Your Neighborhood Watch Apps Guide
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Moving to a new neighborhood can be stressful. Meeting new neighbors, finding new local spots to go to, and keeping up with the latest local events can be somewhat overwhelming. More importantly, you want to make sure that you and your family feel comfortable and safe in your new neighborhood.
Nowadays, you can rely on smart phones for just about anything, whether it be to take pictures of your family, record videos of your daily activities, as well as to keep up with the latest events around you. Even better is the fact that you can keep tabs on your surroundings through the latest neighborhood watch apps.
What is a Neighborhood Watch?
A neighborhood watch is when a group of civilians, typically living in the same area, devote themselves to working together to stop crime and vandalism within their neighborhood.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has begun to shift everything online, even the way we interact with our neighbors. (Put this)
Optimum offers this helpful guide on some neighborhood apps designed to help neighbors connect, meet, communicate, share events and provide safety for residents.
Best Apps for Neighborhood Watch
Nextdoor
Provides a private social network exclusively for neighborhood members (proof of legal residence must be provided.) Nextdoor neighbors can share neighborhood activities, create events and invitations, and inquire about local service providers. Neighbors can also share safety tips, recommend a babysitter, or even sell unwanted items and more. The Nextdoor app is free on the Apple and Android platforms.
Ring Neighbors
The Ring Neighbors app helps neighbors communicate by allowing users of the Ring video doorbell service to take videos and photos of suspicious activity. Users of the app can share their content anytime there is an attempted robbery, a theft has occurred, or simply if something seems out of the ordinary. Since this doorbell connects to wifi and the app, you can use it collaboratively with Optimum Mobile and Optimum Wifi. With real time alerts from neighbors and local law enforcement, this becomes an important app to help with the neighborhood watch. Check out our review of the Ring video doorbell for more information. The Ring Neighbors app is free and available on both Android and Apple platforms.
Lotsa Helping Hands App
This app is geared towards people with health conditions, as well as towards locals who are able and willing to help neighbors in need. As you can imagine, having local people to depend on is extremely helpful due to geographical proximity, as well as the fact the neighbors are often viewed as friends that can keep an eye on your house, and lend a helping hand, when need be.
Lotsa Helping Hand's app allows users to create a Care Community by using a computer or mobile device. After creating the Care Community friends, family and neighbors will be able to register and sign up for tasks and access a calendar that tracks when the organizer/caregiver needs assistance. Additionally, communication tools are available to users to send words of love and encouragement to a neighbor in need.
AreaVibes
AreaVibes uses your zip code to provide a "livability score", this score is calculated using a proprietary algorithm that weighs the cost of living, crime rate, education, housing prices and more. The tool compares neighborhood crime trends and safety issues with national crime rates, as well as incident reports for burglary, vehicle theft, property crime and additional reports and statistics. The tool is free to use.
ioby
This tool allows you to connect with neighbors to help support local causes and foster positive change. This is a crowdfunding platform with the goal being to bring people together to complete neighborhood projects and generate awareness about neighborhood needs. The app allows you to meet your neighbors and give back to the community.
It is our hope that this article gave you some ideas and advice about some neighborhood apps that could help you feel safer, as well as help you gain some insight on what is going on within your community. Be sure to check out our article about video doorbell cameras that can also help you keep your home safe!
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