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Are procedures in place to welcome the influx of residents and guests?
As cold weather begins to invade the northern part of the country, folks are beginning to make plans to go south to take up residence in their winter homes, and guests are not far behind them. Your Association has likely established rules that, for now, may limit visitors because of COVID 19. Now is the time to consider revisiting and affirming/modifying procedures as family and friends plan to visit during holiday and winter time. Depending on what rules you put in place, it may be wise to inform your residents now, so that they can communicate with their guests before your buildings are forced to deal with angry homeowners.
So what do your boards need to consider? Let’s start with the pools, tennis courts, etc. Will you permit grandchildren, adult children not living with you, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, etc. to use the outdoor amenities? If so, will you put a limit on the number of people using each amenity? Will time limits or reservations be required? How about temperature checks, questionnaires, etc.? If your Board decides to prohibit guests, have they considered potential backlash from residents? Is there a good way to anticipate this possible reaction if more stringent rules are established?
And then there are the standard events that take place during the winter season. Will you be permitting the use of your party room(s)? What about indoor game rooms? How many people are you allowing in your elevators? Do visitors use the same elevators as your residents? Are you tracking out-of -town visitors and guests in your buildings in case contact tracing for COVID 19 is needed? The list is endless!
So how does your board make these difficult decisions? The best advice is to first get good background information. Look at the needs identified by your residents, seek sound medical advice and then speak to your attorneys. Once your board has compiled all of this data, they can debate the wisdom of the rules and procedures that they are putting in place and communicate with all residents in a timely fashion. Remember, these are challenging times. Depression and anxiety are running rampant. Many residents are looking forward to seeing their families for the first time in almost a year. Board members are volunteers. Right now, they are faced with difficult circumstances and we encourage them to make the best decisions possible, given these unprecedented times!
Dr. Linda Marks is a former Superintendent of Schools in Illinois and former Head of School at Hochberg Preparatory on the Beth Torah Campus. She is also a Commissioner in the City of Aventura. She can be reached at linda@drlindamarks.com
Political advertisement paid for by Linda Marks, Non-Partisan, for Aventura City Commissioner, Seat 1
Dr. Linda Marks, PO Box 802403, Aventura FL 33280
