Apartment Defense

[leadcounsel]

Step two:
FAR easier said than done. My profession is in Architecture and is very closely affected by the Construction industry. Construction has slowed and in some states is practically nonexistent. I have an extremely good job and other than moving out of the USA all together, my only other thriving options would be other large urban cities (or thereabout) which would have there own firearm restrictions. Moving is not realistic at this point; not wanting to commute from PA (probably the closest "free" state) and maintain my current job.

Step three:
This is subjective and extremely bias toward those financially stable enough to purchase a home. Plus you are not aware of my locale nor the median average income which affects home buying not to mention our current economy. Put it like this.. If you want a pair of sneakers and have $40 and a pair of $200 jordans are half price, despite the huge discount your still $60 short. It just wouldn't matter. The issue with purchasing a home nowadays is selling your current residence. It's a buyers market, not a sellers. I'd have to sell 1st, before buying which may complicate the issue further.
Nevertheless, I am not afraid of my neighborhood. It is not dangerous to say the least. Moving would be somewhat drastic. In time I would like an actual house just not at the current time. The point of this thread was to hear realistic options for further securing my current residence and the like.

So, which is it. Good job or not financially stable.

An architect, and presumbably with a second income, can afford a decent house in probably 99% of America. NYC is absurdly overpriced and most incomes cannot match the cost of living.

An architect could easily make a very good living in most states, and there are many big cities that are better for pro-gun rights than NYC. In fact, if you steer clear of NY, CA, NJ, MA, and IL, all the cities are better.

In this market, take Nashville for instance, you can get a nice huge house just outside the city for under $300,000. You can get a big house for $200,000. 4% interest rate.

WHY would anyone want to rent in the market if they have a good job???

Now, no community is immune from violence, but why not stack the odds in your favor. AFterall, what is more important than security? Move out of the oppressively UNfree NYC, and off to a better place.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Hounding someone (OK, bad pun) about life circumstances that they can't change or don't want to change is not what we're here for. "Just move" is not one of the things that is apt to go over well in ST&T, any more than "In Texas we just shoot 'em" is.

 

[leadcounsel]

@Lee,
Granted, while moving isn't necessarily a great short term option, it's an incredibly valid overall consideration.

For instance, if someone here asked for strategies and tactics on how to handle and abusive spouse, a very valid point would be to get out of the relationship and move. I see how this sitation is remarkably the same. NYC is oppressive when it comes to gun rights, as is NY as a whole. And we can almost certainly agree that houses are better for defending than apartments for a variety of reasons.

Albeit maybe not exactly what the OP was asking, and possibly thinking outside the box.

I think my S&T comments are spot on. But I've made my point so I digress.

If I were forced to live in an apartment in NYC, I'd buy some eyebolts and rebar and screw the eyebolts into the studs on either side of the door and slide the rebar through each day/night when I was home. Additionally, alternately, you can build a type of brace using a 1x8 that slides against the door and an opposite wall floor stud.

Maybe set up the furniture so it's awkward to quickly walk from the door to the bedroom so that a person unfamiliar with the setup stumbles.

Infrared noisemaker that alerts when someone walks through the beam.

Options are really limited in apartments.

 

[JayBoogs]

So, which is it. Good job or not financially stable.

An architect, and presumbably with a second income, can afford a decent house in probably 99% of America. NYC is absurdly overpriced and most incomes cannot match the cost of living.

An architect could easily make a very good living in most states, and there are many big cities that are better for pro-gun rights than NYC. In fact, if you steer clear of NY, CA, NJ, MA, and IL, all the cities are better.

In this market, take Nashville for instance, you can get a nice huge house just outside the city for under $300,000. You can get a big house for $200,000. 4% interest rate.

WHY would anyone want to rent in the market if they have a good job???

Now, no community is immune from violence, but why not stack the odds in your favor. AFterall, what is more important than security? Move out of the oppressively UNfree NYC, and off to a better place.

This is somewhat comical but I will address your comments mainly because you do not know my locale: 1-2 bdrm APARTMENTS in my area are $150,000. To get a house- your looking at $350,000 and up. Some tiny houses or ones in need of work are 200,000-250,000. For a big house, your looking at an easy 1/2 mil. Affordable, right? For house prices to lower.. You have to go further north to the boomies.. That's my reality. I am financial stable but that does not mean i am rich. Having a good job does not mean i am rich either. There are many factors that contribute to a "good" job. Money is only part of the equation. As a mid-20 yr old guy I am doing rather well and proud to be in the position I am in. Thankful as a matterof fact.

1. I am not an architect.. Yet. To make a long story short, I have a BArch and am in the process of testing to get my license. So no huge checks coming in just yet.. Lol.
2. Higher wage in inner city by me but higher cost of living. I do not actually live in NYC but just outside of it. A little bit lesser cost of living.
3. You did not read my previous post clearly. The cities you just mentioned have the most construction in US right now.. NY, Chicago, CA, Atl, etc! That is my industry and field of choice, I can't live far from it! No construction, no work!
4. I agree with your statement on ownership which is why I own my apt with a good interest rate.

I feel I have divulged enough of my personal life to get my point across. This was not my intent for this thread. My options may be limited but it is what I have to deal with at the current state of my life.

 

[allaroundhunter]

"Just move" is not one of the things that is apt to go over well in ST&T, any more than "In Texas we just shoot 'em" is.

You obviously aren't from Texas, Lee

All kidding aside, I think you have gotten some good information here about how to best defend your apartment, but it will only go over well if you employ the advice correctly and train on it.

There has also been good information that everyone can take away, regardless of your living situation.

 

[mbt2001]

@Lee

I agree... Frankly, I am getting tired of reading:

1.) Get a dog
2.) Move
3.) Buy an AR
4.) Get a dog
5.) You can shoot someone in Texas for looking at you wrong
6.) Get another dog
7.) Move to Texas were you can shoot people
8.) If you can't get a dog get a doberman
9.) I would run outside with my cape on and shoot

First off, dogs, while great, are a HUGE investment and commitment, almost like having kids... AR's are expensive and not the preferred platform (for a variety of reasons) for most people. Moving is incredibly expensive and if one has a dog and is married and owns an AR it is even more complicated...

 

[mortablunt]

Simple, do something to delay past the door. Put up some of those Japanese style screens or whatever so that they have to go around them and cannot go through them at a full run. If someone tries to get through the front door, my strategy at home is to get my carbine and wait for whatever comes next. If they come in armed and don't immediately bolt, then open fire. If they come in unarmed and start posing a threat, the open fire. Definitely call the Police when possible.

 

[leadcounsel]

deleted.

 

[Fremmer]

Based on years of renting:

Avoid units on the ground floor, especially with patio doors
Watch out for signs of new problems, like grafitti popping up, vending machines being broken into, and cars being broken into, those are signs of more serious problems to come
Your door should be strong and made of steel
Beware of groups hanging out in the parking lot
Get insurance with a low deductible that'll cover damage or theft to your car
You generally have to worry more about people breaking into your car than into your apartment
If your car gets broken into, move if you can

 

[sm]

Keys

One of the weak links of Apt living is the fact keys management/ property owners have, and more important Master keys. It is NOT uncommon for exterminators, and other "maintenance" personnel to have a set of master keys to apt complexes.

Not all "maintenance" persons are legit, and while some might be, temptation can, along with life stuff creeping up, can and has had a person with master keys to go to the dark side.

Meaning: check lease, but still see if you can get another set of locks, NOT of the same brand currently installed. Pay for these out of pocket. Also, what I and mine did, was to have a "spare key" in a sealed envelope. If the seal was broken there had be a good damn reason for using the key(s). The last time for me personally was the fact my hot water heater went out, and mgmt had to access my apt to shut it off, (replace it) to protect tenant downstairs.

Beef up windows and patio doors. Also some very simple still effective "door wedges" exist, and I suggest these as well.

Do not advertise anything! Simply nothing in plain site to alert neighbors, mgmt, maintenance or anyone else of what you "might have" or "interests" , "hobby's" ...anything.

Sending best,

Steve

 

[kayak-man]

I'd definitely look into things that will buy you time (alarms, rearranging furniture to make it harder to get to the bedroom) I'm not sure what the NY carry laws are, but the more often you carry, the more time your giving yourself by not having to run to where the gun is.

Not much more that I can add other than it sounds like you're off to a really good start. I second the idea of a shotgun: they are good for HD, and a lot of fun at the range.


Hope this helps,
Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[Ramone]

I'd add a wireless motion detecting alarm to cover the area immediately outside the door.

 

[JayBoogs]

@Lee

I agree... Frankly, I am getting tired of reading:

1.) Get a dog
2.) Move
3.) Buy an AR
4.) Get a dog
5.) You can shoot someone in Texas for looking at you wrong
6.) Get another dog
7.) Move to Texas were you can shoot people
8.) If you can't get a dog get a doberman
9.) I would run outside with my cape on and shoot

First off, dogs, while great, are a HUGE investment and commitment, almost like having kids... AR's are expensive and not the preferred platform (for a variety of reasons) for most people. Moving is incredibly expensive and if one has a dog and is married and owns an AR it is even more complicated...

Agreed.

Based on years of renting:

Avoid units on the ground floor, especially with patio doors
Watch out for signs of new problems, like grafitti popping up, vending machines being broken into, and cars being broken into, those are signs of more serious problems to come
Your door should be strong and made of steel
Beware of groups hanging out in the parking lot
Get insurance with a low deductible that'll cover damage or theft to your car
You generally have to worry more about people breaking into your car than into your apartment
If your car gets broken into, move if you can

Definitely not the neighborhood I'm in. It is an up-and-coming waterfront area but those problems are long gone from the area, for the most part. Our cars are safely kept in garage/off street, have not any issues.

One of the weak links of Apt living is the fact keys management/ property owners have, and more important Master keys. It is NOT uncommon for exterminators, and other "maintenance" personnel to have a set of master keys to apt complexes.

Not all "maintenance" persons are legit, and while some might be, temptation can, along with life stuff creeping up, can and has had a person with master keys to go to the dark side.

Meaning: check lease, but still see if you can get another set of locks, NOT of the same brand currently installed. Pay for these out of pocket. Also, what I and mine did, was to have a "spare key" in a sealed envelope. If the seal was broken there had be a good damn reason for using the key(s). The last time for me personally was the fact my hot water heater went out, and mgmt had to access my apt to shut it off, (replace it) to protect tenant downstairs.

Beef up windows and patio doors. Also some very simple still effective "door wedges" exist, and I suggest these as well.

Do not advertise anything! Simply nothing in plain site to alert neighbors, mgmt, maintenance or anyone else of what you "might have" or "interests" , "hobby's" ...anything. *Snip*

I find this to be a major problem in my book. No one has keys to my apt other than my parents (blood & inlaws). I frequent apts throughout NYC for work and it astonishing how many bldgs supers have keys. When stuff go missing, then there's an issue. Nope not I, snip that in the butt early. I personally changed my own locks. My office is very close to wear I live, so the super knows if there are any issue, he can just call me on my mobile.

I'd definitely look into things that will buy you time (alarms, rearranging furniture to make it harder to get to the bedroom) I'm not sure what the NY carry laws are, but the more often you carry, the more time your giving yourself by not having to run to where the gun is.

Not much more that I can add other than it sounds like you're off to a really good start. I second the idea of a shotgun: they are good for HD, and a lot of fun at the range. *Snip*

Duly noted. As my mother always said, rather be safe than sorry. I see a shotgun in my very near future.

I'd add a wireless motion detecting alarm to cover the area immediately outside the door.

Worth looking into.

 

[gallo]

OP,

When I got married we lived in a 1st floor apt. It was good until my wife told me the landscaping guy kept cutting the same area outside our sliding door over and over and looking in. Next time he was cutting the grass, I went to the patio, made eye contact and snapped a picture of him. He stopped mowing the grass on our side of the building.

Next our wedding rings went missing from the kitchen bar one day. Of course the front office denied giving access to anyone, but we found out later the pest control guys had been in our building that day. The police officer took our report and said the best thing you can do is get safe and bolt it down. We moved out to house after that.

I agree that training for your wife will be a good thing, but in her pregnant state that may not be
possible. Some gun ranges advice against pregnant women shooting due to sound blast. It also looks like your apartment is relatively secure, but I get the feeling you put too much trust in the
perceived security of your environment. The bad guys like the good parts of town because that's
where all the nice toys are. Lastly, I'd say the bigger risk in your situation is not someone kicking
the door in, but instead someone ambushing your wife on her way back from taking out the trash.
The entry and exit point are of most risk.

I'd ask the wife to carry a small revolver on her at all times while in or about the apartment.

 

[JayBoogs]

OP,

When I got married we lived in a 1st floor apt. It was good until my wife told me the landscaping guy kept cutting the same area outside our sliding door over and over and looking in. Next time he was cutting the grass, I went to the patio, made eye contact and snapped a picture of him. He stopped mowing the grass on our side of the building.

Next our wedding rings went missing from the kitchen bar one day. Of course the front office denied giving access to anyone, but we found out later the pest control guys had been in our building that day. The police officer took our report and said the best thing you can do is get safe and bolt it down. We moved out to house after that.

I agree that training for your wife will be a good thing, but in her pregnant state that may not be
possible. Some gun ranges advice against pregnant women shooting due to sound blast. It also looks like your apartment is relatively secure, but I get the feeling you put too much trust in the
perceived security of your environment. The bad guys like the good parts of town because that's
where all the nice toys are. Lastly, I'd say the bigger risk in your situation is not someone kicking
the door in, but instead someone ambushing your wife on her way back from taking out the trash.
The entry and exit point are of most risk.

I'd ask the wife to carry a small revolver on her at all times while in or about the apartment.

You make some good points, some do not apply (5th FL in my case vs 1st FL in yours). Another poster refered to the "spare key" scenario. No spares with management or the Super for my apt.

With the baby on the way, we have put off the training until after birth. She is eager to learn how to use a firearm and get her license/own pistol.

As far as the entry points and an ambush, this is an area of concern. Thing is my wife tends to stay in apt when she's home and not venture in hall much at all. I take garbage out 99.9% of the time . My bldg tends to be pretty quiet and hall ways stay fairly empty so someone hanging around would be pretty darn obvious. Trust after the baby comes, I will be working with my wife on gaining some more situational awareness along with help her along with getting some pro firearm training.

 

[gallo]

You make some good points, some do not apply (5th FL in my case vs 1st FL in yours). Another poster refered to the "spare key" scenario. No spares with management or the Super for my apt.

No two situations are identical, but apartments do tend to attract many strange/undesirable people: contractors, magazine/flyer peddlers, acquaintances of other tenants, etc…

Trust after the baby comes, I will be working with my wife on gaining some more situational awareness along with help her along with getting some pro firearm training.

Situational awareness can be practiced anywhere anytime. And there is no need to completely put off training (or buying a gun) until after the baby is born. You can still teach her the basics of gun safety, loading/reloading, dry firing and drawing from concealment using snap caps. After the baby comes, it’ll be a whirlwind.

 

[JayBoogs]

No two situations are identical, but apartments do tend to attract many strange/undesirable people: contractors, magazine/flyer peddlers, acquaintances of other tenants, etc…

This is true.

Situational awareness can be practiced anywhere anytime. And there is no need to completely put off training (or buying a gun) until after the baby is born. You can still teach her the basics of gun safety, loading/reloading, dry firing and drawing from concealment using snap caps. After the baby comes, it’ll be a whirlwind.

Yes your completely right. I'm steadily enforcing situational awareness on her, I just want her to have more of a focus when a firearm comes into play.

Here in NY there is a whole process for attaining said license and her own actual pistol. "Why not use mine?" ..you say. Being our first child, I'm a little leery of lead and birth defects. I'd rather not risk it. No matter how much I clean my pistol, magazines & gear, there is no 100%. Just my choice for now to keep the two away from each other.

I don't doubt it will be a wirlwind after the baby comes, but it is a process. Glad to get input from here on setting up my next steps.