High Rise and Community Living in the New Normal

27 Aug High Rise and Community Living in the New Normal

Across the US, cities like Houston, Texas, and Denver, Colorado saw consecutive years of growth in high-rise and community living, then came COVID-19. In the “new normal,” administrative services, human resources, and daily operations in high-rise and single-family communities have been impacted by new worries and protocols. The right management company needs to address a plethora of concerns and challenges to react appropriately.

Whether a community is new or has been around for decades, unprecedented changes lead to the need to make further decisions. And there is one common theme providing a safe, healthy quality of life to owners. 

High-Rise Management

High-rise management has taken on new meaning – and topics like changes to guest and vendor access, sanitization, and mask-wearing are increasingly part of the conversation. Board members and building management alike are paying closer attention to day to day issues. Because (COVID-19) recommendations and requirements change often, and from county to county, understanding how to read and interpret new information is high on the list in all board members’ and managers’ minds. For example, some cities are limiting visitors in residential buildings, but the underlying concern is how to enforce restrictions.

You have to be able to pivot between day to day operations and new demands from owners. They may want to be part of the conversation, too. Health and safety communication and education are regular requests in most high-rise and single-family communities. Owners want to know how you are or will handle current and potential situations.

Vendor & Personnel Management

Vendor and personnel management are increasingly important. Robust vendor management programs ensure that vendors have adequate insurance and licensure before stepping foot on the property and match your unique needs. Cleaning protocols and new and changing research impact how the staff treats common areas, elevators, and other high touch areas. There is a lot more to consider than providing hand sanitizers in common areas. With new concerns, HOA board members and other decision-makers are searching for management companies with established networks, experience, and expertise. 

One example of these changing needs is maintaining amenity usage in areas like gyms and pools, where cleaning and safety is now top of mind. Regardless of COVID-19, owners want the same experiences they are accustomed to from the amenities and concierge services. Management companies must be willing to take an individualized approach that brings value and enhanced services while maximizing your return.

The prospects remain good…

While one may look at the above descriptions with concern because things appear to change daily for community and high-rise living, the prospects remain good. 

As an experienced management company, we agree. We are deploying innovation across all of our services and excited to partner with high-rises and communities ready to embrace COVID- 19 as an opportunity.