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FAA
No. 225
TBy C. Finley Beven
he tenant from No. 3 called last night. It seems that his one of his neighbor has installed a “Ring” style camera in place of his door-bell. The complaint was that he knows that his neighbor is recording every time he either enters or leaves his unit,
as well as recording who his guests are and when they come or go. No. 3 considers this a gross invasion of his privacy and he wants it to stop.
Respectfully, we disagreed. The “common areas” (which would include basically everything out-side of a tenant’s front door), are just that, “common areas”. There is no reasonable expectation of privacy in these common areas any more than there is a reasonable expectation of privacy in the streets or public buildings in the city where you live. We consider these new developments in security cameras as a great asset for protecting the security of our buildings, and the safety and security of our tenants. If it were up to me, I would ask every tenant to install one. The cost of these cameras, by such companies as “Ring” and “Arlo”, continue to come down, while their utility increases month-by-month. I could be miles away or on another continent, and I can see when the Amazon delivery person leaves something on my front porch. It is my understanding that such video capacity can be a great assist to law enforcement in the event of nefarious activity in the area, thus increasing security for the whole neighborhood.
Going further, if a tenant were to ask me to allow him or her to install a camera in other common
This Probably Never Happened to You, But...
areas, such as a carport or garage. I would immediately agree. Security cameras increase security, so the next time you see one, just smile- and-wave. It just makes sense, and is seems like good business judgment to have more.
Dear Readers: This article is the 225th in a series based on the lessons we have learned the hard way. The contents of these articles are merely opinions of the writer. They are not intended as specific legal advice and should not be relied upon for that purpose. Our practice is in constant refinement as we adjust the way we operate to an ever- changing market. I appreciate your questions, comments, suggestions, and solutions. Contact C. Finley Beven, JD, CPM, CCAM, 99 S. Lake Avenue, Pasadena. (626) 243-4145. Fin.Beven@BevenandBrock.com. www.BevenandBrock.com
C. Finley Beven has been involved in real estate, property maintenance and property management since 1975. He is a Certified Property Manager (CPM), Institute of real estate Management since 1987. He is also a Certified Community Association Manager (CCAM) and is a member of the California Association of Community Managers. He has a brokers License #00696626 in the State of California. He has a BA, USC; JD, Southwestern University
Beven & Brock Property Management Co., Inc.
99 S. Lake Avenue, Pasadena. (626) 243-4145 Fin.Beven@BevenandBrock.com - www.BevenandBrock.com
14 JUNE 2021 - APARTMENT MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE AMM1/6