Pub. 1 2016 Issue 5

18 www.ctaahq.org 䌀吀䄀䄀 吀䠀䔀䌀伀一一䔀䌀吀䤀䌀唀吀䄀倀䄀刀吀䴀䔀一吀䄀匀匀伀䌀䤀䄀吀䤀伀一  FUN D ecorating, dressing up in costumes, and eating Halloween-related goodies is fun. Vandalism and accidents are not. You can help keep Halloween a great holiday just by the plans you make to prepare for it. e following suggestions are some good ways to protect your properties and your tenants without coming across as someone who just doesn’t enjoy having a fun time. One important side bene t of celebrating Halloween is that the festivities will ideally develop friendships and good feelings. People who like each other and enjoy getting together are people who are less likely to ght or complain. General Advice • Check the smoke detectors to make sure they are working correctly. Discourage the use of any candle other than one that runs on a battery. • Provide bright outdoor lighting for common areas and all walkways. Check all bulbs and replace any that aren’t working. • As much as possible, replace fragile glass and xtures with materials that can’t be broken. • Make sure gates, garages, and entries are locked in any areas where you want to discourage tra c. e idea is to minimize unauthorized access. • Lock up any vacant property. Many vandals and thieves target anything empty. • Check for tools and equipment that would be easy to vandalize. Lock them up ahead of time whenever you can. • If someone does vandalize a property, have it cleaned up as fast as possible. • It might not be wise to confront anyone who is vandalizing a property. Instead, report the vandalism to the police. • Schedule extra people to work as janitors and provide security, or hire a security company to patrol your property for the times they are most likely to be needed. For example, if someone has a Halloween party on a night other than Halloween, the night of the party might be another good night to increase the number of available security personnel. • Remind your tenants about any policies you have about parties and noise. Be polite about it, but also let them know about any possible consequences or nes. Multifamily Rentals • Invite the local police department to make a presentation for residents about Halloween safety. • If residents are allowed to trick-or- treat with children, set a range of hours. Decide whether the trick- or-treating is only for tenants, or whether other neighbors can also participate. • You might want residents to sign up in advance about whether they will be giving candy. Have a list of those who are participating ready to hand out to trick-or-treaters. Alternatively, have people put up a sign on their front door if they have candy they want to donate. Encourage people to go in groups. • Hand out ashlights, glow sticks, re ector lights, stickers, and bags KEEPING