Why multifamily property managers should choose cameras backed by AI

Multifamily property video security challenges

Multifamily properties require constant attention to maintenance, security, and personal safety — and always on tight budgets. Video surveillance has long been used to help, by documenting property access, and deterring trespassing or theft. Often, though, that’s meant nothing but a camera recording by an entrance door or gate, and only checked in the event of a break-in or other security incident. 

Video surveillance for multifamily properties, though, has come a long way recently, and can address more complex challenges, like tracking vehicle traffic, enabling resident access, and coordinating with sensors to spot dangerous conditions. And nearly every multifamily property has a wide range of areas requiring coverage, from recreation facilities to mailboxes to waste disposal areas. 

And because people live there, it’s complicated to schedule work to minimize disruption. 

Common spaces mean common problems  

Whether it’s a condo complex or a multi-building apartment complex, multifamily residents are subject to shared risks, all of which can be addressed in part by cameras which make criminals think twice, and which enable fast responses to dangerous events or conditions. Rather than old-fashioned cameras that mostly record video for the possibility of eventually scrubbing through to find particular events, modern AI-based systems can help by analyzing video information in real time and proactively analyzing events for easy search.  

Vandalism and property damage 

Apartment complexes are subject to expensive damage, from entry gates to juvenile property destruction to graffiti, all of which reduce the quality of life for residents, and are expensive to repair. 

Personal crime 

Mailbox theft, doorstop package theft, interpersonal violence, and violent crime are all concerns to be aware of, especially in dense developments. And if crime escalates to violence, fast intervention is the most important possible response.   

Unsafe conditions

Flooding, gas leaks, lighting deficiencies, unlocked gates and other problems all increase the chances of personal injury or property loss, and raise the liability of property owners and managers. 

Put cameras to work in an emergency 

One feature of modern cloud security relevant to property managers is that it can be used to enable fast emergency response. If an emergency strikes, from a criminal incident to a fire or a flood, Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing allows video streams from your on-premise cameras to be securely shared with an increasing number of local 911 call centers (emergency communications centers, or ECCs), yielding high-quality visual information while keeping residents out of harm’s way.

Cameras (and sensors) can increase more than just security

Today’s surveillance systems can do much more than show you what’s in front of a camera’s lens. Because these systems are smart enough to analyze scenes to identify people, objects, and pre-determined conditions, they turn your cameras into an active intelligence system. You can also use other inputs, from badge scanners to specialized environmental sensors, to augment visual information. Taken together, these can enable: 

• Simple access using an access pass, a smartphone, or even face recognition.
• Maintenance issue spotting, based on visual information (the gate is open, or a streetlight has failed) or supplemental sensor data which detects poor air quality, prohibited smoking or vaping, unsafe temperatures, or flooding. 
• Streamlined parking, with access granted automatically for pre-approved cars based on their license plate, or denied for hot-listed vehicles. 

Budget for what you actually use

Barely more than a decade ago, the only practical option for most multifamily operators to store video was on physical media, whether stored on site or kept off-site for safekeeping. Cheaper storage, especially on the cloud, has changed the picture radically. Even as video resolution and storage requirements have ballooned, storage is now cheaper and more reliable, allowing for longer retention and higher quality footage. (Cloud storage also means that less power, space, and management time needs to be spent on on-site equipment.)  

However, a key element that property managers must keep in mind is whether to budget for better surveillance as capital expenses or CapEx (large, one-time purchases) or operating expenses or OpEx (lower, predictable payments over time). With cloud services that rely on expensive high-powered processing, especially as AI grows in importance, it’s intelligent to shift when possible to OpEx. Predictable monthly costs mean no unexpected expenditures to hit your budget.

Just as important when it comes to budget: As you examine your cloud surveillance options, consider whether they require you to replace your cameras and whether you’ll be locked into the system you select. Choosing a camera-agnostic cloud solution like the Eagle Eye Cloud VMS means you can use any of thousands of models — most likely including the ones you already have — so you can avoid an expensive, intrusive rip-and-replace. 

Plan for the (cloud) future of property surveillance

The possibilities outlined above are only the start. With a cloud-based system configured for your property, you can:

• Know and react when a community pool is being used outside of its posted hours, or a door is propped open.
• Share video with professional monitoring services via secure APIs.
• Use 2-way audio communication to discourage vandals or trespassers.
• Remotely inspect damage after a storm, and verify repairs without a truck-roll.

In short, you can use your video cameras as property management tools that save time and motion, not just to take security footage. And that is the real future of surveillance for multifamily properties. 

Looking for an affordable way to update your security? 

Timothy Lord

Timothy Lord has witnessed and written about IT security trends and the ongoing evolution of SaaS for more than 25 years.