Integrated Technology
Video Surveillance System Solutions for Multifamily Properties
A video surveillance system covers a property’s perimeters, entries, parking areas, amenity spaces, and common areas with cameras designed for real coverage, not just recorded footage.
Modern systems go beyond recording: AI-enabled analytics can flag loitering, perimeter breaches, and unusual activity in real time, and integration with access control gives operators one unified security picture instead of two disconnected systems.
SKBM designs camera placement for appropriate coverage, self-performs the cabling and installation, and integrates video with access control and the rest of the technology stack.
Why Video Surveillance?
Video surveillance is one of the few systems where the difference between “installed” and “designed” shows up the moment you need it in real time, when footage has to hold up in a dispute or an insurance claim.
Experience at Scale
635K+
Units
3200+
PROPERTIES
980+
CITIES
42+
STATES
Built for properties ready to move from coverage gaps to a designed system, video surveillance solutions are for you if:
You need footage that helps resolve disputes or supports an insurance claim when it matters
You want video integrated with access control instead of running as a separate system
You’re evaluating AI-enabled monitoring to catch activity before it becomes an incident
You’re not confident you could say, right now, where your coverage gaps actually are.
Video surveillance solutions may not be right for you if:
You already have a fully designed, integrated system with no coverage gaps
You’re looking for a single replacement camera, not a system review
You need pure recording with no integration, remote access, or analytics
When Cameras Miss the Mark
Most multifamily video systems grow one incident at a time. A theft in the parking garage gets a camera. A loitering complaint at the pool gets another. Over time, the property ends up with coverage that reflects its history of problems rather than a plan for preventing the next one, and no one can say with confidence where the actual gaps are.
When an incident does happen, the footage that should resolve the dispute or support an insurance claim is often the wrong angle, poorly resolved, or missing.
A camera that’s offline when it matters is worse than no camera at all, because it creates the expectation of coverage that isn’t really there.
Licensed
General Contractor and Electrical Contractor
Self-performed cabling and installation under SKBM’s own contractor licenses
Partner
One Contract
Design, self-performed installation, and ongoing support under a single accountable relationship
Design
Cloud First
Cloud-managed platforms that reduce on-site hardware failure points and enable remote access
Integrated
Security Picture
Video tied to access control for one unified system, not two disconnected ones
How We Design, Deploy, and Support
Video Surveillance System Solutions
SKBM designs coverage around the property’s actual risk profile, not simply around where the last incident happened. We apply the five-phase SMART Framework to create a system that we plan, deploy, validate, and support as one accountable process.
S
Survey
We walk the property to identify real coverage gaps, risk points, sightlines, infrastructure constraints, and existing camera conditions rather than assuming the current layout is adequate.
M
Map
We design camera placement and system architecture around the specific property, from perimeter and parking areas to common spaces and amenities. Where appropriate, we also plan AI-enabled analytics and integration with related security systems.
A
Activate
Our crews perform the cabling, equipment installation, configuration, and related field work under SKBM’s GC and Electrical Contractor licenses, reducing subcontractor handoffs and preserving accountability through deployment.
R
Run
We commission and test each camera, recording path, and system connection, then document the final environment so the property team can clearly see coverage, equipment, and system performance.
T
Train
We prepare the property team to use and manage the system, then remain involved through ongoing monitoring, troubleshooting, updates, and lifecycle support after go-live.
67%
of Renters Want…
A smart security system*
*NMHC/Grace Hill, 2024 Renter Preferences Survey Report, as summarized by SmartRent.
67%
of Multifamily Decision-Makers Have Adopted
Security/Surveillance Cameras in Common Areas*
The Alternatives to Video Surveillance Solutions and Where They Fall Short
Most ownership groups weigh three options before choosing an access control system from SKBM. Here’s what each one looks like:
01
Reactive, incident-by-incident additions
No upfront cost, and no per-door income. Connectivity complaints route to site staff with no tools and no authority. Every system that rides the network — access control, cameras, smart-home devices — operates at whatever service level an individual resident’s ISP happens to deliver that day. When something fails, no one is accountable for the stack.
02
A single-vendor recording system
A vendor installs cameras and a local recorder, then disappears. When the recorder fails, or you need to pull footage quickly, no one is accountable for keeping it running.
03
Video and access control as separate systems
Cameras and door access run on separate platforms, so an incident review requires checking two systems that don’t communicate, with no unified timeline.
Why SKBM for Video Surveillance
Most video vendors sell cameras and move on. SKBM designs coverage for the property’s actual risk profile, self-performs the install, and stays on to monitor and support the system, because a camera that’s offline when it matters isn’t protecting anything. Tying video to access control means an incident review pulls together a coherent picture rather than two separate systems that were never meant to work together.
What SKBM delivers on video surveillance:
- Camera placement designed for the property’s actual risk profile, not wherever the last incident happened
- Self-performed cabling and installation under SKBM’s own GC and EC licenses
- Integration with access control for one unified security picture
- AI-enabled analytics, where useful, that flag activity before it becomes an incident
Best Fit Partners for YOU
As an MSP, SKBM selects solutions based on what fits the property.
Some of the best-fit partners we have worked with include Eagle Eye Networks and Alarm.com for video, with access-control integration via Brivo and others.
We can work with your preferred partners or help you choose the best fit for your situation.
Video Surveillance in Action
How Video Surveillance fits three common multifamily scenarios:
Incident-driven upgrade
A property that’s been adding cameras reactively after a series of parking-area incidents gets a full coverage redesign, closing the gaps its patchwork system never addressed.
Insurance/liability response
An owner facing insurer pressure to demonstrate loss-prevention measures deploys a designed system with retention and reporting configured to the insurer’s requirements.
AI-enabled monitoring
A property adds analytics to flag loitering or perimeter activity in real time, giving on-site staff a heads-up before an incident escalates rather than only a record of it afterward.
Same System, Owned or Financed
Video-surveillance upgrades often start with an incident, an insurer’s request, or a newly identified coverage gap, which doesn’t always align neatly with the capital plan. The same designed system can be funded as CapEx or financed as OpEx without changing coverage, equipment, or support.
Own It (CapEx)
Fund the build upfront and keep the full margin, capitalized as property infrastructure. May be eligible for bonus depreciation under current federal tax law; consult your tax advisor. Treatment depends on entity structure.
Best fit: Owners with available capital and longer hold periods, or portfolios standardizing ahead of refinance or disposition.
Finance It (OpEx)
Financing through SKBM’s financing partners requires no upfront capital. The system deploys on the same timeline, with the same equipment and support, but is treated as a predictable monthly operating expense rather than a capital event.
Best fit: Developments mid-cycle with capital already committed, or portfolios rolling out across many properties at once.
| Own It (CapEx) | Finance It (OpEx) | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront capital | Full build cost | $0 to minimal |
| Asset ownership | Owner-owned from day one | Transfers at term completion |
| Tax treatment | Potential bonus depreciation* | Deductible operating expense* |
| System & support | Identical | Identical |
| Accountable partner | SKBM, end-to-end | SKBM, end-to-end |
*Consult your tax advisor. Treatment varies by entity and jurisdiction.
To model your property’s numbers, talk to an SKBM Connect specialist.
Ready to See Your Video Surveillance Options?
Adding cameras one incident at a time leaves gaps nobody’s mapped. A designed system closes them and ties into the rest of your security stack.
Property Technology Ecosystem
Video surveillance is part of SKBM’s broader security and access ecosystem and works best when tied directly to the systems around it.
Multifamily Property Solutions
Access Control Systems
Network Infrastructure
Risk MItigation
FAQ
Video Surveillance System Frequently Asked Questions
Video surveillance is a system of cameras covering a property’s entrances, common areas, parking, and perimeter, typically cloud-managed today rather than recorded locally. Beyond recording, modern systems support remote viewing, real-time alerts, and integration with access control for a unified security picture.
The best system depends on the property’s layout, risk profile, and whether it needs to integrate with an existing or planned access control system. SKBM designs camera placement and platform selection around the specific property rather than defaulting to one manufacturer.
Yes. AI-enabled analytics can detect loitering, perimeter breaches, and other behavioral patterns in real time, converting passive recording into an active alert system without requiring 24/7 human monitoring of live feeds.
Existing cameras aren’t the same as a reliable, integrated system. If footage isn’t remotely accessible, isn’t tied to access control, or no one is accountable when a camera goes offline, the coverage is a liability, not real protection.