San Jose

Families in SJ Neighborhood to Receive Free Cameras in Effort to Fight Crime

NBC Universal, Inc.

Dozens of families in San Jose's Seven Trees neighborhood will be getting free Ring doorbell cameras and motion sensor lights in an effort to battle crime. 

The group behind the effort is Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley and they chose that neighborhood, made up of the working class, low-income families, and aging residents, as a starting point.

“Last year someone crashed into our garage and it was a hit and run, and there were no cameras, nobody saw and this person left and we were left with a broken garage, broken wall, broken car,” said Marisol Barohona, of the Seven Trees Neighborhood Association. 

Just driving down the neighborhood, there’s a limited number of well-lit homes with cameras.

“Especially in this day of inflation, everyone is making choices at what they can spend money on, and at our community meetings which we hold monthly the top concern has been security and safety,” said Alie Victorine, vice president of the Seven Trees Neighborhood Association. 

That’s when Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley stepped in -- an organization that provides free home repairs for low income families.

With the help of sponsors, they obtained 80 Ring doorbell cameras and motion sensor lights that will be given to neighbors here for free during a litter pick up event Saturday.

“It’s something I think many of us take for granted, but it's a really amazing piece of our growing technological part of our community, but to be able to have security in the form of cameras, to make sure that if there are security concerns or just to know whos coming to your front door, gives you that piece of mind,” said Alaina Purcell Schroeder, development director of Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley.

Families who sign up will also get the gear installed for free, giving families a sense of security right on time for the holidays.

“If a lot of neighbors have that in one area then we can all just kind of help each other and protect each other,” said Barohona. 

“It helps build the community spirit, if you're feeling safe, you're more willing to walk out the door and meet your neighbors,” said Victorine.

For now, the Seven Trees neighborhood will serve as a pilot program, but Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley is really hoping to install these security measures in other underserved communities throughout Santa Clara County.

Contact Us