Many more communities are deciding to gate themselves. Whether for security, prestige, home value increase or something else, it’s becoming increasingly popular in America. The census data from 2015 came to the conclusion there were around eleven million units within gated communities, a unit being a home or apartment. It was rapidly growing then, so by the next census it will probably be a lot higher. So, how can you persuade your neighbors and if it applies, the HOA to create a gated community. Here are some tips.

Officially Suggest Smart Gate Implementation

If you want to create a gated community, you need to table the motion and get the ball rolling. Don’t just mention the fact you’d like a smart gate installed on the side to one or two individuals. Instead, make it official and raise it as a point during your next meeting. Whether you want to install a cellular smart gate in particular or just open the dialogue around the potential for installation, you have to start somewhere and you’d do well to start by making it official right away.

Do Your Homework

If you’re going to speak to your HOA, you’d be better off going with the facts. This way, when they start firing questions at you about smart gate installation, you’ll be able to answer them or at least know where you can get the answers fast. If you don’t know the answer to a particular question, come back to the HOA promptly with what they need. Look into:

There may be other issues you want to look into depending on the particulars of your given area. It can be hard anticipating every question they might ask, but if you go in with general information they should be satisfied. 

Outline How Easy Smart Gates Are To Use

A main hang up regarding gating off a certain area is that of having to get out of your car, open the gate and close it again once you’re through. With a smart gate, a member of the HOA, or a few members if you’d like, can control who gets access…and then those people can use the cellular smart gate technology to get in and out simply by using their cellphone. Convincing people to use something that may take time out of their day is tough, but if you can show them how brilliant smart gate technology is you’ll do yourself a favour. Consider finding a video or two of a smart gate in action so you can visually highlight how they work. 

Offer Up A Choice Of Gate

Being able to offer a choice of gate and gate entry system is important too. If you can offer choice you’ll make it sound more attractive. There are many different kinds of gates which can be used for the purposes of gating a community. We wrote an article about choosing the right smartgate for your community which could be useful. However, the short of is that the most popular types of gates at the moment, in the USA, are:

If you only present one option when suggesting a smart gate it might be easier to refute. A telescopic gate might not suit the area and be dismissed, all the while a double swing might fit perfectly. Present different options to the HOA or your local group and there’s a larger chance of success.

Present Different Smart Technology

While we think the best technology is a cellular access smart gate, there are other options available. They may not provide the usability of a cellular smart gate, but it’s better to present the whole range rather than just one. There are a few different aspects of smart gate technology you could consider showing to the decision makers. The most commonly utilized at the moment are:

Cellular Smart Gate Technology – The easiest to use. It’s simply done using a smartphone. No messing around. You can enter or exit by using the app. It’s super hard for criminals to manipulate too.

Keypad Entry System – Your reach out, punch in the right code and the gate swings open. Easy to use, but the code can be easily distributed, giving access to others. Also, it requires you to pull up close to the keypad which can be frustrating at times.

Number Plate Recognition – A camera will recognise the number plate and open. It sounds easy enough but a bit of dirt and grime and the camera will have trouble recognizing the numbers and letters. 

SwipeCard System – You swipe as you enter or exit. It’s good in principle, but it means you have to carry a card around which doesn’t really fit onto your keyring.

Those are the main access control technologies you can present to your HOA when in talks for a smart gate. Of course, there are others…such as buzz entry (requires a constant guard present) or telephone entry (requires someone monitoring the CCTV feed to admit people), but they’re only usually used on super high end communities. 

Get Quotes In

They’re inevitably going to ask how much it costs. Getting quotes from a couple of different installers is going to stand you in good stead. They don’t need to be the precise costing amount, just some ballpark figures which you can acquire by making a few phone calls or sending emails.

Convincing a HOA might be tough, or it might be straightforward. It depends on the HOA in question and how well you structure your need to gate the community. If you do decide on cutting edge cellular smart gate technology then you can be sure they won’t be disappointed. You can get ahead of the curve now and contact us for a quote, or read our blog for more information about cellular smart gates and gated communities which should help bolster your push for a smart gate. 

Open your gate or building with your phone