Video surveillance is a must-have for Multifamily apartment communities to reduce crime, strengthen security for residents and staff, boost resident satisfaction, and elevate property values. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, apartments are 85% more likely to be burglarized than single-family homes. Multifamily rental property owners and operators must focus on building safer communities – and Rently can help!
Multifamily security is complex. It involves elements of physical on-site security, resident security, package security, cybersecurity, and vehicle security. Multifamily property owners can address safety concerns with a multipronged approach including manual and technological solutions.
One of the biggest challenges faced at apartment buildings is that residents and their visitors come and go. This makes it hard for property managers to know and recognize every single person moving about their communities. So how do property managers determine a suspicious person or identify criminal activity in-progress?
The answer is a video surveillance system. This system should be connected to an access control solution and smart home devices within their vacant units.
In this blog, we outline five easy steps to help multifamily owners and operators build safer communities with the use of security cameras.
Step 1: Deploy Video Surveillance
Security cameras strategically positioned throughout multifamily communities are a must for owners/operators. They should also post public-facing signs indicating the area is under video surveillance, and “No Trespassing” signage to further deter criminal behavior.
To strengthen security, Rently suggests installing security cameras throughout rental communities. Operators should install cameras at front entrances and exits, foyers, walk-paths, hallways/corridors, elevators, parking areas, mail-rooms/package delivery areas, high-traffic amenity areas, recreational areas, laundry rooms, and storage areas.
Benefits of security cameras:
- Crime Deterrence: Video surveillance has proven to deter crime, making burglars think twice.
- Evidence Collection: In the unfortunate event of a crime or lease violation, video footage is priceless. It also helps law enforcement with valuable leads.
- Attracting Residents: Modernized security solutions makes properties more appealing to potential renters.
- Resident Satisfaction: Residents feel safer knowing video surveillance is taking place in common hallways, parking lots, and shared facilities.
- Resident Behavior Monitoring: Residents tend to adhere to property rules more conscientiously when they know video surveillance is being used.
- Maintenance/Hazard Monitoring: The use of cameras helps property management keep common areas well-maintained and free from hazards. It also helps reduce graffiti and mis-use of common areas.
- Vehicle Safety: Cameras in parking lots deter car thefts and break-ins. They also make your residents feel safer, especially late at night.
- Dispute Resolution: In case of disagreements or claims, video surveillance provides unbiased evidence.
- Maintain Compliance: Security cameras in common areas can help property managers ensure their properties adhere to their local safety and security regulations.
Step 2: Picking the Most Useful Security Cameras
Rently recently expanded their camera portfolio beyond unit monitoring (3 types of smart doorbells) to include community/common area monitoring devices, specifically perimeter/fixed dome cameras and License Plate Recognition cameras. Rently is making it easier for property owners and operators to create safer communities with security cameras that connect directly to Rently’s access control solution for instant video playback of access activity.
Rently’s line of security cameras seamlessly integrate with the access control functionality in the Smart Home Manager Portal. For access entry points protected by Rently’s Access Panel with intercom, property managers or security personnel can view video playback directly from the property’s Activity Log.
Here’s an example of how it works: Rently’s Access Panel records an entry at 4:10 PM at the front gate. The property manager simply clicks on the “video playback” icon for that entry activity to view the video clip associated with that entry event right from their Rently portal.
Most competitive security monitoring solutions require you to open an additional software platform, do a search to find the right camera, then do another search to find the right time stamped video. It’s a process – making it a bit cumbersome to find the right video clip associated with each entry activity.
Step 3: Protecting Your Community with Perimeter Security Cameras
Rently’s 8MP perimeter camera, an indoor/outdoor fixed dome camera, captures full color video, even at night.
It offers intelligent perimeter protection, including cross line, intrusion, enter area, leave area detection and ‘Smart Intrusion’ prevention which reduces false alarms. a network video recorder (NVR) and hard drive is required for audio and video recording.
Rently Perimeter Cameras vs. Competitive Cameras
Rently’s 8MP Perimeter Camera – Advanced captures 24/7 full color video, even at night in low light or dark conditions. This is achieved through a combination of hardware and software enhancements that allow cameras to capture detailed, colorful footage without relying on black and white or standard infrared illumination.
Most competitive cameras use infrared night vision which delivers monochromatic color or single color (grey) with various tints, shades and tones.
Rently offers 3 types of perimeter cameras – Standard, Basic, and Advanced.
- Rently 8MP Perimeter Camera – Standard
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- Full color video during the day
- Clear, detailed video captured at night, in low light, dark conditions captures sharp B&W (black and white) video
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- Rently 4MP Perimeter Camera – Basic
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- Full color video during the day
- Only captures sharp B&W (black and white) video at night
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- Rently 8MP Perimeter Camera – Advanced
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- Full color video during the day and even at night (refer to image example above)
Features in all Rently Perimeter Cameras
Step 4: Easily Manage Vehicle Access with License Plate Recognition Cameras
License Plate Recognition cameras, often referred to as LPR cameras, offer an unprecedented level of surveillance and access control capabilities. This type of camera reads and stores data from license plates to provide seamless monitoring and access control over vehicular movement. LPR cameras are revolutionizing apartment vehicle access control.
Rently’s LPR camera automatically reads an approaching or exiting vehicle’s license plate, checks to see if that plate number is listed as a valid resident and automatically opens a gate providing the ultimate “ease of use” experience for your renters, and one that is secure. If the license plate is not on the “Approved Residents List” that vehicle will not be able to enter the secured parking area (i.e. the vehicle gate will not open).
A Rently solution can also enhance visitor management. Visitors and delivery personnel can gain access by utilizing the intercom functionality directly from Rently’s access control panel located at the gate by scanning the QR-code to connect via a “FaceTime-like” call experience with their selected resident to request access. Residents are able to answer these calls and open the gate or decline the request right from their mobile device.
LPR cameras also help apartment complexes increase security and enhance public safety as information collected can be used as evidence in criminal investigations. Compared to traditional long range RFID reader vehicle access control solutions, Rently’s LPR camera is a much more cost effective option, about 50% less in cost and installation fees.
Rently’s LPR camera can help communities better manage vehicle entry and exits. Rently’s intelligent lighting camera delivers unmatched image quality, making license plate recognition (LPR) more accurate than ever and stores all plates in a database.
This camera supports LPR (license plate recognition), LPD (license plate detection), and auto tracking functions. Rently’s LPR camera is NDAA Compliant ANPR Camera.
Step 5: Protect Entrance Areas/Gates with Security Cameras and Access Panels for Stronger Security and Enhanced Visitor Management
Rently’s newest dual-purpose device, Access Panel with Intercom is a secure access control solution with a built-in intercom for stronger security and enhanced visitor management at your community entrances. Or you can use it as a secure access control panel/reader at your common area amenities and elevators.
Along with perimeter cameras to provide video surveillance across the complex and LPR cameras at vehicle entrances, adding a controlled access solution to front gates and common areas enables your site teams to easily monitor and manage everything remotely, providing flexibility and a safer community for all. Your residents are able to enter their community through strategically placed access panels giving them the option to enter via mobile, PIN code, or fob credentials.
For vehicle access entry points protected by both Rently’s LPR cameras and Access Panel with Intercom, property managers or security personnel can view the security camera video playback directly from the Property’s Activity Log.
Rently’s Access Panel with Intercom is the ultimate multifunctional access control solution for shared spaces. It combines an E-Ink access control panel, credential reader/keypad, QR-code interaction for intercom communication, and a contact sensor—all with no hub required or additional access controller for lower installation cost.
By implementing Rently’s access control at your communities, your residents can control their own access, and your security or leasing staff are able to keep track of access activity more easily.
Your community gains:
- Stronger security
- More convenient, modernized access
- Simpler access management
- Access entry data insights
- Reduction in physical key cost
- Ability to offer amenity reservations as a resident option
One Complete Security Solution from Rently
Rently is the leader in property touring and smart home technology. We provide leasing automation solutions to help property managers lease faster, streamline operations, and increase NOI—with one login for one platform.
Whether you’re seeking to increase security, enhance your visitor management experience, reduce operating costs, or increase rental revenue, Rently has a tailored solution for you.
Want to learn more about our security and access control solutions? Schedule a quick 15-minute intro call with a Rently representative today!
