Recently the Community Association Institute developed certain guidelines on steps your community may take or has taken to address the COVID-19 outbreak. It has sections on cleaning, common areas and amenities, meetings and events, social distancing, and staffing. Below I have outlined the steps which have or are being addressed by your Community Site Manager or Portfolio Manager including recommendations from the Community Association Institute on collection of assessments and rent.
Cleaning: Associations have been extensively cleaning, disinfecting, and wiping down surfaces in common areas and amenities. Owners are responsible for their private property. In meetings with Managers, one of the difficulties Managers are experiencing is getting supplies such as Face masks, Hand sanitizer; Disinfectant wipes, etc. Blackstone Management has reached out to several vendors to purchase these supplies in bulk to get these supplies to communities as quickly as possible.
Common areas and amenities: Associations should have closed most facilities, gym, playgrounds, business center, library, and other common areas and amenities. Based on our conversation with Managers most if not all communities have closed common area facilities except for swimming pools. We are moving forward in getting pools ready for opening on Memorial Day weekend including processing of pool passes. We are holding discussion with swimming pool companies in case pools are not able to open. Contractor will continue to maintain the swimming pool facilities at the operational level keeping chemicals balanced in accordance with the Health Department Standard. We are also discussing proration of the pool contract fee if the pools do not open on time. I will keep you updated on this issue. We have also provided Managers information and approximate cost for disinfecting and sanitizing playground equipment and other equipment that is exposes with an electrostatic spray that is electrically charged. We recommend having this done at least once per week. Some communities are already using this method to keep sanitize interior common areas.
Meetings and events: The CDC has recommended against any gatherings of 10 or more people through the middle of May. Meetings should be postponed or canceled along with community events and nonessential meetings. We recommend that the Board offer residents the option to tune in to board and association meetings remotely. Guidelines for meetings have been changed. It has been recommended that until further notice, Board meetings should be conducted via telephone, live streaming, or some other alternative electronic means. State and local officials have declared that meetings conducted in such a manner during the pandemic will nonetheless satisfy open meeting requirements that are otherwise imposed under the law or condominium instruments. With the new tools offered by Blackstone Management, we are able to keep your community running. For more info on this service please check the meetings tap at the top of the page.
Social distancing: We continue to urge people to practice “social distancing,” including limited nonessential travel, avoiding public transportation when possible, working from home, and skipping social gatherings.
Staffing: All Blackstone Management Offices are open and staffed (Maintaining Social Distance) Communities with staff may experience temporary staff shortages if employees get sick or need to remain at home. Move-ins and move-outs, open houses, construction work, social events, large deliveries, and maintenance may be curtailed until staffing levels return to normal and the coronavirus pandemic is better controlled.
Payment of Association Dues: The Community Association Institute (CAI) provides the following information regarding payment of assessments. See below:
Blackstone Management offers a great payment plan for all owners that are not in collations at this time, to make your request Click Here
The collection of community association assessments is a very serious and important responsibility of a governing board. Failing to collect assessments may impair a community association’s ability to pays its bills, provide essential services, acquire financing for continued operations, and may impact the ability of a potential purchaser to obtain a mortgage. Due to this national emergency, the CAI Board of Trustees has developed the following set of principles for community associations to adopt for addressing homeowners who can’t pay their assessments during this crisis.
1. If an owner is unable to pay assessments on time, the owner should notify their community association to work out a payment plan. Homeowners with financial hardship should be encouraged to apply for government assistance, if available.
2. Community associations should adopt a moratorium on foreclosures for 60 days (or until at least June 1, 2020).
3. Community associations should waive late fees and penalties for owners who face temporary financial hardships due to COVID-19.
4. Community associations should amend, temporarily relax, or follow existing non-foreclosure collection policies that are fair and applied equally to all members.
5. Community associations should continue to record liens to protect their interests.
6. Community associations should emphasize the importance of owners paying their assessments on time, if possible.
Payment of Rent: Rent for May will be due by May 10, 2020. if you feel you need more time due to the lack of funds to make this payment please reach out to your property manager to discuss payment options. We also offer ARC and credit card payments with no processing fees to all tenants. to make your payment please Click Here you may also drop off your payment at the Waldorf, MD office using the dropbox to the left of the door.
We Hope All Stay Safe!
