Page 35 - New England Condominium May EXPO 2019

NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM — MAY 2019 35 ELITE REPRESENTATION FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, MANAGERS & DEVELOPERS We wrote the book on Landlord-Tenant law. No really, we actually wrote the book. Our founder, Catherine Downing, is the editor and a contributing author of the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education book Residential and Commercial Landlord-Tenant Practice in Massachusetts . Additionally, James Van Dyke is a co-author of Discrimination Issues In Housing , contained in the same book. This is the kind of expertise you can expect with Downing Van Dyke. We consider ourselves counselors and educators to our clients and the industry at large. Part of this practice includes teaching best practices in a fun and engaging environment. We also conduct FREE training for property management companies at your development or corporate office. Our topics range from leasing basics to reasonable accommodations demystified and avoiding discrimination lawsuits. If you would like to schedule a training session for your company, please drop us a line at info@downingvandyke.com . Our promise to our clients is; Efficient and cost-effective service, timely and practical advice, spirited advocacy and provable results. Downing Van Dyke, P.C. Contact: James H. Van Dyke, Esquire Telephone: 617-720-3535 Email: info@downingvandyke.com Website: www.downingvandyke.com Attorneys at law We’re Here to Help. With our unmatched perspective, Fletcher Tilton has thrived for nearly 200 years by achieving successful outcomes for our clients. • Counsel to trustees, board members, and property managers • Assistance with condominium documents, policies & bylaws, liens & common expenses • Representation in financing, transactional, and litigation matters WORCESTER | FRAMINGHAM | BOSTON | HUDSON FletcherTilton.com Nelson Luz Santos, Esq. Fletcher Tilton PC 370 Main Street, 12th Fl., Worcester, MA 01608 Also with offices at: 69 Main Street, Hudson, MA 01749 508.532.3525 nsantos@fletchertilton.com See us at Booth 442 “If it’s new construction, say, within the ration lived in a building with a fob entry last fi ve years,” says Maunsell, “buildings system. Th e husband had been kicked out have been designed with keyless entry in of the apartment, and there was a restrain- mind, in conjunction with entry video se- curity and intercom systems. At existing coming within 300 feet of his estranged older sites, they may have dated keyless wife. Tragically, the wife was found dead entry systems. We run into this a lot. We in their formerly-shared home. As it turns simply do an update of their system.” In New York City, where there are liter- ally thousands of older residential buildings wife. Horrible as it was, the case was closed with only key-and-cylinder locking sys- tems, retrofi tting is handled a little diff er- ently. “We’re not replacing the key system,” the time of his entry. He was apprehended says Barak Ron, CEO of Vertex Security, and the case solved. located in New York City. “We’re adding an additional layer of security with the fob with other forms of technology, and can system. Th e owner replaces the cylinder be incorporated with a wide array of sur- of the existing lock and keeps the corre- sponding keys. He issues a new fob to each explains that if you have a Wi-Fi connec- resident. Th ey begin using the fob system, which can be paired with various phone- based apps for fur- ther identifi cation of visitors, delivery men, and so forth, if desired. Fobs are very fl exible. Say you have a roof deck and you want to limit ac- cess aft er 11:00 in the evening. You can program the fobs for that.” Benefi ts and Draw- backs “Fobs can be replaced virtually im- mediately,” says Dahlin. “It’s done with a keystroke in system soft ware and a replace- ment fob.” And the replacement process is not reliant on locksmiths and schedules but can be done from almost anywhere where there’s access to the internet. Maunsell points out that many traditional locksmiths are now getting training in fob technology. Each fob is unique to the individual. Usu- ally two fobs are issued to each apartment, but if more are needed they can be created. Each is individually coded and recogniz- able, so if your teenager swears he was at school but was actually at home gaming, you can check the key fob log and confront him or her with the receipts! Fobs can also be used to solve crimes far more serious than a kid staying home unauthorized. Fobs leave a digital ‘fi nger- print,’ which can be extremely useful to law enforcement in some situations. Maunsell relates an incident that occurred in Massa- chusetts where a fob was critical in solving a murder: A couple involved in a messy sepa- ing order against him forbidding him from out, the husband had slipped back into the building using his fob and had killed his quickly; the husband’s fob left a fi ngerprint that included not only his identifi cation, but Fob systems are also easily integrated veillance systems and phone apps. Dahlin tion, you can control access even better and integrate heat- ing and lighting controls in one holistic system. Fob systems also provide the user with one item that will open all the doors in one building (in- stead of needing a heavy ring with multiple metal keys), includ- ing garages, and buildings with adjacent parking facilities. Fob systems also provide for the pro- gramming of temporary access, which can come in very handy for contractors and work crews doing short-term or even ex- tended projects on site. Th e fob can also contain an ‘alert’ that will send a notifi ca- tion when it’s being used. Th at also lets property staff , administrators or managers know when someone who had the fob may be trying to gain entrance without per- mission. Fobs are fl exible and can be pro- grammed down to hours. Old fobs can be easily reassigned to new owners or diff erent points of access. Useful as they are, key fobs do have their drawbacks. According to Ron, fobs will not work in a power outage. No electric- ity means no keyless entry. So co-op and condo boards need to have a backup plan, says Stuart Halper, Vice President of Impact Management, a fi rm that has offi ces in the New York area. “Th ere aren’t a lot of op- tions, though. Basically, you need the super “If it’s new construction, say, within the last fi ve years, buildings have been designed with keyless entry in mind, in conjunction with entry video security and intercom systems.” — Bob Maunsell continued on page 41