Preservation Management/ Evergreen Partners

Wendy Smith is Regional Manager at Preservation Management, Inc. (PMI), based in Portland, ME. PMI manages housing complexes for low-income individuals and families. The majority of these properties are in turn owned by Evergreen Partners in Ipswich, MA. While no longer directly managing complexes in the Lancaster area, Smith did so during past implementations by App-Techs, and still works with locations like Skyview in Scranton, as well as temporarily overseeing Hudson Terrace in New York.

Smith stresses that PMI is "a company which cares about its employees and residents. Our team goes above and beyond to ensure that residents get high-quality living. It's not just the managers at PMI, but the owners at Evergreen Partners will reach out." She says, "One reason we chose to install cameras was to reassure residents we are monitoring properties, and to give them a sense of security." She goes on to state, "It's to our benefit as well profit-wise, because if there is destruction of property, the system helps as a 'third eye' to curtail such activity."

Housing complexes served by App-Techs include Rutherford, Garden Court and Skyview in Pennsylvania, as well as Sharp-Leadenhall in Baltimore and Hudson Terrace in New York, to name a few.

App-Techs has worked to ensure consistency and standardization across sites. We have equipped all sites with servers running our EasyNVR software. There are many outdoor cameras on multiple buildings, and indoor cameras inside sites' Community Buildings.

In many cases, we also provide some form of tenant Internet access via Wi-Fi or Ethernet over power lines. Our security monitoring networks are all Cat 5, fiber optic, and/or wireless PTP.

Company co-founder Dan Fritsch says, "App-Techs has also been adaptable, providing various solutions to meet the customers' needs — whether that has meant fiber-optic, wired or industrial wireless networks, or any combination of these."

When it comes to destruction of property, Regional Manager Wendy Smith states, "The result is being able to pinpoint who it was or when it happened, if it was a resident or a non-resident, and be more proactive." If problem activity is occurring between certain hours, PMI can say, "Let's get security officers out there and prevent it from happening. We're able to focus our manpower on those hours."

She goes on to say, "With Rutherford Park particularly, since we installed the cameras, sometimes teenagers like to joke or harass residents. We're able to bring in the parents and kids [to view video], and deter it." She also adds that security systems have "been super-helpful with insurance claims. We had a case at Garden Court, a resident tripped and fell, she said because sidewalks were not being adequately cleared." Fortunately, in terms of a potential lawsuit, "We were able to shut it down," since on video footage, "You could clearly see she tripped over her own cane."

In terms of human resources, PMI can use video to verify employees coming and going during the hours they logged if there is any discrepancy. "Of course," Smith says, "You don't want to have to use it [for any of these reasons], but it's there if you need it."

As far as PMI's relationship with App-Techs, Smith states, "Anytime I've ever reached out to App-Techs for anything, they've been informative and responsive — very open to accommodating us. We all do whatever we can on both sides to keep this relationship working." She also expresses that since there can be high turnover in her business, "It's helpful to have vendors who know and understand they may need to come out every few years to do some retraining."

At Skyview Park in Scranton, PA, PMI had to replace the vendor they were using and Smith says, "You guys were great there, you worked within our budget and were very responsive. My team there has never been happier."

Smith concludes, "The owners at Evergreen may ask managers [which vendors] they've had trouble with and who they haven't, and you guys have an 'automatic in' as far as proposals for new work. App-Techs has been very smooth and professional."

To learn more about how App-Techs can help your organization, call (717) 735-0848, contact us, or visit our website.