Homeowners can take precautions to help keep community safe

Q: Dear Barbara, First let me start by saying thank you. I wrote you five months ago about my position as a newly elected president and your answer settled things down because the other members of the board read your column.

Now, I find myself with a new question. Under Nevada state law is a homeowners association required to provide any form of security? If so, how much? Our community is a gated community with two entrances. It was built more than 30 years ago. The board provides a guard at the main entrance during the night time hours of 9 p.m.-6 a.m.

At our December meeting, because of a recent increase in attempted burglaries, five individuals representing four homes demanded what I consider to be outrageous requests for additional security.

These demands would require increases of 100 percent in dues. Is the HOA responsible for security and can the board be sued if a homeowner is injured or killed because of a break in?

A: Unless your governing documents require the association to provide security, the answer would be no. The fact that you are gated and that you provide a security guard does place an obligation upon the board to continue to provide security services. Even if you were to expand the coverage of the security to a 24/7 service, that still would not guarantee a crime-free community.

Your association should promote a Neighborhood Watch group. Find out how many homeowners would want to participate and then contact the Metropolitan Police Department to obtain its assistance in implementing the program. Generally speaking, you would want a couple of owners per street depending upon the design of your community. You may want to contact the security company to find out what it would cost to send a patrol car that drives through the community. It could be less costly, and would supplement your current security program.

Articles in your newsletter highlighting reminders to your residents of what they can do as individuals to help prevent crime will be helpful as well. Suggestions can be as simple as residents not allowing vehicles to follow them into the community when the gates are opened. You may want to check with your gate company as to the timing of the gate closing.

Nevada Revised Statute 116.31036 subsection 3 states, "Members of the executive board are not personally liable to the victims of crimes occurring on the property."

This does not mean that the association cannot be sued, however. I have included a few common precautions residents can take to ensure their safety and help protect their community.

■ Most intruders enter by way of a door. Always lock all your outside doors when you leave. Always look through the peephole before you answer the door. If you have a chain latch, always have the chain latch in place before you open the door.

■ Keep curtains and blinds drawn after dark.

■ Keep lights on in your home when you go out for the evening.

■ Be sure all screens and windows are locked from the inside.

■ Keep your valuables in a safety deposit box.

■ Keep a record of all serial numbers of your personal property.

■ Call the police if you see any suspicious persons loitering in your neighborhood.

■ Notify your local police district when you'll be leaving for a vacation and how long you will be away.

■ Cancel all deliveries when you leave for vacation.

■ Have a neighbor or the post office hold your mail until you return.

■ Have a neighbor check your home while you are away.

■ Don't use "Miss" or "Mrs." on your first name on your mailbox or telephone listing. Just use your initials.

■ Park your cars in well-lit areas.

■ Always lock your car when you park.

■ Notify the HOA management company or HOA board when a door is not closing properly or if lights are out in the building or in the parking lot.

■ If trouble occurs, first immediately call the police, then call the HOA management company.

Barbara Holland, certified property manager, is president and owner of H&L Realty and Management Co. To ask her a question, email support@hlrealty.com.