Commercial Real Estate 101 

4 Ways Multifamily Property Owners Can Keep Tenants Informed and Safe

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the nation, CRE’s multifamily sector is put in a unique position. Being the space where the home-life of residents merges with the commercial arena, multifamily communities are in a bracket in and of itself.

Multifamily property owners have a responsibility to keep their tenants safe and prevent the contagion from spreading throughout the community’s population. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that property owners can take that can help bend the curve and keep your residents safe, healthy, and informed.

Here are 4 highly recommended COVID-19 response guidelines for multifamily property owners:

Send Out Regular Email Updates

The COVID-19 situation is updating on a daily, hourly, and even minute-by-minute basis. Breaking news, adjustments to protocols, and new discoveries are coming out constantly; and it’s up to multifamily property owners to ensure that their residents are up-to-speed with the latest state of affairs.

Consider sending out a weekly email newsletter to your building’s tenants that reviews the newest COVID-19 information. Create a concise brief with a rundown of any pertinent news, changes to your area guidelines, and how the building is responding to these recent developments.

Remember not to sound panicked. This situation is stressful, emotionally taxing, and anxiety-fueled enough as it is. Keep your email tone calm, supportive, and friendly. The goal is to facilitate a safe, secure environment for your tenants.

Create a COVID-19 Chat

While some residents won’t even care to read that newsletter, others will want to be more engaged than just a weekly check-in.

To support your more involved tenants, consider creating a COVID-19 chat for your community members. This would be a great place to share the most relevant updates with your community in real-time. Include an invitation to the chat in your weekly newsletters.

Keep in mind, property owners may want to make this publishing stream ‘read-only’, where members cannot interact as to limit any spam messaging. However, it can be a great gateway to get neighbors in touch with one another for further communication if desired.

Post Signs to Reaffirm Building Protocols

Not everything needs to happen digitally. Some people are likely sick of all the buzz about COVID-19 and are choosing to disconnect. However, these residents still need to stay in the loop regarding the latest building protocols.

Make it easy for everyone by posting signs in common areas such as elevators, lobbies, and mailrooms. Make these signs quick, informative, and don’t forget to include an outlet where residents can go to find more information.

Sanitize More Frequently

If you haven’t yet, it’s time to kick cleaning into high gear. One of the best ways to keep your community safe and clean is by sanitizing the building more thoroughly and frequently. Consider upping daily cleaning rounds and make sure to use antibacterial cleaning solutions that kill germs and viruses on contact.

Even as the world around us is facing stressors from all directions, communities need to stick together. These 4 tips will keep your multifamily building in top shape throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Related posts

Leave a Comment