A New Guidebook for Safely Reopening Co-ops and Condos

A coalition of real estate and labor leaders has put together a comprehensive guide to protect the health and safety of residents, staffs and visitors in market-rate residential buildings, including cooperatives and condominiums, as New York City begins to emerge from the coronavirus-mandated shutdown. 

The coalition – made up of the Real Estate Board of New York, local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations – has just issued its “Best Practices for Market-Rate Residential Buildings in Phases One and Two of New York Forward.” Here are some useful tips for co-op and condo boards and their property managers:

Review all building systems. Certain protections may be applied to existing and new HVAC systems to minimize future spreading of the virus in buildings. Owners and managers should consult evolving guidance from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, the Centers for Disease Control and Preservation, and other public health and professional organizations. 

Develop protocols for outside vendors. Ensure that vendors performing building maintenance or construction work comply with state and city guidelines, including wearing face coverings and limiting occupancy in enclosed spaces.

Protect building workers. Owners and property managers will need to ensure that building staffs have appropriate personal protective equipment and training on new procedures.

Adapt amenity spaces. When amenity spaces are allowed to reopen, building owners and property managers should ensure that the spaces are appropriately supervised, that proper social distance is maintained and that all guidelines are communicated to residents and staff.

Revise building entrance and exit protocols. This includes facilitating contactless entry and exit of buildings and installing social-distancing floor markers in building lobbies.

Post signage detailing new protocols. Building owners and managers should post signs describing new protocols and health guidelines throughout the building.

Promote good hygiene. Residential buildings should ensure hand cleaning stations are readily available throughout building common spaces, including entrances and exits; security and concierge desks; elevators and lobbies, and that they include either soap, water, paper towels and touchless trash, or hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Establish protocols for viewings. Safety measures while selling or subletting units should include staggered viewing appointments, showings only for unoccupied or vacant units, and utilization of social distancing and face coverings. Closings should be conducted electronically as much as possible.