Safe, inclusive apartment communities benefit women tenants and managers through thoughtful design and management practices.
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Building Trust: Creating Safe Spaces for Women in Apartment Communities
Home should feel like the safest place on Earth. This is no less true when the place that somebody calls home is an apartment. However, some people feel more vulnerable in apartment buildings or complexes because they’re in a shared space where people come and go. They may also feel like they have less control over safety features than they would if they were in a home they owned.
The way an apartment complex is staffed can help to put residents at ease. Consistent and familiar faces handling the front desk or managing the grounds can help to make an apartment complex feel more like home to residents. What’s more, clear communication between management and tenants makes tenants feel like there’s someone they can turn to when something feels unsafe or suspicious. Here’s a look at the benefits of creating safe and inclusive apartment communities.
The Importance of Safe and Inclusive Apartment Communities
With more than one-third of all households in the United States falling under the status of being renters, landlords around the country need to meet the diverse needs of 45 million households. Renters represent every economic class, family size, cultural background, and lifestyle. This creates a tough task for landlords and property managers who must somehow align everything from accessibility to tenant-landlord procedures to meet the needs of so many different people.
Apartment buildings should feel safe and welcoming for single tenants, families, single moms, single dads, tenants who need to come and go at odd hours because they work the night shift, and every other kind of tenant. According to data released by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, 43% of renter households worry about their home negatively affecting their health, safety, and well-being.
Do Women Working in Apartment Management Increase the Safety of the Property?
According to data from the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), 5.8 million apartment households consist of single women. It works out to single women accounting for up to 27% of tenants in the rental market. This data shows that single women actually make up the largest individual demographic among renters. Of course, female representation in the tenant population is much higher when you consider the number of women who also live in rentals with husbands and partners.
It makes sense that safety and inclusion efforts at apartment complexes should strongly factor in this data. The way that women feel when walking through an apartment complex can essentially make or break decisions for lease signings and lease renewals. How can property owners help women to feel safer?
One way to help women feel safer in apartment complexes is to make sure that the property’s management team has female representation. For many women, approaching a male property manager or maintenance liaison about concerns over personal safety could feel uncomfortable. They could fear that their complaints won’t be taken seriously. They may also feel uncomfortable having a vulnerable conversation about their safety with a person of the opposite gender. This is why the role of women in property management is becoming increasingly important in assuring tenant satisfaction.
Things for Women to Know When Living Alone
Property managers who empower their female tenants with safety tips set a tone for inclusiveness at an apartment complex. However, female property managers who live within the complex can also have their own concerns. Here’s a look at essential safety tips to help women feel more secure and confident when living alone.
Security Codes Should Be Changed Regularly
Lots of people pass through apartment complexes as both tenants and employees. This is why good “code hygiene” is needed with any security codes that are shared. Create an ongoing system for swapping security codes for fresh codes. We often underestimate the amount of times people share confidential codes for the sake of ease or convenience when they need to provide access to an outsider. It only takes one unauthorized person to create a massive security breach.
Peepholes and Video Doorbells Can Dramatically Increase the Sense of Safety
There’s no reason why apartment doors should provide zero visibility for tenants. The bare minimum is to provide doors with peepholes that allow tenants to verify the identity of the person on the other side before answering the door. However, a video doorbell is a preferred option today because it allows tenants to verify a visitor without physically standing at the door. Virtual doorbells that allow tenants to monitor activity remotely can help a female tenant to detect repeated unwanted visitors or stalking dangers even when they aren’t home.
Good Lighting Is Important
Bright, properly maintained lighting is essential at every apartment complex. Research shows that nighttime lighting helps to reduce crime. Having properly lit parking areas, walking areas, and shared areas at an apartment complex is crucial for ensuring that you’re not creating opportunities for criminals to take advantage of the shadows. Good lighting is also necessary inside individual apartments. For example, having light switches or outlets positioned near doors allows tenants to flick the lights on as soon as they enter instead of having to walk through a dark apartment to turn on a light.
Good Locks Are Essential
Locks matter in apartment buildings. First, locks need to be changed with each new tenant. This is something that should be confirmed by the landlord. In addition, units need to have deadbolt locks that give tenants the peace of mind of knowing that an intruder can’t get in simply by jostling a handle.
Creating a safe, inclusive environment where both tenants and property employees can feel at ease is the best way to make an apartment complex the best place to live in town. The fact of the matter is that single women account for the biggest demographic among renters. With more women also stepping into roles as property managers, the need for better safety practices has never been greater. Lariat Realty Advisors is proud to serve as the broker agency for countless clients in 47 states and the District of Columbia.
