PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Long lines and major backups at the 55-and-over Century Village in Pembroke Pines have prompted the implementation of bar code registration for residents.
Local 10 News spoke with Beverly Erickson, who serves as the president of Century Village Pembroke Pines’ pickleball and bocce sports club and is a contributor to their newspaper, the Coopa Guardian.
Erickson, who also volunteers as the president of the Plymouth 3 Association overseeing six buildings, recalled a complaint about lax security measures in the development.
“I want people to know if they are doing the right thing and following the rules, then there would be no problems,” she said. “They were complaining, and rightfully so, that people were getting in without checking, the guards were not calling them and they were getting upset on it.”
She said residents rightfully expressed concern about unauthorized access, prompting the enforcement of existing rules requiring owners, renters and health aides to register for bar codes for expedited entry.
“So they fired a bunch of people who were guards. They already had a contract with the company, so they keep them and now people realized, ‘now I have to do what I am supposed to do,”' she said. “They got angry because now some of the lines were up to two hours long. When they found out, all you need to do is go to the clubhouse. If you are a renter, bring your new lease and then you can get a new bar code or reactive your card,” said Erickson.
“If you are an aid, the owner has to go with you and you show your vehicle registration, your ID, and they give you a bar code. If you are an occupant or a family member and you come every Friday night to see your mother or something like that, you can do the same thing,” she added. “All these things were in place but were not followed, and when they decided we are going to follow the way it was supposed to be, people didn’t know what was going on and they got angry. It was started on April Fool’s Day and people didn’t know what was happening,” she added.
Despite initial frustration over long lines, the process was simplified, with residents required to visit the development’s clubhouse for registration renewal. However, despite rules being in place, many had not previously registered due to lax enforcement by former guards.
Erickson claims some of these rules were always in place but were being followed only recently.
Aides must renew their registration every six months and must show personal ID and vehicle information.
“Why didn’t so many people already register?” asked Local 10 News reporter Christina Vazquez.
“They didn’t stop them at the gates, so they figured why bother? People getting their bar codes like they were supposed to be is the only change made,” Erickson responded.
Recent observations indicate a significant reduction in lines as more residents obtain their bar codes.
“I have noticed in the last couple of weeks since it is changing, in the office, they are getting the bar code,” she said. “The ones who are qualified to get it— the aids, the renters, all these people who had back-logged the gates and now there is not much of a line there, now that they have gotten it, (the bar code) it is shorter.”
However, with a community housing nearly 14,000 residents, achieving full compliance may take time, resulting in occasional line congestion.
Yet, Erickson remains optimistic, anticipating continued improvements as more residents adhere to registration requirements.
“You could leave and there could be a long line in twenty minutes. It is not solved yet, but it is improving, and it will continue to improve as more and more people can get the bar codes,” she said.
The population of Century Village Pembroke Pines is nearly equivalent to the entire population of the city of Opa-locka. Therefore, compliance efforts are crucial for the thousands residing there. Compliance entails renewing bar codes every six months for health aids and annually for renters/owners. Additionally, family members are eligible to obtain bar codes by registering their ID and vehicle information.