Apartment Life-A Community Within A Community
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media
May 7, 2025
DAPHNE Ala. Apartments are communities within a community and serve many purposes for those seeking a home.
Some are there because it’s their first home away from home and they’re just getting their first taste of living under their own roof. Others live in an apartment because they’re saving money to buy their first or their next home. And still others are apartment dwellers because it’s the only home that they can afford at the time.
Recently, a new and growing segment of apartment tenants has become the latest group to move into these micro-communities, making it their final home.
Large numbers of seniors are selling their homes and leaving behind lawn care and home maintenance for a place where all of that is done by a property management company at no extra expense to the renter.
But sadly, many times, this new group has found that they’ve had to give up their tranquility serenity, and even privacy, for their new life of convenience.
And while wealthier seniors move into more posh surroundings that offer group meals, onsite hairstylists, shuttle buses to events, shopping, and doctor appointments, others find themselves in the middle of a new reality, one that is often noisy, sometimes crime-ridden and not the community that they were hoping for.
Apartment complexes come in all sizes, located in an array of locations from low-income, subsidized neighborhoods to some of the most elite addresses in the world.
While some have just a few dozen units, many others have hundreds or even thousands of apartments.
At one time, a high-rise apartment in New York City was the largest apartment complex in the nation with more than 11,000 apartment units. In some states, the population of that complex would be larger than many towns and come with all the problems that towns have, such as noise, crime, property maintenance headaches, and neighbor issues.
In some areas, apartments are breeding grounds for crimes such as domestic violence, altercations, vehicle and apartment burglaries, drug trafficking and robberies, and occasional homicides.
Many complexes provide little to no security and in recent years, have seemingly gone with the motto “security” is the responsibility of the tenant, not the property owners.
In Alabama, the largest apartment complex in the state sits just off Interstate 65 in the southern part of Jefferson County, in Hoover, a suburb of Birmingham.
This complex, now called the “Park at Hoover”, has gone through numerous renovations, additions, and property ownership, and has just recently sold for more than $100 Million Dollars!
With nearly 1100 apartment units, dozens of amenities, numerous pools and clubhouses, and convenience to both Jefferson and Shelby Counties, it’s a very popular home to thousands of people.
But, even with 24 hr. on-site security, and management, crime of all type still finds its way onto the property.
In Baldwin County, the largest apartment complexes are in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach areas with none having more than 350 apartment units.
However, many high-rise condominiums along the beachfront boast complexes that have between 220 and 280 condo units with many being rentals with different people coming and going daily or weekly.
And, whether it’s an apartment complex or a high-rise condo tower, both property crimes and crimes against persons are rising.
A survey revealed that over 25% of multifamily property managers reported a significant increase in crime compared to the previous year. And not just petty crimes like theft or vehicle break-ins, but violent crimes including robberies, assaults, and shootings.
At 2:30 a.m., on March 31, 2024, Easter morning, a shooting at the 10X Audubon Park Apartments located at 8160 County Road 64 in Daphne left one man dead and a second man fighting for his life.
Police eventually arrested 24-year-old Kaynen Gurley, for murder and attempted murder.
According to the investigation conducted by Daphne police, the shooting was over a gun sale transaction that ended in gunfire.
Fast forward just thirteen months later, and another shooting at the same apartment complex has left two persons in critical condition including one who could be left paralyzed.
Daphne police responded to shots fired at the 10X Audubon Park Apartments on April 29, 2025, at around 7:40 p.m. and found a sixteen-year-old and an eighteen-year-old shot. Both remain hospitalized.
A police investigation revealed that it was a drug deal that had gone bad.
A 16-year-old has been charged with two counts of robbery while an 18-year-old has been charged with two counts of robbery and attempted murder. A third suspect is at large.
In both shootings at the 10X Audubon Apartments, it was criminal activity and a crime in progress that led to the shootings.
Audubon is one of many apartment complexes that does not use security surveillance cameras, or physical security patrol services to detect or prevent crime.
In parts two and three, we’ll look at the reality of apartment life including safety and security, privacy, and tenant rights.
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