'It's an invasion of privacy': Residents say HOA installed Flock cameras without community input

MAGNOLIA, Texas (KTRK) -- Residents of the Indigo Lake Estates community in Montgomery County say they plan to voice concerns to their homeowners association after Flock cameras were installed at the neighborhood's three entrances.

Residents say they were given little opportunity to push back on the cameras, which capture license plate information from vehicles entering and leaving the gated community.

The homeowners association distributed a Flock Safety Camera Policy outlining how the technology should be used.

The policy states that the cameras will be used only for public safety and will not be used to monitor residents, enforce association rules, or track individuals' movements.

The HOA says footage will be stored for seven days unless it is preserved by law enforcement as part of an active investigation.

The policy also allows residents to register their vehicles with the HOA to opt out of having their license plate information retained by the association.

For some residents, those measures aren't enough.

Joy Herbert, who lives in Indigo Lake Estates, said she has concerns about who can access the camera footage.

"On the first page, it says there are six different agencies with access to the Flock cameras, then on a different page, there are only three!" Herbert said.

Herbert said the cameras were installed at all three entrances.

"We have three entrances, and they were put up yesterday," she said.

Herbert said she believes the cameras are unnecessary in the gated community and are an invasion of residents' privacy.

"We have a fenced property and gates. Flock is not needed here," she said. "I feel it's an invasion of privacy and not needed where we live."

Attorney Richard Weaver of The Weaver Law Firm said homeowners concerned about the cameras have several options.

"They can push back on the HOA. They can try to vote out the HOA. If that doesn't work, they can seek to amend the deed restrictions, but the Texas Property Code requires them to at least have a 67 percent vote unless the deed restrictions in that neighborhood allow a lower percentage," Weaver said.

"Whether an HOA must notify residents before installing technology such as Flock cameras generally depends on the neighborhood's governing documents," Weaver said.

"The answer generally is no, unless their deed restriction requires that type of notice," he said.

Herbert said she hopes the HOA will address residents' concerns.

The controversy comes as communities across the Houston area debate the use of Flock Safety cameras, which use automated license plate recognition technology to assist law enforcement in investigating crimes.

SEE ALSO: Concerns grow over Flock cameras across Houston area amid investigations for possible misuse