CC SR 20210119 K - Flock Safety HOA Security Camera Grant Program Extension
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 01/19/2021
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to expand the current City’s Homeowners
Association (HOA) Security Camera Grant Program with Flock Safety.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Expand the HOA Security Camera Grant Program with Flock Safety to provide
an additional $10,000 in one-time grants to HOAs for the installation of new
security cameras, totaling $20,000 for FY2020-21.
FISCAL IMPACT: The City Council budgeted $10,000 in FY2020-21 to provide HOAs
one-time grant funds for the installation of Flock Safety Security
Cameras. Funds to expand the grant program by an additional
$10,000, for a total program cost of $20,000, is available in the
Special Programs budget under Public Safety.
Amount Budgeted: $10,000
Additional Appropriation: None
Account Number(s): 101-400-6120-5101
(General Fund – Special Programs/Professional/Technical Services)
ORIGINATED BY: McKenzie Bright, Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. September 1, 2020, staff report and attachments
BACKGROUND:
On September 1, 2020, the City Council approved expanding the City’s grant program
to assist homeowners’ associations (HOAs) with funding security cameras for their
neighborhoods. The City’s grant pays half the lease cost of the security camera
equipment for the first year up to $1,000 per camera, waives permit fees, and provides
staff support for working with the camera vendor, Flock Safety.
Flock Safety provides leased security cameras that utilize motion-detection imaging and
license plate-reading technology to assist local administrators and law enforcement in
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public safety investigations and alerts. Contracts for the leased cameras are signed
between Flock Safety and the neighborhood, but the City can be involved in the process
and assist the neighborhoods with the procurement and costs.
Currently, the following six HOAs have applied for a total of 10 cameras, exhausting the
existing budget of $10,000:
• La Cresta (one camera)
• Ladera Linda (two cameras)
• Peninsula Pointe (two cameras)
• Seacrest Neighborhood (two cameras)
• Mediterrania (two cameras)
• Miraleste Hills (one camera)
Flock Safety representatives are working on finalizing permit applications for the
cameras. Once permit applications are approved by the City’s Public Works
Department, cameras will be installed and the six HOAs will receive their grant funds for
2021. Installation is expected to occur in late February or early March. After
reimbursements are granted, it is the sole responsibility of the neighborhood to pay the
full amount of the cameras for each additional year of service, unless the City Council
extends the grant program for FY 2021-22.
DISCUSSION:
Four additional HOAs have contacted City Staff indicating their interest in participating
in the program, should additional funds be extended. Continuing the current funding
model of a one-time subsidy (50% of the cost, up to $1,000 per camera, for up to two
cameras), increasing the budgeted allocation by $10,000 would provide 10 additional
cameras for five to 10 additional HOAs for 2021.
In the last calendar year, the Flock Safety cameras cost $1,500-$2,000 per year, plus a
$250 installation fee. All participating HOAs elected to purchase the $2,000 Falcon
Camera. To reflect hardware and software upgrades, Flock has increased its prices to
$2,500 for the Falcon Camera but agreed to offer a discount to residents for this grant
program, for a new cost of $2,250 plus the installation fee. To provide grants to the
greatest number of HOAs, Staff recommends keeping the current 50% of cost up to
$1,000 per camera grant structure.
In multiple instances, HOAs contacted Staff to request more information on the security
cameras after experiencing a crime in their neighborhood. Increasing the availability of
security cameras for additional neighborhoods will continue efforts being made to
enhance public safety per City Council Goal No. 1. Thus, Staff recommends providing
an additional $10,000 to the City’s Homeowners Association (HOA) Security Camera
Grant Program.
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ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available
for the City Council’s consideration:
1. Direct Staff to identify different subsidy percentages for the consideration of
an expanded HOA Security Camera Grant Program, such as increasing the
ceiling of cost to be a one-time subsidy of 50% of the cost, up to $1,125 per
camera to correlate with the increase in camera prices.
2. Appropriate additional money into the budgeted account to further expand the
HOA Security Camera Grant Program.
3. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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