Why National Media Quotes Us for Security Advice—And What It Means for Your NYC Property

When national publications like Family Handyman and Homes & Gardens need security expertise, they call Connextivity's certified professionals. The same engineering principles that make smart locks work for renters also govern enterprise access control for Manhattan office towers—but the commercial stakes are exponentially higher. Understanding how security technology scales from consumer to commercial reveals why assessment-driven engineering matters more than equipment specifications.

When National Publications Need Security Expertise

Last month, I had the opportunity to contribute insights to two national publications reaching millions of readers.

Family Handyman was covering renter-friendly security upgrades—specifically smart locks and their convenience features. Homes & Gardens was exploring why 2026 should be the year people invest in home security. Both articles went live in January 2026, and both quoted Connextivity alongside major security brands and national organizations.

Here's what struck me about those conversations: the questions homeowners ask about $150 video doorbells mirror exactly what Manhattan property managers ask about $150,000 integrated security systems.

"How do I know this will actually work?"

"What happens when I need to upgrade?"

"Can I trust this to protect what matters?"

Same questions. Different zeros at the end of the price tag.

As I explained to Family Handyman, "Smart locks can offer convenience, such as allowing renters to give out temporary codes to guests/visitors, remotely unlock/lock their door, receive notifications when their doors are unlocked (when a code is used or if they've left it unlocked for an amount of time), and see whether they locked their door from the app."

Replace "renters" with "facility managers." Replace "guests/visitors" with "contractors and vendors." Replace "their door" with "125 access points across three Manhattan buildings."

The engineering principles don't change. The complexity does.

The Security Principle That Scales From Apartments to Office Towers

The Homes & Gardens article focused on three reasons to invest in home security in 2026: affordability, rising porch theft, and ease of installation. All true for residential properties.

But here's what happens when you scale those same principles to commercial environments:

"Affordable" Becomes "ROI-Justified"

A $60 video doorbell for an apartment is affordable. A $200,000 integrated access control and surveillance system for a 40-story Manhattan office building isn't "affordable"—it's either justified by measurable ROI or it's budget waste.

When I spoke with Homes & Gardens about technology making security cheaper and more accessible, the underlying principle applies at every scale: the technology itself isn't the limiting factor. The limiting factor is understanding what you actually need.

That's why we see NYC commercial properties making the same mistake as homeowners: buying equipment first, discovering problems later.

Residential example: Someone buys three different brands of smart home devices over two years. None integrate. Now they need three apps to manage security, climate, and lighting.

Commercial example: A FiDi office building installs electromagnetic locks on all egress doors without proper fail-safe power backup systems. During a power failure, the doors won't unlock automatically. Employees can't exit. Building code violation. Life safety hazard. The "convenient" installation becomes a $40,000 emergency retrofit plus DOB violations.

Same problem—buying equipment without understanding requirements. Different consequences. Both preventable with assessment-first methodology.

"Deterring Thieves" Becomes "Preventing Operational Disruption"

Homes & Gardens cited the rising porch piracy problem—250,000 packages stolen daily in the US. Video doorbells deter opportunistic theft.

Scale that to commercial environments: the $40 package stolen from a porch becomes the $400,000 intellectual property breach, the premises liability lawsuit, or the tenant security incident that tanks your building's reputation.

The deterrent principle remains identical: visible, functioning security systems discourage opportunistic bad actors. But commercial properties can't rely on battery-powered cameras. They need professionally engineered systems that integrate with access control, provide audit trails for compliance, and maintain functionality during power failures.

"Easy Installation" Becomes "Engineered Integration"

The consumer security market celebrates plug-and-play simplicity. When Family Handyman asked about smart locks, I emphasized convenience: temporary codes, remote access, app-based monitoring.

Those same capabilities matter for commercial properties—but they must integrate with building management systems, fire alarm protocols, emergency egress requirements, and compliance documentation.

A renter installs a battery-powered smart lock in 20 minutes. A commercial property installing electronic access control across 80 doors coordinates NYC Building Code egress requirements, fire alarm integration, network infrastructure, power backup systems, NDAA compliance verification, and licensing across multiple trades.

"Easy installation" isn't the goal. Properly engineered installation is.

What Mainstream Coverage Misses (And Why It Matters)

Both Family Handyman and Homes & Gardens deliver tremendous value for their audiences. Homeowners and renters absolutely should invest in affordable security technology.

But here's what consumer-focused coverage systematically overlooks: the gap between "works most of the time" and "works when it absolutely must."

Battery-powered doorbells are fantastic—until batteries die during a security incident. Adhesive camera mounts are convenient—until temperature fluctuations compromise adhesive strength. App-based smart locks are user-friendly—until network connectivity drops and nobody can enter the building.

For residential properties, these represent inconveniences. For commercial properties, they represent liability, compliance violations, and operational failures.

This is the distinction between security installation and security engineering.

Installation thinking asks: "What cameras should we buy?"

Engineering thinking asks: "What are our actual vulnerabilities, what regulatory requirements must we meet, what happens when this system fails, and what's the measurable ROI?"

Consumer security can afford to skip the engineering rigor. Commercial properties cannot.

How Security Engineering Actually Works

Let me show you what security engineering looks like for NYC commercial properties:

Phase 1: Assessment Before Equipment

We start with comprehensive assessment:

• Physical vulnerabilities across the property

• Regulatory requirements (NDAA, NYC Building Code, fire integration)

• Existing infrastructure capabilities

• Operational requirements (how people actually use the building)

• Threat modeling specific to property type and location

This is assessment-first methodology that government facilities require—and commercial properties should demand.

Phase 2: Engineering Solutions, Not Product Lists

Assessment findings drive engineered solutions:

• Systems designed for measured vulnerabilities, not theoretical threats

• Integration planning across access control, surveillance, alarms, intercoms

• Compliance documentation for insurance, regulatory, tenant requirements

• ROI calculations based on actual incident costs and mitigation value

This is where CPP and CSPM certifications matter—engineering requires professional expertise beyond equipment familiarity.

Phase 3: Installation + Verification

Installation follows engineered specifications with NYC Department of State licensed teams, manufacturer-certified installation (Axis Certified Professionals), professional commissioning verifying all systems meet design requirements, and documentation packages for ongoing maintenance.

Phase 4: Training That Prevents Failure

Even perfectly engineered systems fail if nobody knows how to use them. We provide comprehensive training for security staff, property management, and facilities teams—with scenario-based emergency response protocols and documentation accessible to non-technical users.

Why Government-Proven Expertise Matters

The security systems protecting U.S. Air Force bases, Space Force facilities, and Defense Contract Management Agency offices operate on the same fundamental engineering principles as systems protecting Manhattan office towers.

The difference isn't the technology. It's the engineering rigor.

Government facilities require comprehensive threat assessments before equipment selection, documented compliance with federal standards, proven integration across multiple systems, redundancy planning for failures, and professional certifications for everyone touching security infrastructure.

Connextivity brings that same government-proven methodology to commercial properties. When we assess a Manhattan office building, we apply the same frameworks used for military installations—because engineering principles don't change based on who owns the building.

We've successfully installed security camera systems for U.S. bases in Alaska and Canada—in winter—requiring hundreds of pounds of equipment, several thousand feet of new cabling, and systems designed to operate when temperatures drop to -40°F.

That's the expertise commercial properties need when making six-figure security investments.

What Those Media Quotes Really Mean

The Family Handyman and Homes & Gardens articles delivered exactly what their audiences needed: accessible, practical guidance on consumer security technology.

But if you're responsible for security at a NYC commercial property, government facility, or luxury residential building, here's what those articles can't tell you:

Consumer security is optimized for convenience and affordability. Commercial security must be optimized for reliability, compliance, and measurable ROI.

The same principles apply at every scale—but the engineering requirements multiply as stakes increase.

You didn't buy or lease your Manhattan property based on Zillow photos and online reviews. You conducted due diligence. You verified compliance. You calculated ROI. You hired licensed professionals.

Your security infrastructure deserves the same professional rigor.

The question isn't "what equipment should we buy?"

The question is: "What problems are we solving, how do we prove the solution works, and what measurable value does it deliver?"

If you can't answer those questions with confidence, you're not ready to buy equipment. You're ready for a professional security assessment.

Ready to apply government-proven security engineering to your NYC property? Connextivity provides comprehensive security assessments for commercial properties, government facilities, and luxury residential buildings throughout New York City. Our CPP and CSPM certified team brings the same assessment-driven methodology used for military installations to your commercial security challenges.

Contact Connextivity to discuss how professional security engineering delivers measurable ROI for Manhattan's most demanding properties.

Key Takeaways

• National media quotes Connextivity security experts because professional credentials (CPP, CSPM, NYS Department of State licensing) represent documented expertise beyond product familiarity

• Consumer security principles scale to commercial applications but require exponentially more engineering rigor—convenience becomes integration, affordability becomes ROI justification, installation becomes commissioning

• The gap between "works most of the time" and "works when it must" separates consumer equipment from commercial security infrastructure designed for reliability, compliance, and liability protection

• Assessment-first methodology used for government facilities delivers superior results for commercial properties by identifying actual vulnerabilities before specifying equipment solutions

• Security engineering requires professional expertise beyond equipment selection—CPP and CSPM certifications validate methodology that transforms security spending from cost centers into measurable ROI investments

Recent Media Coverage

Connextivity security expert Kevin Chen, CPP, CSPM, was recently quoted in:

Family Handyman — "10 Renter-Friendly Ways to Make Your Apartment More Secure"
January 20, 2026
Discussed smart lock benefits including temporary access codes, remote management, and notification systems for renters and property managers.

Homes & Gardens — "Security Experts Reveal the 3 Reasons Why 2026 Should Be the Year You Invest in Home Security"
January 5, 2026
Explained how technology and AI have made home security more affordable and accessible, with expert insights on the evolution of security systems.