Wiener Wohnen has developed a unique process, which has become a standard procedure in recent years. Crime prevention specialists from Vienna’s police force, a district-community officer, local caretakers and a customer account manager from WW meet for a walkaround at the site, conducting a standardized crime prevention inspection in municipal blocks which are due to be renovated. These walkarounds last from several hours up to a whole day. The team reports on the current situation, summing up all observations in a document with photos. After that, the crime prevention experts make recommendations to WW which aim to increase levels of security. These recommendations form the basis of the subsequent planning of the regeneration site.
The process of conducting a crime prevention inspection before modernization is a part of the reconstruction process and forms the basis of quality management. The practice shows that the crime prevention inspection guidelines can be used in all residential buildings (not only in those which are due to be renovated in the future) and all public places where the residents have security concerns – specifically in sites, where vandalism often takes place or in places where illegal drugs are trafficked. The project required a lot of stakeholder involvement and a lot of measures to increase awareness on the of topic security in municipal housing. At WW the project is headed by the Social Management Department. The project has a lasting impact on quality of life and the feeling of security. Within Wiener Wohnen, and also within the police force, the importance of the topic of security in residential areas has improved. The level of expertise has also increased.
