Page 8 - Chicagoland Cooperator Winter 2020

8 THE CHICAGOLAND COOPERATOR —WINTER 2020 CHICAGOCOOPERATOR.COM Time for a new Time for a new CBU? CBU? Mailbox Installations and Repairs Mailbox Installations and Repairs Mailbox Fast LLC Mailbox Fast LLC www.MailboxFast.com www.MailboxFast.com Wheaton, IL Wheaton, IL 630-215-7343 630-215-7343 Before Before Make Your Life Easier with Make Your Life Easier with more work done to improve the look of the community as a whole taking a decision to- property.” For example, Price continues, “There’s been an issue with landscaping—some con- tention between older and younger residents. counter each other on the stairs, but masks We have 12 acres, but our landscaper hasn’t are required in the common areas, and signs had the staff needed to do the work, and the are posted everywhere. In the courtyard, the older people don’t want to spend the money.” city permitted 50 people or less, but people That said, Price adds that they haven’t don’t really congregate there anyway—usu- had any other vendor problems during the ally just a few people, or the volunteer gar- pandemic. All their vendors are family-op- erated businesses, and there was no inter- ruption in services this past spring or sum- mer. Neighbors have also stepped up to help but ultimately decided it was just too expen- neighbors—es- pecially the elderly—and even when some con- flict arose over younger com- munity mem- bers wanting the association’s indoor pool open, the issue So far, self-management has proven the right was eventually resolved. The board abided by the governor’s mandates and those of the local Board of Health. Maintenance on the pool had been to go it alone, however. Stuart Halper, vice five days a week before, but was expanded to president of New York-based Impact Man- daily cleaning and sanitization, including the agement, specializes in small to mid-sized clubhouse. The association’s attorney drafted co-op and condominium properties, and indemnification forms, and the board re- quired waivers from pool users. The Sand- wich Board of Health inspected the pool demic began. “We actually have picked up a and clubhouse, and initially advised against significant number of clients in the last seven opening it for use—but the board went back months,” he says. “And many of them are to the drawing board and was eventually able small properties coming off of self-manage- to map out protocols that satisfied the health ment. However—could I say that it’s because inspectors that the amenity could be opened of COVID-19 that they’ve turned to \[profes- with minimal risk. The pool has been open sional\] management? I don’t really know the since September, and according to Price, answer to that.” “Everyone wears a mask, and it’s never an is- sue.” Midwestern Practical Jose Rodriguez is the president of a three- story, 26-unit walk-up condominium asso- ciation at 1618 West Wallen Avenue in Chi- cago. The building also features a courtyard that has made a significant difference when and garden, and became a condominium in we’ve interviewed with a lot of the smaller 2006. “It’s gone pretty smoothly,” says Ro- driquez of the community’s response to working remotely and continue to work re- and management of the pandemic. “The motely, and some of their clients have not most difficult part was figuring out what the been satisfied with their performance.” guidelines were for prevention of spread, and compliance with city and state rules. What wreaked havoc on properties large and small, the governor and mayor have said are often professionally managed and self-managed different; for example, right now we are in alike. At the end of the day, the continued lockdown in Chicago, but nearby suburbs viability of your particular management ar- are open.” Rodriguez goes on to say that “The pan- demic changed some of the things we do adjust to a frequently changing landscape. If concerning cleaning of common areas. We that adjustment is too difficult, professional had to hire someone who could do COVID management is just a phone call away. cleaning. They come twice a week to do the stairwells and sanitize, which is an added expense. We did it ourselves before the pan- demic on a volunteer basis, but now we’ve hired someone, to protect owners and incur less liability for the association. The decision was based on our attorney’s advice and the gether.” “We have both back and front stairs,” Ro- driguez continues, “so \[residents\] rarely en- dener.” At one point, they considered hiring a full- time manager as a result of the pandemic, sive. Also, the board was concerned that if people lost their jobs and couldn’t pay their monthly common charges, the association would have even less money to spare. move for this particular community. Shifting to Off-Site Management Not every community is ready—or able— says he’s seen some self-managed properties shift to off-site management since the pan- However, Halper goes on to say that he believes one particular reason they have seen an increase in new clients during the pan- demic is that “We remained open through- out the pandemic. We never shut down, nor did we really work fully remotely. I do believe properties. We’ve found that many com- panies—especially the smaller ones—were The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly rangement lies more with the individuals in your community and their willingness to n AJ Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter for The Chicagoland Cooperator, and a published novel- ist. SELF-MANAGEMENT... continued from page 6 “The most difficult part was figuring out what the guide- lines were...” — Jose Rodriguez