We are all well into the quarantine life that the Novel Coronavirus has pushed onto us. Slowly, we are getting used to the “new normal” and the rules we now live by. As we move into a new phase that loosens some restrictions, many apartment communities may wonder how to reintroduce communal spaces to their residents.
Below are five tips for community managers to help residents continue practicing social distancing in their apartment properties.
1. Disinfect Shared Spaces Daily and Provide Hand Sanitizer
Many apartment communities closed all non-essential common spaces when social distancing rules went into place. These closures included the main office, business center, fitness facilities, and dog parks. Now that the rules are starting to loosen and restaurants and movie theaters are reopening – residents may be ready for their common spaces to open too.
First and foremost, maintenance staff will need to disinfect daily before reopening these spaces. In addition, provide hand sanitizer at entrances so residents can use it as they enter and exit. Even with sanitation efforts, spaces must remain restricted to about 25% capacity. This means communities will need to employ additional staff to count residents as they come and go.
2. Pools and Gyms
It may be safe to reopen the gym and pools at 25% capacity with a sign-in and sign-out sheet. You may also need to close these areas every hour for sanitation.
The most important aspect of reopening large spaces is contact tracing if someone tests positive for the virus. A sign-in/sign-out sheet allows the community to control how many residents are in the space. It also records which residents used the space that day.
Closing the gym and pool every hour for a 15-minute sanitation, wiping down equipment and chairs, will further ensure germs do not spread.
3. Non-Emergency Maintenance Requests
Most communities shut down non-emergency maintenance requests when quarantine rules went into place. Now, as restrictions loosen, communities may consider accepting non-emergency requests again.
It is important to ensure there is no contact between the resident and the maintenance person during a unit visit. Require both the resident and the maintenance person to wear a mask while inside the unit.
Finally, uphold the same rules that applied to emergency requests for all future requests as well.
4. Laundry Room Appointments with Assigned Machines
The laundry room may have been considered an essential area for your community. If it wasn’t, you can take several steps to safely reopen it.
Set up an online sign-up system with time blocks and assigned machines. This process will help with both contact tracing and sanitation.
Sanitize the machines after each use to stop the spread of germs. In addition, provide hand sanitizer at the entrance and require masks. These measures will help keep both residents and staff safe.
5. Communication
Perhaps the most important aspect of reopening common spaces is communication with your residents. Even if you are not ready to reopen, explain that to your residents. Clear communication helps prevent frustration and keeps them from wondering what’s happening in their community.
Make sure every resident has access to the messages you send out. This could mean placing a flyer on each door with a link to sign up for email or text message updates. It could also mean providing paper bulletins on community boards for residents who don’t have phone or internet service.
While we are not in the all clear yet, life is starting to get back to “normal” as we go into May of 2020. Things might never be the way they were, but battling germs will always be something that community managers should consider for their residents. Some practices implemented now may be lasting moves to provide a safer and more enjoyable apartment community.