Community policies are essential for a Camden apartment community to function successfully. Without rules, our residents would not be happy, and would most likely not want to stay living in their apartment homes. Camden is known for providing Living Excellence, and part of that is by enforcing our policies. Though I do not live in the same Camden as I work at, I treat Camden Fairfax Corner as my home. In my 3 and half years of working in the apartment industry, specifically with Camden, I have quickly learned that there are some residents who love when rules are enforced, and others who question why we do things.  

Photo of Professor Umbridge courtesy of Harry Potter Wiki Sometimes I feel like Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter, walking around in my pink sweater enforcing community policies. There are certain residents that would be part of my Inquisitorial Squad, if I had one- the residents who send me emails informing me of their neighbors breaking rules.

Educational Decree photo courtesy of Pinterest On the opposing side, I will occasionally have to answer to comments like, “well that makes no sense” or “who made up that rule?” or “I am a resident, I should be able to do what I want.” Don’t get me wrong, I am compassionate to the concerns of others, but I can easily crack the whip when the community appearance starts to look like something out of an episode of Hoarders. In the interest of informing current and future residents another job function of a Leasing Consultant, I will refer to the Community Policies document, as signed by all incoming Camden residents, as well as add a little bit of “common sense” to explain why we have rules. Please keep in mind that not all of these may apply to every Camden community, as I work in Fairfax, Virginia.

FOB photo courtesy of riscogroup.com 1.   Can I have an extra FOB? (A FOB is a remote to enter a controlled access building, parking garages, amenities, etc.) Not every Camden community is controlled access, but Camden Fairfax Corner is. In a controlled access building, any nonresident is not allowed to enter, unless they are escorted by a resident. This ensures that our amenities are exclusive to the residents that pay to live at a Camden community as well as limiting access to the front doors of our residents’ homes.  Though it may seem to be in an inconvenience, it is for the best interest of the community.

Parking Sign photo courtesy of myparkingsign.com 2. Why do I need a pass for my guests to park here? Our residents are our number 1 priority. Parking is a luxury, and the ability to have parking where you live can be rare in Northern Virginia, and other metropolitan areas. If we allowed anyone to park in the community, the parking spaces would fill up quickly and not be available to residents who pay rent. Keeping a record of visitors within the community and their vehicles helps us gain knowledge of who is in the community. Camden has a great internal website called MyCamden.com, which allows residents to print parking passes for visitors 24/7.

Photo courtesy of leadjammermag.com 3. How come there are quiet hours? Let’s face it, this isn't a college dorm, but sometimes residents need to be reminded that they aren't the only ones who live in the building. We have quiet hours daily between 10:00PM through 9:00AM. We like to keep our community comfortable by limiting the amount of loud noises throughout the evening. This is a one of the community policies most agree with.

Lifeguard photo courtesy of yma.net 4. Why am I not allowed to lay out by the pool early in the morning? Or in November when it is sunny? Virginia has a law where lifeguards need to be present during the pool season. We also do not have swimming pools that are open all year. Pool hours vary per community, but we always need to have a lifeguard present when the pool is open. Our weather is not always how it should be, and there have been times when it is 80 degrees in the winter. We would love to allow residents to have access to the pool all year, but for safety reasons (and Virginia laws), we cannot.

Trashy hallway photo courtesy of UMD.edu 5. Why do I have to use the Valet Waste container? Valet Waste is a program that Camden (not every Camden) has as a perk for residents. There are guidelines to follow when participating in the program. If trash is left out all day, or is not in the container, this is not following the rules. Using a container prevents stains, smells, and bugs and small animals. We appreciate our residents following the Valet Waste policies to help keep our community clean. As you read, there are rules and community policies when living in a Camden apartment community. To keep the peace in the community, we are able to work with our residents whenever they have a concern with neighbors or any of the policies. Part of creating an environment of living excellence is by making sure that we enforce and stand by the rules in our lease agreements, as well as the addendum signed when you move in.

Umbridge and the centaurs photo courtesy of Harry Potter wiki Please do not send me to be carried away by the centaurs because you hate the rules. Disobeying the rules is defying the Ministry of Magic and the Minister himself.