COVID-19 Association Best Practices

by Gulfshore Insurance

Community associations are seeing a surge in unit owners and residents who have confirmed cases of COVID-19. The majority of these infected individuals are prescribed at home “self-quarantine.” As an association, there are proactive steps that should be taken before there are any known cases in your association, as well as after you have a confirmed case present. As always, it is important to comply with recommendations from the CDC and other government organizations.

Proactive Steps:

Sanitation and Use of Common Area Amenities:

• Conduct extensive cleaning, disinfecting, or wiping down of common areas and common area surfaces
• Postpone or cancel all community events and meetings
• Close common areas and amenities, such as gyms, clubhouses, and pools
• Install hand sanitizer dispensers or wipes in common areas for owner and guest use
• Recommend residents restrict guests to only those who are essential

Communication:

• Use caution in communicating the board or association’s responsibility to keep sick people out. Rather, the association is taking proactive, precautionary measures, with the best interest of the health of unit owners and residents.
• Consult legal counsel in communicating a general disclosure that the association and board members are not responsible for the health of individual unit owners and that all unit owners should be practicing the recommendations of CDC, Federal, State and Local government.
• Communicate all recommendations and board decisions clearly to unit owners and residents. Utilize e-bulletins, website, newsletters and more.

If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 within your association:

• Contact your association legal counsel immediately
• Instruct your legal counsel and board to draft communication notifying residents (in drafting notification, legal counsel will navigate potential privacy and HIPPA laws and other legal risks associated with this notification process)

As an insurer of more than 700 Community Associations, Gulfshore Insurance is here to guide and assist you through these uncharted waters and unprecedented times. Please call or email us with your specific questions.

Click below for additional COVID-19 information and resources from the Community Association Institute.