HB 837 CPTED Assessments

Confidently meet Florida HB 837 compliance with a comprehensive Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design assessment from C4SSI.

Florida House Bill 837 requires owners or principal operators of a multifamily residential property with five or more units (including apartments, townhouses and condominiums) to have a CPTED assessment with a law enforcement agency or Florida Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Practitioner by January 1, 2025, to have a presumption against liability for third-party crimes on the premises.

Our experienced practitioners can help you get the upper hand amidst the new law to meet legal requirements and protect your property from crime and frivolous lawsuits.

We’ll ensure you meet every requirement in HB 837.

Multifamily properties must pass a CPTED assessment by January 1, 2025, that documents compliance with the following security measures. Documented CPTED assessments need to be reviewed every three years.

• A security camera system at points of entry and exit which records, and maintains retrievable for at least 30 days, video footage to assist in offender identification and apprehension.
• A lighted parking lot illuminated at an intensity of at least an average of 1.8 foot-candles per square foot at 18 inches above the surface from dusk until dawn or controlled by photocell or similar technology.
• Lighting in walkways, laundry rooms, common areas, and porches, with illumination from dusk until dawn or controlled by photocell or similar technology.
• At least a 1-inch deadbolt in each dwelling unit door.
• A locking device on each window, each exterior sliding door, and any other doors not used for community purposes.
• Locked gates with key or fob access along pool fence areas.
• A peephole or door viewer on each dwelling unit door that does not have a window or a window next to the door.

You must also offer proper crime deterrence and safety training to current employees by January 1, 2025, and all new employees within 60 days of hiring. We can review your training curriculum for successful compliance.

Understanding compliance with HB837 versus CPTED security standards.

While you need a documented CPTED assessment according to House Bill 837, there are differences between the legal security requirements above and those in a complete CPTED assessment. 

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) uses environmental factors to reduce opportunities for crime and fear of crime to improve quality of life and property value. As the requirements outlined in HB 837 are incomplete compared to CPTED standards and industry building codes, meeting them won’t completely protect you from security negligence litigation. 

To meet your full security needs, we’ll use HB 837 as the minimum requirements in your assessment and offer an evaluation up to industry standards.

Prepare for your CPTED assessment with a preliminary survey.

Whether your property is in the pre-construction stages or has been around for decades, we’ll help you pass your CPTED assessment and get the upper hand when it comes to HB 837 compliance. To ensure the smoothest path to success, we advise a two-step approach with a preliminary survey and an official assessment.

Assessments that secure your investment and stand the test of court.

While a documented CPTED assessment grants you liability protection, an attorney can try to undermine it by discrediting your CPTED assessment or CPTED practitioner. With C4SSI, our lead consultant Kelly S. Klatt, CPP, CLSD, FCP will ensure your assessment is conducted and documented to withstand legal scrutiny.

Klatt is a certified FCP which is a CPTED practitioner certified by the Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute, Office of the Florida Attorney General, as well as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and Certified Lodging Security Director (CLSD). A past in law enforcement and decades as a security consultant responsible for security planning, technology, investigations, policies and procedures, emergency training, testimony, and more leads to competent CPTED compliance that minimizes the impact on your property management operations.