Hah. I've lived in those environments before in the third world.
It's not so bad if you have a a walled courtyard, lockable front gates, lockable front doors, a trained guard dog, and an armed security guy for the nighttime.
In one place we had a college student (ex Army) near the front gate with a little bunk and his bookshelves. It would make quite a racket to breach the gate, and he kept a loaded AK-47 next to his little cubby hole.
Later we rented a townhouse, also with the gates and courtyard walls but no guard.
The inevitable finally happened one 3AM, three kids hopped my next-door neighbor's wall (also my landlord) and on to his balcony to make way for the motorcycles they wanted. Sadly for them, there was a policeman renting a room in the house, the two teen sons were champion martial artists, and they had a professionally-trained (but very sweet) German Shepard guard dog. It was a sad evening for those kids.
After the noisy pummeling of all three (I could hear it from my bedroom), and the snarling of the dog, they were hogtied with bailing wire and left under supervision in the courtyard until the police rolled in at about 9AM.
Welcome to the third world. You get used to it. (Too bad, the neighborhood guys never let me join them on the frequent neighborhod patrols with a flashlight and a big club, because I was a foreigner and they didn't want me to get into trouble).
Anyway I do anticipate stepped-up neighborhood watches if this abomination is passed.
I don't share your optimism here...I'd LOVE to see that happen, but unfortunately, it's going to take some...bad stuff happening...before John Q. Public wakes up.
There's always a buck to be made. While wages will be depressed in certain industries and real estate values destroyed in come communities, the growth in regional planning and security services will make many rich.
I was in Lima 15 mos ago during the CIRA 2006 debate and was making mental notes of how the overall physical/political structure worked. Our host pointed out the massive squatter shantytowns and the processes by which private property was first stolen and then legalized with eventual representation.
As always, the more intelligent make out like bandits; like a chess game, they foresee the various moves and plan accordingly. That's why I won't feel too badly if the dimwitted Democrats push this through. It will be they themselves who will feel the brunt of reality while I enjoy my own little slice of paradise at their expense.