Page 13 - New England Condominium October 2020

NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM -OCTOBER 2020 13 directory.newenglandcondo.com Your one source for all the businesses and services essential to your condo and HOA NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM DIRECTORY OF BUILDING SERVICES Search by location: people have really stepped up and have eas and instituting fines for disregarding really showed that they care a great deal them—helps to empower staff to make about the buildings they work at.” Showing Support With all of these added responsibili- ties, heightened health and safety con- cerns, increased resident presence, and raised expectations for staff, it begs the both indicate that encouraging staff to question: Along with verbally expressing take time off is a good way to support their their thanks, what can the boards and res- idents of multifamily buildings and com- munities do to show appreciation and workers extra PTO (if their paid time off support for their property’s workers? Our is not stipulated by a union contract) not experts gave us some actionable recom- mendations: • “One thing residents can do is to just and promoting stability and security in be aware of protocols and follow them,” the workforce. says González of 32BJ when we spoke again for this article. It seems simple workers is to pressure the federal govern- enough, but as we all know, people are ment to give them hazard pay for the es- not always respectful of rules, limits— even visible barriers. When you see the over the last half a year. As Louis deJesus, tape around the doorperson or security a 32BJ union member who has worked as desk, keep that six foot distance—and a doorman in a building in Manhattan’s wear your mask in all common areas of Upper West Side for the last 25 years, said your building or community at all times. in a press release on the subject: “The best Don’t expose your building staffers to un- necessary risk—and don’t put them in the work and have job protection.” position of having to remind you of rules that should be second nature by now. • Arnold stresses that responsibility Amazon orders! for the well-being of staff is among the governance duties of residential boards, and says that clear, unambiguous messag- ing—like posting policies in common ar- sure that residents are complying with health and safety protocols, which in turn helps them feel more comfortable about their own safety on the job. • Managers DiFlaminies and Stoller well-being, both in the physical sense as well as the mental and emotional. Giving only promotes goodwill—it also goes a long way toward allaying health concerns An additional way to support property sential work they have been performing ‘thank you’ is to be paid for your essential And finally, for your building staff and for the planet—try to consolidate all those n Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and a Staff Writer for New England Condominium. New York City,” says Koplowitz, “Airbnb is in violation of the law. The looser provisions of condominium living and the right to lease your unit doesn’t give owners the right to violate the law.” Nevada presents the opposite view in many respects. “I see a lot of concerns with regards to limiting rentals and certain ac- tivities in and around the condo,” says Van Duyne. “That’s overstepping use restrictions as it relates to Airbnb and other short-term rentals. It’s more complicated than you would think. A board can’t just restrict it arbitrarily. On occasion you can find information in the articles that state the purpose of the as- sociation and in the governing documents, such as the CC&Rs \[covenants, conditions & restrictions\] that allow or disallow for cer- tain types of rentals. When the CC&R spe- cifically disallows all rentals, those who buy units there should note this property right is alienated. That being said, sometimes there condo owners even before the upheaval and are some words that can be interpreted from residential reshuffling triggered by COV- the CC&Rs that permit some restrictions on ID-19 is that of their grown children living leasing. You could also have a set of rules that with them or in their stead in their units. perhaps require leases to be deposited with What if your recently graduated (or unem- management. There are ways to get a handle ployed) daughter moves back into her room, on this without saying you can’t rent at all.” Smoking and Pets Like short-term rentals, smoking restric- tions vary from place to place. In New York City, says Koplowitz, “we have a new law that requires all boards of any type, and all landlords of rental buildings to set a smoking policy.” That does not mean they have to ban smoking, it just means they have to have a policy. “First go to the bylaws to see what the board can do,” Koplowitz adds. “It’s very dif- ficult to restrict smoking inside a unit.” In Nevada, Van Duyne says: “Typically, there is the ability to stop smoking in com- mon areas, but not inside the home. You can’t control that.” As with most issues, pets and pet owner- ship are governed by the rules set forth in the associations governing documents. In New York, all that may be changing. According to Koplowitz: “We have a new rule from the New York Commission on Human Rights regarding emotional support animals. It may make pet policies a thing of the past. It’s so liberal relative to emotional support ani- mals that pretty much any diagnosis of anxi- ety can get an emotional support animal.” The Graduate in the Second Bedroom Another common problem facing many but you and the spouse choose to move else- where, providing her with a place to live on CONDOMINIUM... continued from page 6 continued on page 14