Homeless Sleeping on Apartment Sidewalk

A trained security operator watching an apartment building in San Diego saw a homeless person approach the property then lie down and go to sleep next to another slumbering suspect. Our Stealth operator activated the on-site speaker warning multiple times. The suspects did not respond, so police were contacted.

The operator gave officers a description of the suspects, as well as location information. Minutes later officers arrived. They let one of the individuals go but placed the other one under arrest.

The California Homeless Crisis

In 2019, California’s homeless population totaled over 150,000. That was up 17 percent from the previous year. In an effort to fight this crisis, California lawmakers have proposed adding $2 billion annually to the state’s efforts. The money would be used for rental and housing assistance, as well as other services.

Property owners in California face many issues regarding the homeless at their properties. Among those are loitering, trash, vandalism, theft and using their property’s facilities without permission. When unauthorized people congregate at a commercial property or apartment community, tenants, residents and visitors can feel unsafe, which can have detrimental effects on NOI.

Help Deter Homeless Activities with Live Video Monitoring

To help keep unwanted activity away from your apartment community, consider live video monitoring. The loitering problem at this property was severe and included illegal drug use, needles left behind and graffiti. They had been using a standing guard to monitor their property.

Since implementing our live video monitoring solution, the community has been able to completely eliminate the guard and is now having better security outcomes. We have successfully reduced their issues by dispatching police continually to remove the trespassers. We have also made arrests in real time in this garage and at other multi-family assets for this owner.

For more information about our proactive security solutions for your multifamily residential community, contact us.