As the weather turns warmer and it stays light longer, the incidence of neighborhood harassment and vandalism tends to rise (ring and run, egging homes, toilet papering trees, stealing yard ornaments, racing cars and motorcycles, dumping trash, graffiti, etc.). Parents and guardians, please be sure to remind children that it is not OK to prank or harass others, and that what they think is fun may be viewed as a crime, an attack on an individual, or even an attempted home invasion.   
 
In Colorado Springs, it is unlawful for persons under the age of eighteen (18) years to loiter or to aimlessly drive or ride about, on or about any street, road, sidewalk, park, playground, yard, or building, whether public or private, without the consent or permission of the owner or occupant thereof, between Midnight on Friday and Saturday nights (10pm Sunday night through Thursday night) and 6:00am the next morning.
 
It is unlawful for the parent, guardian, or other adult person having the care and custody of a juvenile under the age of eighteen (18) years to knowingly permit or allow the juvenile to loiter or to aimlessly drive or ride about at the places and within the time prohibited
 
Read the Loitering Ordinance / Curfew rules for Colorado Springs at
codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/coloradospringsco/latest/coloradosprings_co/0-0-0-16212
 
Learn more about neighborhood safety at the National Crime Prevention Council's website http://www.ncpc.org/topics/home-and-neighborhood-safety

Time for a roof repair or replacement? Be sure to submit a request for approval BEFORE you start work. 
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​4.3.3 ROOFING REPLACEMENT (TILE OR SHINGLES) Any replacement of the roofing material with both the exact same manufacturer type and color or a new type and color requires Modifications Committee (MC) review. All submittals should include a color photo of the home/roof along with a brochure showing the type and color of replacement chosen. Owner must receive Modification Committee approval prior to the work being done.

See the Design Review Request (DRR) process at www.pcva.org/design-review-request.html

As the weather is warmer and the days are longer, our friends and neighbors are spending more time outside. Drivers - you can help keep everyone safe by
- Driving the speed limit
- Putting away the distractions. This includes cell phones (even when on hands-free), eating, and looking for things.   
   Even other people in the vehicle can distract the driver.
- Being on the lookout at intersections, driveways and when backing
- Treating people on bikes as a motor vehicle as they have a legal right to be on the road 

Learn more at coloradosprings.gov/trafficsafety

There are many factors to consider on how much and how often you should water, but Colorado Springs Utilities provides some good info to consider at https://www.csu.org/Pages/Wateringyouryard.aspx and a fact sheet of how to "cycle and soak" water to maximize your watering efficiency by watering a little bit at a time is available at https://www.csu.org/CSUDocuments/cyclesoak.pdf
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Watering Tips

• Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
• Water in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
• If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption. Learn about this technique by watching a short video on cycle soak irrigation.
• Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
• Check the root zone of your lawn or garden for moisture before watering using a spade or trowel. If it’s still moist two inches under the soil surface, you still have enough water.
• Choose shrubs and ground covers instead of turf for hard-to-water areas such as steep slopes and isolated strips.
• Walkways and patios provide space that doesn't ever need to be watered. These useful "rooms" also add value to your property.
• Spread a layer of organic mulch around plants to retain moisture.

Learn more at ​https://www.csu.org/pages/outside-the-home.aspx

Burglar-Proof Your Home
Homeowners looking to burglar-proof their homes should take a three-fold approach: deter, detect, and delay. Here are 10 essential crime prevention tips to help make your home a less desirable target for burglary:

1. Case the joint – look at your home with the eyes of a burglar
2. Lock the door – Always!
3. Don’t hide a spare key – leave it with a neighbor
4. Don’t label your keys or mailbox
5. Secure windows and sliding doors
6. Be modest – hide your expensive items
7. Create the illusion you’re always home – leave lights, T.V., radio on
8. Secure the area surrounding your house – limit hiding places and have outside lights on
9. Get to know your neighbors – watch for strangers
10. Install an alarm – or at least a sign

Read more at www.ncpc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/homechk2.pdf
 
Home Security Checklist
Use this National Crime Prevention Center checklist to evaluate your home safety measures and see where you might have room for improvement
http://www.ncpc.org/resources/files/pdf/neighborhood-safety/homechk2.pdf

​Secure Your Garage
Thieves have robbed homes by getting garage remotes from cars parked outside and using them to open the garage and gain entry to the home.  Some easy actions can help make it harder for criminals to get your stuff:

• Lock the doors on all vehicles (inside garage and out)
• Do not leave any valuables in plain sight in car
• Bring garage remotes indoors
• Turn off your automatic garage door opener at night (usually a small switch on door mounted switch)
• Lock your garage door at night (prevents remote from opening door)
• Lock the door between your garage and home at night or when away (make it hard to get from garage into home)
• Keep your garage door down to prevent "walk-in" thieves and from drive-by criminals looking at the stuff stored in your garage as a later target