For over four months since the COVID-19 outbreak became predominant, condo owners have found themselves with a number of increasing challenges and dilemmas requiring solutions to deal with keeping their communities and the members safe from COVID-19.  Condo owners have had to increase their cooperation with their building co-owners and their governing board in order to keep their communities healthy while attempting to carry on as normal a life as possible and still maintain goodwill within the community. 

In normal daily life, condo owners have always had to abide by numerous echelons of law – local, state and federal – as well as having to follow the governing documents and rules that act as community “laws” from the boards of directors.  More recently with the persistence of COVID-19, condo owners and governing board members have found themselves in an awkward position in having to pose new questions and develop new rules and policies on how repairs should be made, and how to keep community living safer and the common areas disinfected and clean on a continual basis, and without exposing community members to workers. 

Governing bodies have had to develop new community policies and solutions that include more effective social distancing for increased foot traffic as more community members venture out beyond their units as stay-at-home restrictions are lifted.  Non-essential building repairs that haven’t been allowed by the governing board may later develop into more urgently needed repairs and thus require new policies and logistics planning to get the job done safely.  When repairs are done, thoughtful policy needs to be implemented to protect the repair area from possible COVID contamination by workers.  Building and amenities disinfecting protocol has had to be thoroughly laid out, executed and quality controlled.  Policies for protective masks and gear use in the common areas and safe conduct policies for workers and personnel have been required for increased safety as well.  

Condo governing boards are also having to make difficult decisions involving safety measures and isolation protocols for if or when a community member or worker tests positive for COVID-19.  A board will often be faced with choosing the best ways to inform the community members, tenants and workers of a positive COVID result of a community member or a worker, without disclosing the infected person’s identity.

Governing bodies have been called upon to suspend use of common amenities for some period of time.  New policies have been required to guide workers who are being brought into the building to assist move-in and move-out residents.  The disabled and elderly residents have required additional attention and thoughtful policies be put in place to protect all involved.  Governing boards must often decide on how best to allow family members and caretakers to visit and care for the unit residents while not exposing others to unsafe conditions as foot traffic moves through the building.

Finally, board members have often had to develop policies to determine who will pay for violators of community policies that cause the need for disinfection of contaminated common areas which is often an expensive task.

Luckily, harmonious community living has always demanded owner-members balance their own interests with those of other owners in their community.  In the time of COVID-19, those who have already experienced common interest community living for a lengthy period of time, may be better prepared to exhibit the spirit of cooperation and problem-solving that is needed to keep a community “home-sweet-home.”