A Popular Location to Visit

Tourism is key in “The Windy City.” Last year, tourism accounted for more than 145,000 of all jobs and brought in $15 billion to the economy. In 2016, there were over 54 million visitors who travelled to Chicago. Compared to the year before in 2015, there was a 2.9 percent increase in travel. These overall numbers included people both on business and on vacation.

The two main reasons for the increased number of visitors are due to the various large-scale city events and attractions. Famous landmarks draw in an impressive number of people, locations such as: Wrigley Field (home of the Cubs), Millennium Park, Cloud Gate, Skydeck, Field Museum, The Magnificent Mile and others. These places are iconic—people want to be a part of something they have always heard so much about and finally have the opportunity to experience first-hand.

And while tourism growth has reached record numbers, Henry Hartevelt, the President of the Travel Industry Consistency Atmosphere Research Group stated, “The city will need to curb some of the violence continually making headlines to maintain that momentum.” He continued, “It may take a toll on leisure travelers who have complete discretion on where they choose to go.”

So despite Chicago’s popularity, the city will have to tackle its alarming crime rate if it wants to maintain its place as one of the leading travel locations to visit in the U.S. People want to feel safe and secure anywhere they venture—not just visitors but the residents of Chicago as well. One of the best ways to prevent crime is to come together as a community.

Life In Chicago

Despite its current issues with crime, Chicago is an appealing city for many people to live in. It is more than a place that continues to have issues with crime— stemming from its infamous Al Capone mafia days in the 1920s during the Prohibition era. Then, there was literally terror openly on the streets. Fast forward to today, Chicago is also more than a city that is renowned for simpler things, such as its deep-dish pizza.

Chicago is a sprawling metropolis with an abundant culture of diverse food, music and art. There is no place quite like it. As the third largest city in the U.S.—ranks just behind New York City (8.5 million) and Los Angeles (3.9 million), Chicago is home to an estimated 2.7 million people. The median age of its residence is 32 and mainly comprises of people of Caucasian, African American and Latino decent. The number of occupied homes is 1,045,560 and consists of mainly family-led households.

The Housing Market

Regarding the housing market, those in the metro areas have done best since the Great Recession of 2008. It has taken many areas to bounce back years after the recession ended. Other locations, such as the Northwest side have fared better than those on the Southside. Those on the Northwest side have more home equity, whereas those on the Southside frequently are facing underwater mortgages.

Only 15 percent of Chicago homeowners are viewed as being equity rich, meaning they have over a 50 percent steak in their homes. On the contrast, over 17 percent owe 25 percent or more than their current market home value. Regarding equity wealth, areas throughout the Northwest side are doing the best, including these neighborhoods: Old Irving Park, Mayfair and Jefferson Park, Logan Square and Avondale. These areas and numbers only reflect homeowners and don’t take into account the financial statuses of renters throughout the city.

One thing is clear: neighborhood wealth directly impacts the levels of crime a specific area will experience.

Migration to the City

One alarming thing to note is that Chicago’s population numbers are seeing the greatest population losses of any other major U.S. metropolitan city. The U.S. Census Bureau released this data in March of 2015. The report shows that the metro area decreased by 6,300 in a one-year span (July 2014-July 2015). This is part of Chicago’s total loss of over 80,000 people. Within the U.S., Chicago is losing its people to other locations (domestic out-migration) more quickly than it is having people migrate to the city.

Other large cities, such as New York City and Los Angeles see large domestic out-migration as well, but also see migrations to the city, offsetting any losses. After Chicago, the second worst city to see a net population loss was Detroit, which has had a floundering economy.

It goes to say that Chicago is at a crossroads if it’s not careful with things that can negatively impact its population. Crime is undoubtedly one such component that will potentially make people want to pack up and leave.

Chicago and Crime

As stated before, Chicago has a complex relationship with crime—stemming from over a century ago. Al Capone set the stage for the mafia presence in the area, but it wasn’t the last stint of corruption it would see. Plenty goes on today in various forms. From theft, burglaries, violent crimes and assault, murder and rape, Chicago is a city that has it all.

To put it into perspective: halfway through 2017, violence in Chicago had claimed the lives of 323 people. From an annual perspective, 2017 is likely to see over 700 homicides—more than what it has been in 20 years. Even in comparison to the more populous cities of New York and Los Angeles, Chicago has a higher murder rate.

Much of Chicago’s violence surrounds its gangs, which have a hand in everything from petty crimes to drug dealing. Other factors include unemployment, racial divide and hardships of the South and Western parts of the city. And while there are police to help prevent citywide crime, Chicago as a whole now faces a strong resentment of its police force due to recent cases of racially-related police shootings of citizens.

How Can You Protect Your Home and Family?

Where your home security and personal safety are concerned, there are things you can do to ensure that you are better protected from things such as burglaries and violent home invasions. Every year, approximately 2 million homes experience a home invasion; however, with a home security system, your home will be 3 times less likely to be targeted. Home security systems provide a peace of mind, allowing you to worry less and focus more on the things that matter most to you, such as your family and daily activities. Enjoy all that Chicago has to offer—after all, it’s a city with plenty of great things to offer.

A home security system will require paying for upfront costs. And while those costs vary—depending on which package option you choose with ADT monitoring (Basic package: $36.99/mo.; Basic Wireless package $48.99/mo.; ADT Pulse package $52.99/mo.; ADT Pulse + Video package $58.99/mo.), there are numerous financial benefits of having a home security system in your home. Consider it an investment that also provides constant security monitoring to help protect your home and loved ones. It’s beneficial no matter what perspective you look at.

So now, you may be questioning how exactly will a home security system provide financial benefits. Here’s three different ways that’ll put money back into your pocket:

1. It Reduces Homeowner’s Insurance

Having homeowner’s insurance isn’t necessary to have; however, some mortgage lenders do require it to help protect their investment. Regardless, homeowners should know the importance of having homeowner’s insurance, since it protects against a variety of unforeseen circumstances—such as fires, floods, personal property damage, structural repairs, etc.

For example, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, a small flame can turn into a devastating fire within 30 seconds— which then costs an average of $4,000 in property damage. And that amount is simply the average: it can easily be more— leaving a household in financial hardship.

Having a home monitoring system not only helps protect against fires and floods, but it can directly impact insurance premiums. Whatever your homeowner’s insurance premium may be, it’s still an additional household expense— and bills certainly do pile up. A home security system often reduces home insurance costs by up to 20 percent. It’s definitely worth investigating.

2. May Be Tax Deductible

First of all, you’ll want to speak with your accountant on this specific matter, but generally speaking, home monitoring systems can be tax deductible for home businesses. Be aware that there is specific criteria in claiming a home business (the IRS takes this particular claim seriously). But if you do work or run a business from home, you can claim that specific work area (which is protected by the home monitoring system) as a business expense.

To claim a home business you have to meet certain requirements, which you can find more about on the IRS Home Deduction page. Deduction requirements essentially include:

• Regular and exclusive use. Meaning you have a designated area that is used solely for business purposes. You’ll have to measure the dimensions of this space and use it to base your home business claim. The larger the space, the larger the deduction.
• Principle place for business. This means that your home is the main place of business, where you conduct your business either full-time or substantially.

3. Increases Home Values

Home investments are a beautiful thing—particularly if they can increase the value of a home. When looking to sell a property, potential buyers are aware of home upgrades: anywhere from kitchen appliances, flooring, etc. A home monitoring system is no exception; it is another selling factor that can encourage a potential buyer to make an offer at a good asking price.

Throughout the country, parents have recently dropped off their kids to college for another new, exciting fall semester. And a lot goes through a parent’s mind when having to watch their child take another step towards adulthood. None of the constant worrying will effectively prepare a student for campus life. And while universities do all in their power to protect their students and enhance student life (many universities provide safety awareness programs that predominately focus on assaults only), there are a number of things students can do themselves to ensure their safety. Whether it’s in the dorm room or throughout campus, these are the best ways to stay safe.

For those living on campus, the dorms present the first step in personal independence. It’s not an apartment by any means, since there is a resident advisor on every floor, but incidents still occur– especially theft. Students should do the following:

1. Remember to keep dorm rooms locked when the room is unoccupied and at night. This will help deter possible theft. Personal property must be protected. You’d be surprised by the degree of theft in the dorms.

One of the most recent statistic reports about college crime comes from a 2011 report by the FBI. That year, colleges and universities experienced over 2 million burglaries– which accounted to 25 percent of all property crime in the U.S.

During this time period, the top 5 schools that had the most crime included:

1. University of California, Los Angeles
2. Ohio State University
3. Benedict College
4. Arizona State University
5. Florida State University

2. Follow the dorm guest policy. Many dorms require an electronic passkey to enter. Oftentimes, people will wait by the dorm building waiting to be let inside. But reality is this: if you don’t know the person, you don’t know what their business is there. They should never be let inside. Instead, the student should ask that person is looking for and then alert the person that is being sought out.

3. Keep your student ID safe. A student ID normally holds student cash credit and meals. If a card is lost, the appropriate campus personnel needs to be contacted. Not contacting someone about a lost card puts the card in jeopardy of being used.

4. Never walk alone at night. Campuses are equipped with emergency alert stations, which let’s students either place an emergency call or press an emergency alert button (which then notifies campus police). These are great safety tools; however, it’s essential to prevent instances that place a person in that type of jeopardy. Start by never walking throughout campus alone at night. And if that’s unavoidable, the student should be aware of his or her surroundings (not on the phone and distracted).

If you have a student in college, or you attend a university yourself, please share this information. It could make a world a difference and keep a number of people better protected. For more security tips, check out the rest of our ADT monitoring blog for a range of topics.

ADT Pulse provides the ultimate home security protection. Wherever you go, you have the assurance of knowing what’s going on inside your home. All you need is an Internet-enabled device and an Internet connection…and you are good to go. Depending on the specific Pulse package selected, Pulse enables either home automation or video surveillance. Just pick with feature is best for your home security needs.

So, the next time you accidently leave a light on at home, or you want to make sure that your kids got home safe, all you have to do is use the Pulse app (available for Android and iOS devices) to access all of your security information and unique settings. It’s easy and a complete life-changer!

At some point, you’ve likely said, “I don’t know how we found anything before GPS.” Well…get ready for the same sort of home security transformation. ADT Pulse let’s you remotely control your home security with the simple press of a button. Now you can enjoy all of your daily activities and vacations without the constant worry of what’s happening back at home.

When looking at ADT Pulse to safeguard your home, you’ll notice several high-tech pieces of security equipment. This is what Pulse includes (depending on your package and any additional features you select):

• Wireless Day/Night Camera
  A wireless camera that captures day & night live video feed with great clarity. It is motion-sensitive, so it also sends an alert when triggered.

• Wireless Outdoor Day/Night Camera
  This wireless outdoor camera also provides live and recorded day/night video with the outmost clarity. It records images that are up to 25 feet away.

• Interactive Touch Screen
  ADT Pulse features an interactive touch screen that allows you to access your thermostat, lights, appliances, etc. It has an easy interface, which allows you to effortlessly use the system. The interactive touch screen also provides several additional features such as: news, travel alerts and the weather.

• Wireless Security Panel
  The wireless security panel can be placed anywhere—allowing you to put it where you deem as the best location. Depending on your personal home security needs, up to 250 different devices and sensors can be linked to the monitoring system.

• ADT Pulse Door Locks
  These door locks can operate remotely via an Internet-enabled device. So if you forget to lock the door, don’t fret; you can lock them remotely from anywhere.

• In-Wall On/Off Switch
  These allow remote and manual lighting. Turn the lights switches on and off, right there from the comforts of your home or while you are away. Either way, it’ll help you conserve energy.

• Plug-In Dimming Lamp Module
  These modules allow various lamps to be connected to your system. They allow further lighting control

• Garage Door Opener Controller
  Using your Internet-enabled device, you can remotely open & close your garage door. It’s perfect for those times that you have a ton of groceries or you’ve forgotten to close the garage door.

Additional Equipment:

• High Voltage Energy Switch
• Nano Adapter
• Wi-Fi Extender
• IHub

Call us today to learn more about ADT Pulse!

Boca Raton, Fla. December 7, 2015 – The ADT Corporation (NYSE:ADT), a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses, today announced that Chief Financial Officer Michael Geltzeiler will present at the 2015 Imperial Capital Security Investor Conference at approximately 3:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 10, 2015 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.
 
The Company’s presentation materials will be available for download from the investor relations section of ADT’s website at http://investors.adt.com.
 
About ADT
The ADT Corporation (NYSE: ADT) is a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT’s broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse® interactive home and business solutions, and health services, meet a range of customer needs for today’s active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT helps provide peace of mind to nearly seven million customers, and it employs approximately 17,100 people at 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com. 

About ADT
The ADT Corporation (NYSE: ADT) is a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT’s broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse® interactive home and business solutions, and health services, meet a range of customer needs for today’s active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT helps provide peace of mind to nearly seven million customers, and it employs approximately 17,100 people at 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com.

About ADT
The ADT Corporation (NYSE: ADT) is a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT’s broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse® interactive home and business solutions, and health services, meet a range of customer needs for today’s active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT helps provide peace of mind to nearly seven million customers, and it employs approximately 17,100 people at 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com.

Company Also Sues Four Other Monitronics Dealers

Boca Raton, Fla., December 1, 2015 — The ADT Corporation (NYSE:ADT), a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses, today announced that a U.S. District Court granted ADT’s request for a preliminary injunction against Capital Connect, immediately prohibiting the company and its sales agents from making false sales claims to ADT customers.
 
Capital Connect is one of five alarm dealers for Monitronics International that ADT recently sued based upon claims that they misled ADT customers into believing that the companies were affiliated with ADT or their alarm systems required upgrading. The legal actions were filed after hundreds of ADT customers complained over the past year that sales agents from several companies tried to swindle them into signing new security system contracts.

“ADT is committed to taking action to stop these shameful sales practices by bad actors in our industry,” said David Bleisch, ADT General Counsel. “We will continue the battle against companies where deceptive sales practices flourish to help protect consumers from falling prey to such swindlers.”
 
Over the past three years, ADT has received nearly $6 million in settlements against companies that have made false or misleading statements while selling security services door-to-door. Additionally, ADT obtained court orders prohibiting the companies from using any further deceptive sales practices.
 
It’s a growing problem. The BBB reports complaints about home security systems ranked 25 out of the 3,500 business categories it tracked in 2014. Click here for BBB consumer tips: www.bbb.org/homesecurity.
 
If you have questions about sales scams in the security industry, or worry that you may be a victim of a scam, visit http://www.adt.com/resources/deceptive-sales-safety-tips for more information.
 

About ADT
The ADT Corporation (NYSE: ADT) is a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT’s broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse® interactive home and business solutions, and health services, meet a range of customer needs for today’s active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT helps provide peace of mind to nearly seven million customers, and it employs approximately 17,100 people at 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com.

Smart Home Integration with New Nest Thermostat Powered by ADT Pulse® Mobile App 

BOCA RATON, Fla., November 10, 2015 – The ADT Corporation (NYSE:ADT), a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses, today announced the expansion of its partnership with Nest, furthering the evolution of its Smart Security ecosystem. Starting today, current and new ADT customers across the country have the ability to seamlessly integrate the Nest Learning Thermostat with ADT Pulse, and benefit from ADT’s installation, service and support. Following a successful rollout in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver and Miami earlier this year, ADT is celebrating the national launch of this partnership by offering a special promotion on the 3rd Generation Learning Thermostat for new ADT Pulse Automation customers and for existing customers who upgrade to Pulse Automation.
 
Delivering the Latest in Smart Home Technology
The ADT Pulse mobile app and home automation ecosystem works with the Nest Learning Thermostat and also includes 24/7 fast-response burglary and theft monitoring, secure real-time video, remote arm and disarm, remote door lock and unlock, and climate and lighting control. The Nest Learning Thermostat remembers what temperatures customers like, creates a custom schedule for the home, and turns itself down when everyone is away. Customers can also access and control the Nest Thermostat from anywhere using the Nest app. Independent studies have shown that the Nest Thermostat can save customers as much as 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills.*
 
ADT is among the premier partners directly offering the 3rd generation Nest Thermostat, which was recently released to the public. The latest edition features a thinner profile to be flusher against the wall, a higher resolution screen, and a diagnostic system to alert customers regarding potential problems with their heating systems.
 
Expanding the Relationship between the Leaders in Security and Smart Home
“The nationwide availability of ADT Pulse with Nest integration is a significant milestone as we continue defining the new era of Smart Security,” said ADT Chief Innovation Officer Arthur Orduña. “By combining the best-in-class monitored security with innovative home automation solutions in partnership with companies like Nest, ADT is able to deliver a truly cohesive and differentiated value for the modern consumer.”
 
“Nest and ADT share a similar vision: deliver smart, intuitive solutions that meet the evolving needs of today’s consumer,” said Ben Bixby, Head of Energy and Enterprise Programs, Nest Labs. “We are incredibly excited to launch the national rollout of our partnership and bring the best in home security and connected home experiences to customers across the country.”
 
Growth and Adoption of the ADT Pulse Platform
ADT previously introduced Nest in four markets as part of its updated Pulse mobile experience released in July. Beyond the integration with Nest, the updated app features an “Always On” dashboard to provide the status of current activity within your home and business, customized visual experience based on usage within home or business, and Voice Commands to improve the user experience from both a security and automation perspective.
 
Since its introduction in July, the new Pulse app has been downloaded by nearly a million customers, highlighting how the company combines its best of breed security service with home automation, empowering Pulse customers to control their home from their mobile phone or tablet. Built with an open API (Application Programming Interfaces) strategy, the app will support further integration from third-party applications like Nest, equipping consumers with a smart home platform that will continue to grow and evolve with their needs.
 
For more information, visit www.adt.com.
 
*Based on independent studies by Vectren and Energy Trust of Oregon (nest.com/realsavings).  Energy savings vary dependent on household, environmental and occupancy factors. 
 
About ADT
The ADT Corporation (NYSE: ADT) is a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT’s broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse® interactive home and business solutions, and health services, meet a range of customer needs for today’s active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT helps provide peace of mind to nearly seven million customers, and it employs approximately 17,500 people at 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com.
 
About Nest
Nest’s mission is to create a home that’s thoughtful – one that takes care of itself and the people inside it. The company focuses on simple, beautiful and delightful hardware, software and services. The Nest Learning Thermostat™ and Nest Energy Services keep you comfortable and address home energy consumption. The Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide™ alarm helps keep you safe while Nest Cam™ keeps an eye on what matters most in your home. Nest products are sold in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands and are installed in more than 190 countries. The Nest Learning Thermostat has helped save three billion kWh of energy to date. The Nest Developer Program, Works with Nest, makes it possible for Nest devices to interact with other products in your home to do even more. For more information, visit www.nest.com.
 
Nest®, Nest Learning Thermostat^TM, Nest Leaf™, Airwave^TM, Auto-Away^TM and the Nest logo are trademarks or servicemarks of Nest Labs, Inc. 

 
“We met or exceeded our major financial and operational goals for the year, and delivered another year of improved performance,” said Naren Gursahaney, ADT’s CEO. “We also strengthened our competitive position through investing in our business and establishing new strategic partnerships, positioning us well for the future as we execute upon our strategy to further improve customer retention, drive quality growth, and improve cash generation.”
 
 
FOURTH QUARTER 2015 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
• GAAP: revenue of $899 million, net income of $81 million, diluted EPS of $0.48
• Recurring revenue of $835 million, up 2.0% or 3.4% in constant currency⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
• Pre-SAC EBITDA before special items of $567 million⁽¹⁾, up $1 million⁽²⁾
• EBITDA before special items of $460 million⁽¹⁾, up $2 million⁽²⁾            
• Diluted EPS before special items of $0.51⁽¹⁾ vs. $0.55⁽²⁾
• Free cash flow before special items of $77 million⁽¹⁾, up $23 million⁽²⁾, or 43%
• Steady-state free cash flow before special items of $996 million⁽¹⁾, up $30 million⁽²⁾

FOURTH QUARTER 2015 BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS
• Generated 278 thousand gross additions, flat with prior year excluding bulks
• Improved revenue attrition to 12.2%, a year-over-year improvement of 130 basis points
• Improved unit attrition to 12.2%, a year-over-year improvement of 100 basis points
• Increased new and resale revenue per user to $48.40, an increase of $1.61 or 3.4% over prior year
• Reduced direct channel net SAC creation multiple to 29.1x, a 1x improvement over prior year
• Drove ADT Pulse take rates to 59%; Total interactive customers comprise 23% of the total customer base
• Drove a 17% increase in gross additions in ADT’s U.S. Business channel

Click here to download this press release.