.

Back Up Your System

You should be running full backups regularly of your entire system, from shared drives to individual computers. That way, if a hacker crashes your system, you won’t lose data and you can restore at least most of your functionality.

Use Multi-Step Logins Whenever Possible

You don’t want to spend all day logging in, but in truth, the more steps to the login process, the safer it is. With HandyTrac key control, for example, our systems are designed for employees accessing key boxes to take several steps to verify their identity. Some units even include biometric (fingerprint) identification which provides excellent security against intruders and hackers.

To learn more about our secure key control systems, contact HandyTrac today!

Five Frequently Overlooked Security Measures

security measuresSecurity is one aspect of property management that often leaves something to be desired. Many organizations think they have their bases covered, yet there are a variety of factors that are often overlooked, and these factors can have lasting impacts if exploited.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of five frequently overlooked security measures. Here we will examine the risks and offer some advice on how to address said measures.

1. Physical security

The use of traditional lock systems can be a great way to secure your units, buildings, and equipment; but what happens if the key goes missing?

To prevent physical keys from falling into the wrong hands, the use of an electronic key control system like HandyTrac is highly recommended. In addition to safe storage, electronic key control systems offer a variety of features designed to prevent key loss and theft including real time reporting, multi-factor authentication, key anonymization, randomized rotation, and audit trail maintenance.

2. Handling and disposal of paper records

Documents containing sensitive information are often disposed of improperly or left lying around in the office. Although these documents and bits of information may seem insignificant to some, they have the potential to hurt the company if discovered by a skilled criminal.

To ensure that all sensitive documentation is properly handled and disposed of, consider implementing a company-wide policy. Doing so helps to provide a standard for employees and promotes a culture of accountability. A great place to start is a company-wide shredding policy.

3. Network security

Much like your buildings, your network has various access points that must be protected. Effective network security targets a variety of threats and prevents them from accessing sensitive information. To determine the state of your network, consider conducting a network audit. An audit can help to uncover vulnerabilities within your network and improve overall security.

4. Breach Planning

Data breaches can hurt your brand, customer confidence and reputation, so it’s important to establish a breach response plan ahead of time to minimize the damage. To be effective, a data breach response plan should include the following:

– A definition of a breach
– A list of response team members
– The action steps for handling the breach
– A follow-up procedure

Once your plan is in place, educate your employees and test it often to ensure its effectiveness. A little bit of preparation can go a long way!

5. Security education for employees

People have quickly become the largest security vulnerability in any organization. Employees are frequently targeted  by hackers through various phishing attempts, and with over 90% of cybersecurity issues originating from human error within an organization, an investment in security education is worthwhile. Not sure where to begin? Here are some training best practices to get you started.

Holiday security tips to share with your multifamily residents

The most wonderful time of the year for many — including criminals — is upon us. Ensure that your multifamily community and its residents are prepared for the holiday season by sharing these holiday security tips in your next community newsletter.

holiday security tipsSecure the perimeter

Make sure all of your doors and windows are locked prior to leaving your home. Most break-ins are done without force. Simply making sure all of your entry ways are locked can be a big deterrent.

Review community guest policies

With the influx of foot traffic during the holiday season, it’s important to remind residents that they are responsible for the conduct and safety of their guests. It’s also important to share rules for guests and overnight visitors, holiday parking changes, or any other restricted activities. Some important things to clarify:

– What CDC restrictions/guidelines are currently in place?

– Are guests able to stay overnight?

– How long are guests allowed to stay before it becomes a violation of the lease agreement?

– Where are guests allowed to park?

– Do guests need permits to park on-site or nearby?

A few gentle reminders can go a long way towards preventing unnecessary security risks.


If you are leaving town…

Put a hold on mail

Put your mail delivery on hold until you return. Putting a hold on your mail and the newspaper will keep them from piling up and letting people know you are not home.

Install timers

Put certain lights within your home on timers. This will give the appearance that your home is occupied, reducing the likelihood of a break-in.

Wait to share

Refrain from posting about your holiday on social media until you return home. While it is exciting to let all of your friends and followers know where you are going, this also means that onlookers can see that you will be leaving your home unattended.

With these simple holiday security tips in mind, HandyTrac would like to wish everyone a safe and relaxing holiday season!


Resources:

The Moran Group. 2018. 10 Holiday Tips for Property Managers and Tenants. Retrieved from femoran.com

Improve Property Security Using our eBook

multifamily securityMost property owners understand and implement basic multifamily security measures to reduce the risk of crime — for example, installing security cameras and gated entry systems, or implementing ample lighting across the premises. However, proper key control is one aspect of multifamily security that can be easily overlooked.

Since management oversees the keys to all units, protecting and monitoring the use of said keys is one of the most important parts of keeping residents safe — and also one of the aspects most likely to be targeted for negligence. Obviously, not all crimes can be prevented, but one of the best ways you can improve safety for your residents is by implementing the property security best practices found in our eBook.

This invaluable resource offers easy-to-implement suggestions, practical tips and information on the latest in key control technology.

Make multifamily security your first priority by downloading your complimentary copy of our property security best practices today. Download your free copy here.