As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, multifamily properties are grappling with the thorny issue of reopening community spaces. They are in the process of returning to normal in apartment operations, but it looks like a very different kind of normal. The virus isn’t going away everywhere. In fact, cases are growing again in some states at high rates as the Great Reopening continues. In a recent RealPage webcast entitled COVID-19: Returning to “Normal” Apartment Operations, Jay Parsons, RealPage Deputy Chief Economist/VP, engaged a panel of customers, including Camden Property Trust EVP Laurie Baker, AMLI President, and CEO Maria Banks and Kairoi Residential EVP Tammy Freiling, to discuss the issues around reopening shared spaces. “How important is this issue to property managers and owners?” asked RealPage’s Parsons. “We asked our panel what their greatest challenge was in reopening apartment operations on-site. Was it managing community amenity spaces? Sanitizing everything? Working through maintenance requests? Or operating and opening leasing offices? Surprisingly, fifty percent said it was managing community amenity spaces. Why would this be?” The answer: it’s complicated. There are three big variables property management companies must consider all at the same time. Combine those variables and you hear a range of responses from property management companies. The big three in reopening community spaces The first and most important variable is the government. The situation for PMCs varies by market based on differences in local and state regulations. Health and safety are big issues. The virus is unpredictable, and there is conflicting advice from health experts as to how to handle it. Government responses over time have varied accordingly. The second variable is property management companies themselves. While heeding regulations, PMCs are also going to apply their individual company policie...

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, multifamily properties are grappling with the thorny issue of reopening community spaces. They are in the process of returning to normal in apartment operations, but it looks like a very different kind of normal. The virus isn’t going away everywhere. In fact, cases are growing again in some states at high rates as the Great Reopening continues. In a recent RealPage webcast entitled COVID-19: Returning to “Normal” Apartment Operations, Jay Parsons, RealPage Deputy Chief Economist/VP, engaged a panel of customers, including Camden Property Trust EVP Laurie Baker, AMLI President, and CEO Maria Banks and Kairoi Residential EVP Tammy Freiling, to discuss the issues around reopening shared spaces. “How important is this issue to property managers and owners?” asked RealPage’s Parsons. “We asked our panel what their greatest challenge was in reopening apartment operations on-site. Was it managing community amenity spaces? Sanitizing everything? Working through maintenance requests? Or operating and opening leasing offices? Surprisingly, fifty percent said it was managing community amenity spaces. Why would this be?” The answer: it’s complicated. There are three big variables property management companies must consider all at the same time. Combine those variables and you hear a range of responses from property management companies. The big three in reopening community spaces The first and most important variable is the government. The situation for PMCs varies by market based on differences in local and state regulations. Health and safety are big issues. The virus is unpredictable, and there is conflicting advice from health experts as to how to handle it. Government responses over time have varied accordingly. The second variable is property management companies themselves. While heeding regulations, PMCs are also going to apply their individual company policie...