Palm Gardens is a 55+ community in Central Florida with 1,200 homes, six tennis courts, eight pickleball courts, and a very active resident population. This case study shares their experience implementing CamView.
The Challenge
Palm Gardens had a court problem. With pickleball's popularity exploding, demand for court time far exceeded supply. The property management office received an average of 35-40 court-related complaints per month:
- "I had a reservation but someone was on my court"
- "I walked over and all courts were full"
- "People are staying past their time limit"
- "There was a confrontation at court 3 this morning"
Property manager Diana Torres estimated her team spent 6-8 hours per week managing court disputes. "It was becoming a significant part of our job," she said. "And the complaints weren't decreasing—they were getting worse."
The Decision
Palm Gardens' board had considered various solutions: more courts (too expensive), stricter reservation systems (residents resisted), hiring a court monitor (ongoing cost). When they learned about CamView, they were initially skeptical.
"I thought residents would have privacy concerns," said board president Margaret Chen. "But when we explained it was just for checking availability—no recording, no facial recognition—people were actually excited about it."
The community already had cameras at the courts for security purposes. CamView connected to these existing cameras without any hardware changes.
Implementation
Setup took about two weeks:
- Week 1: Technical integration with existing camera system
- Week 2: Staff training and resident communication
Palm Gardens announced the new service in their monthly newsletter and held two optional "how to use it" sessions at the clubhouse. About 150 residents attended.
The Results
After three months of operation, Palm Gardens tracked the following improvements:
Complaint Reduction
- Court complaints dropped from 38/month average to 15/month — a 60% reduction
- "Court was occupied" complaints nearly eliminated
- Reservation disputes reduced by 40%
Staff Time
- Time spent on court issues dropped from 6-8 hours/week to 2-3 hours/week
- Fewer heated calls to the management office
Resident Satisfaction
- Quarterly satisfaction survey showed 23% improvement in "amenity availability" rating
- Multiple unsolicited positive comments about the court viewing feature
Unexpected Benefits
Diana noted benefits they hadn't anticipated:
"Residents started self-regulating. When they know others can see the courts, they're more likely to stick to time limits. We've had residents tell us they check the camera before deciding whether to stay for another game."
Court utilization also improved. "Courts that used to sit empty during off-peak hours now get used because people can see they're available."
Resident Feedback
The response from residents was largely positive. Sample comments from a follow-up survey:
"I check every morning before getting dressed. If courts are busy, I wait. Simple as that."
"My husband has mobility issues. Knowing courts are available before we make the trip is huge for us."
"I was skeptical about cameras but this isn't surveillance—it's just helpful."
Advice for Other Communities
Margaret offers this advice for other boards considering amenity viewing:
"Communicate clearly about what it is and isn't. It's not security surveillance. It's not tracking people. It's just letting residents see if amenities are available. Once people understood that, the concerns went away."
Diana adds: "The ROI was obvious within the first month. Less staff time on complaints means more time on things that actually improve the community. That's worth far more than the monthly cost."