Here is the official Flamingo guide for how property managers can safely operate resident events while balancing COVID-19 public safety requirements and resident expectations, let’s get into Understanding & Operating with Multifamily Covid Guidelines:
- To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, most apartments closed their amenity spaces in March. This included fitness center, pools, resident lounges, saunas, rooftops etc
- This has been a huge inconvenience to residents, especially those in expensive luxury apartments who chose these buildings and pay high rent because of these amenities.
- Many property managers have been fielding emails and calls from residents since lockdown began asking for reduced rent since amenities are closed.
- Many property managers are now starting to re-open amenities but the challenge is how to do it safely.
- Many are mitigating risk by limiting the number of people that can use an amenity space by requiring amenity reservations – e.g. only 10 people can use an amenity at a time.
- This guide will cover how property manager’s can safely re-open amenity spaces using technology, CDC guidelines, and a common sense approach.
1) Ensure Clear 2-Way Communication with Residents
Clearly communicate all amenity reopening rules and regulations to residents via email, text messages, push notifications and paper & digital signage. Hammer this into residents to prevent the usual “I didn’t know.”
Don’t make this communication one way. Ensure residents have a way to provide feedback and/or to share their concerns with your team.
Need an easy way to communicate with residents? Get the free Flamingo-powered resident app that makes resident communication easy or the free Flamingo digital screens to modernize in-building communication.
2) Use Amenity Reservation to Limit the Number of Residents Using Amenity Spaces
An amenity reservation system allows you to limit the number of residents using each amenity space to ensure the 6 feet rule is maintained.
Use this Social Distancing Room Space & Capacity Calculator to estimate the number of residents that can fit safely in each of your amenity spaces.
If you need an amenity reservation system, get your own free Flamingo-powered resident app. Among many features, the app allows you to set limits on how many residents can use each amenity space and allows residents to book any available time slots.
3) Communicate Risks and Provide Waivers
Ensure that residents are aware of the risks of using your amenity spaces. If possible, we recommend sending waivers for residents to sign before they can use any amenity space. If waivers aren’t possible, a simple flyer by the door warning of the risk of entering can be sufficient.
4) Place Mask Dispensers in Amenity Spaces
Encourage or require wearing of masks when utilizing building amenities by placing mask dispensers at strategic points like entryways.
5) Regularly Disinfect and Sanitize Common Areas
Hard surfaces need constant disinfecting. Setup a strict disinfection and deep cleaning schedule for all amenity spaces including chairs and fitness equipment. This goes above and beyond what was done before the pandemic.
The free Flamingo resident app can make it easy for you to communicate the cleaning schedule to residents.
6) Setup Hand Sanitizer Stations
Hand washing and sanitizing are at the core of preventing the spread of the virus. With shared amenities, people touch surfaces where they can pick or leave the virus. Easy access to hand sanitizers encourage residents to maintain good hygiene.
7) Perform Regular Amenity Walkthroughs to Ensure Residents are Following Safety Measures
Set up a regular schedule where someone on your team does a walkthrough of all amenities every few hours to ensure residents are following measures like wearing masks, the 6 feet rule, and capacity limits.
This monitoring can also be done remotely by the front desk concierge since most amenity spaces are equipped with cameras.
Encourage residents to report violators to the management team.
8) Use Floor Stickers to Remind Residents About Social Distancing
Floor stickers keep social distancing top of mind as residents start exploring your amenity spaces again. You’ll be surprised how quickly people can forget and how much of a difference small reminders can make.
9) Rearrange Your Fitness Center to Maximize Space
Add greater distance between fitness center equipment or remove equipment from your fitness center to create more space. This will make it easier for residents to stay 6 feet apart.
10) Rearrange Your Pool or Resident Lounge Furniture to Maximize Space
This will allow more space and make it easier for residents to follow social distancing guidelines.
11) Remind Residents About COVID-19 Symptoms
This should go without saying, but reminding residents to avoid amenity spaces if they have any symptoms is a must.
12) Create a Safe Environment for Contact Tracing
Encourage open communication between residents so that residents who unknowingly visited amenity spaces while infected feel comfortable letting management know. This way, the management team can let others know that might have come into contact with said resident.
13) Limit Resident Events to Virtual Events or Keep Events Outdoors
Even with COVID-19, it’s still important to keep residents engaged. Virtual events or out fitness classes and small events are one way to do that.
Need virtual event ideas or to book outdoor events and fitness classes? Check out the Flamingo resident event marketplace where you can browse and/or instantly book hundreds of resident events.
Conclusion
Property managers are undoubtedly feeling the pressure to reopen amenities. The weather is nicer. Residents have been cooped up for months. Many have been complaining about closed amenities and even threatening to withhold rent. But property managers need to balance safety with resident satisfaction and that means re-opening amenities with lots of caution.
Flamingo Resident App
Need A Modern Amenity Reservation Solution?
Get your building’s free Flamingo-powered resident app. Request the app by July 15th to get the amenity reservation feature for free.
