With 13 Blue Star certified apartment communities, Westchase District has more Blue Star communities than any other area of Houston. But the District is not resting on its laurels. Mark Hubenak, vice president of public safety, has set a goal of having 30 Blue Star communities by the end of 2025.
Mark Hubenak explains the basics of the Blue Star program to area apartment community managers.
Hubenak launched that effort in early November by inviting all Westchase District apartment community managers to meet the Houston Police Department team who oversees the Blue Star program and hear from a community manager who supervises a Blue Star community in Westchase District.
Blue Star elevates best practices
The Blue Star Multi-Housing Program is a joint effort of the Houston Police Department and the Houston Apartment Association. HPD Ofc. Connie Garza, one of three members of HPD’s apartment enforcement unit, told the community managers that Blue Star certification helps to minimize crime and demonstrates that community management is doing everything it can to keep the property safe.
There are three parts of the Blue Star certification process. The first is for the community manager to attend an eight-hour training session. Ofc. Garza noted that the training covers topics ranging from cyber crime, to gang and drug awareness, identity theft, human trafficking, liability issues and, perhaps most importantly, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) concepts.
CPTED is a crime prevention strategy that uses architectural design and environmental conditions to deter crime. This includes everything from perimeter control, to lighting, to making sure the landscaping is not overgrown giving a criminal a place to hide.
An HPD officers performs a CPTED inspection at a Westchase District apartment community.
Once the community manager completes the training session, their property is subject to a CPTED inspection by HPD. After a successful inspection, the management will host a safety social. There, HPD officers will explain to residents how the Blue Star program works and that the residents of the community are subject to a criminal background check in addition to a credit screening before they can sign or renew their lease.
The Blue Star Lease Addendum also lists specific actions that will be taken by management if a resident or the resident’s guest is involved in illegal or dangerous activity on or near the rental property.
Westchase Creek maintains top status
Westchase Creek, located at 3000 Woodland Park Drive, earned its certification in 2019 after being purchased by Veritas Equity Management. Community Manager Ruha Vohra said her ownership was happy to fund the improvements necessary to achieve Blue Star status because these improvements represent best practices in the industry. “We were doing many of these things anyway because we wanted the property to look good. We fixed the potholes in the parking lot, trimmed the landscaping and lit the whole property up with new lighting,” said Vohra.
Blue Star training is offered three times a year. While managers are waiting to join one of the classes, they can review a list of 16 minimum CPTED requirements of Blue Star certification and make any necessary improvements to their property in anticipation of the HPD inspection.
These include (in part) ensuring that all apartment homes have eye viewers and deadbolts on exterior doors, lift and slide protection on all sliding doors, a site map at every vehicle entrance to the property and providing a parking decal to all residents with a vehicle.
Blue Star communities in Westchase District may be identified by their distinctive signage, provided by Westchase District .
Managers must recertify every two years and the property is inspected annually. All Blue Star properties in Westchase District receive branded signage that recognizes their Blue Star status, plus recognition on the District’s website and the HPD Blue Star webpage.
Here is a complete list of Blue Star-certified apartment communities in Westchase District.
