Managing Multifamily Housing During COVID-19

MANAGING APRIL 2020

MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DURING COVID-19

INSIDE SCAMMING & PRICE GOUGING / HOT TOPICS / SHELTER IN PLACE WORKING FROM HOME/ PROTECTING OUR SENIORS / Â PRINT & SHARE

MANAGING APRIL 2020

MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DURING COVID-19 We now live in the age of the "elbow bump."

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live and work. It has made us rethink how we serve our residents on property while keeping everyone safe.

We put this newsletter together with our Owner/Agents in Alabama, Connecticut, Mississippi and Virginia in mind; however, we know this is information everyone in the housing industry can use.

We all have questions..

Do I close my office?

Do I suspend maintenance?

Should I waive late fees?

From the articles to the linked videos, we hope this compilation newsletter will help answer those questions. Of course, we are updating our website and social media platforms daily. You can always find the latest at NavigateHousing.com.

contents 04

Scamming & Price Gouging

05

Helping Residents Prevent the Spread

07

Hot Topics

08

Shelter in Place Orders

10

Work From Home Tips Tips for Property Managers

11

Protecting Our Seniors

13

President's Coronavirus Guidelines

ad heSpre #StopT

Products that are in high demand right now, like hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies, are being scooped up by scammers and price gougers.

WARNING FROM GSA: SCAMMING AND PRICE GOUGING

by Charles Rowe

The General Services Administration (GSA) posted to Interact, its outreach website, that there have been “reports of companies fraudulently claiming to be GSA vendors attempting to exploit legitimate COVID-19 concerns to mislead consumers into paying exorbitant prices for products associated with COVID-19.”

President Trump has signed an Executive Order to provide authority to address the offenses of price gouging.

The White House will not tolerate the practice of hoarding and price gouging the necessary supplies to help fight the virus.

A spokesperson of the GSA has suggested agencies take extra steps to Aaron Boyd of Nextgov covered the verify the vendors they’re working post, relaying the warning that federal with, even if [their] information seems agencies and the contracting credible.” communities are “not immune” to being subject to scams.

If you suspect that fraudulent activity or price gouging is happening with a Products that are in high demand right supposed GSA vendor, contact the now, like hand sanitizer and cleaning National Customer Service Center at supplies, are being scooped up by 800-488-3111 or scammers and price gougers. The NCSCcustomer.service@gsa.gov. scammers then target the organizations and government agencies that need it most.

- 4 -

Helping Residents Prevent the Spread Residents can follow the recommendations for persons at higher-risk of COVID-19 to protect themselves and others.

Clean your hands often.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place/common area.

If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.

Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.

Avoid touching your face, nose, and eyes.

Stay in your homes or outdoors away from groups of people, as much as possible.

Limit visitors to persons essential to maintaining their health, wellbeing, and safety. Social interaction is important; however, in-person social interactions are associated with increased risk of infection.

Learn and practice alternative ways to interact, including replacing inperson group interactions with video or telephone calls.

Learn more about managing stress and anxiety during COVID-19.

Have a "buddy" who can check in on you via non face-to-face communication.

Ensure continuity of regular care.

Have medication and supplies on hand.

Keep your home clean and disinfected.

Source: CDC - 5 -

DOWNLOAD & SHARE

- 6 -

HOT TOPICS MORS & REAC INSPECTIONS MULTIFAMILY CORONAVIRUS Q & A

HUD postponed MOR and REAC inspections. HUD released this decision on March 13, 2020, and updated it on the 16th, saying, "Until further notice, Multifamily is postponing all REAC property inspections and Management and Occupancy Reviews for all Multifamily properties.

Where there is an exigent circumstance or reason to believe that there is a threat to life or property at a specific location, inspections will be conducted by HUD quality assurance inspectors in compliance with CDC guidelines."

COVID-19 & ARs AND IRs HOW COVID-19 IMPACTS RECERTIFICATIONS

The housing industry has had to be creative in areas where things like quarantines and social distancing limit us. This video discusses how COVID-19 impacts the re-certification process.

Navigate released it on March 31, 2020. Get the latest update on HUD's Multifamily Housing page.

EVICTION MORATORIUM

CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT

Evictions are temporarily suspended on certain "covered properties." The Eviction Moratorium appears in section 4024 of the newly signed CARES Act. This temporary eviction moratorium lasts for 120 days, starting March 27, 2020.

Learn more about the guidelines in this video.

ARE STIMULUS CHECKS INCOME? HOW TO TREAT THE CARES ACT STIMULUS CHECKS.

Your residents may have started receiving stimulus checks this week. Watch this video to determine how you should treat the influx of cash.

- 7 -

SHELTER INbyPLACE ORDERS Ebony Hall 04/08/2020: At least 42 states have told their residents to "shelter in place." The New York Times estimates at least 316 million people.. are being urged to stay home ."

Those states include all four states in the Navigate Affordable Housing Partners portfolio: Alabama, Connecticut, Mississippi, and Virginia.

We encourage all Owner/Agents to follow the recommendations of their respective states.

Alabama

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey amended a "Stay at Home" order, April 3, 2020.

The rule is in effect until 5 PM on April 30, 2020. Ivey may extend the order at that time.

The order excludes "essential activities," including the following: to obtain necessary supplies to obtain or provide necessary services to attend religious services to take care of others to work

Read the full order.

Connecticut

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued an executive order, asking businesses and residents to "Stay Safe, Stay Home." It went into effect on March 23, 2020.

Among other things, the initiative recommended residents: close all non-essential businesses statewide cancel all non-essential public community gatherings of individuals keep at least six feet away from each other whenever possible avoid activities where they come in close contact with other people limit the use of public transportation to when absolutely necessary and space out at least six feet from other riders

Read the full order. (continued on next page)

- 8 -

te! our sta y k c e h C

Mississippi

Mississippi Governor Tate Reed signed an executive order establishing a statewide shelter-in-place, April 1, 2020. The order, as of now, lasts until Monday April 20,2020, at 8 AM. Among other things, the order includes the following guidelines.

Evictions are suspended, though people are still required to pay any rent or make any mortgage payments.

Individuals are to stay at home except for the limited allowances in the executive order.

When outside of their homes, people must follow social distancing guidelines by maintaining a 6-foot distance from others and avoid groups of 10 or more.

Read the full order.

Virginia Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued the statewide Stay at Home order March 30, 2020. It directs all Virginians to stay home "except in extremely limited circumstances, including: to seek medical attention to work, care for family or household members to obtain goods and services like groceries, prescriptions, and others as outlined in Executive Order Fifty-Three to engage in outdoor activity with strict social distancing requirements

The order runs through June 10, 2020.

A look at how the number of executive orders changed over seven days. SOURCE: NYT

- 9 -

#WFH

e m o H m W ork Fro

Some of you may be working from home for the first time. For many, there could be an adjustment period. It looks like this could be the new normal for a while. Here are some tips for making the transition a little easier.

Map out a home office. Carve out a dedicated work area. Determine if desk & chair comfortable enough to use for several hours. Talk to your employer, if not.

Keep in touch with coworkers. You'll miss the breakroom chats. It will take extra effort to keep everyone looped in.

Use email, phone, video, or webchat.

Talk to IT. You may need more than just a laptop. Talk to them about cords, accessories, and how to connect to your company's virtual private network (VPN).

Stick to a schedule. A daily routine is important when working from home.

Set a routine to signal you're starting or ending your workday. For example, put on some coffee in the A.M. and shut your computer down in the P.M.

TIPS FOR GETTING WORK DONE DURING THE PANDEMIC

Many of you have questions about how to continue servicing residents during the coronavirus pandemic. This Tuesday Tip gets you to think about how you can still provide quality housing and protect the health of your residents, staff, and yourself at the same time.

- Â 10 Â -

PROTECTING OUR SENIORS

by Ebony Hall

guidance for "owners, administrators, operators, workers, volunteers, visitors, and residents of retirement communities and ILF that are not healthcare facilities."

The agency has also included a checklist that can be adapted by retirement communities and ILF to "meet their needs and circumstances."

Main points of the guidance

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has provided COVID-19 housing guidance for retirement communities and independent living facilities (ILF). Many people living in these facilities are at higher risk of becoming very ill from the coronavirus because they are older or have chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease.

The CDC created this COVID-19 housing

The COVID-19 housing guidance goes into great detail about how to “help slow the spreading of the virus and prevent severe illness” in communities.

Cancel all public or non-essential group activities and events Clean and disinfect all common areas and shared facilities Inform residents, workers, volunteers and visitors about COVID-19 (continued on the next page)

- 11 -

Encourage personal protective measures Help residents establish a “buddy” system to ensure they stay connected Consider limiting the number of nonessential visitors Screen, when possible, and advise workers and essential volunteers Follow the guidance for businesses and employers If a case is confirmed in your facility

Lastly, the CDC lays out what a retirement facility or ILF can do if a COVID-19 case is confirmed in the facility.

! d a n ce i u g l e fu l S ee th

Coordinate with local officials Communicate with residents, workers, volunteers, and visitors Ask residents to self-monitor for 14-days and take action, if sick Clean and disinfect thoroughly

Navigate salutes all people working on property!

Thank you for your service and sacrifice during this difficult time.

You are our multifamily heroes!

- 12 -

PRESIDENT'S CORONAVIRUS GUIDELINES

by Charles Rowe In Mid-March, the White House and the CDC released a graphic on how you can help slow the spread of COVID-19. For those of us who work in housing, whether you’re a property manager or owner/agent, here are some ways you can relate this general information to your job and your interaction with your residents.

If you feel sick, stay home. Do not go to work. Contact your medical provider. Even if there is work to do in the office, it is not worth it to the other people in the office or any of the residents you would interact with. The greatest good we can do right now is to do our part in slowing the spread of this virus.

If your children are sick, keep them at home. Do not send them to school. Contact your medical provider. This can be something you can stress to your residents in Multifamily.

Although children might be the least likely to suffer from the virus, it is very easy for them to transmit the virus wherever they go. So avoid your children visiting grandparents or elderly friends. If your children are sick, try explaining to them that the best way for them to love their grandparents right now is to keep their distance. (continued on the next page)

- 13 -

If someone in your household has tested positive for the coronavirus, keep the entire household at home. Do not go to work. Do not go to school. Contact your medical provider. Pass this along to your residents. While it may seem intuitive, emphasizing it will help clarify any discrepancy that a potentially uninformed resident may have.

If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people. For those of you property managers and owners/agents who have elderly properties, be sure to pass this along to your residents. And do so in a way that the message is the most likely to be received.

Nowadays, it seems as though everyone is on social media, yet the elderly (the most vulnerable group to this virus) in some cases, are the least active on social media. So consider printing out flyers and sending out emails to all your elderly residents, stressing the importance of staying home and avoiding contact with other people.

If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition that can put you at increased risk (for example, a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people. Persons with an underlying health condition are just as vulnerable as the elderly in this crisis. So stressing the importance of this to those who are subject to it helps just as much in slowing the spread of the virus to those who are most vulnerable.

Again, while all this may seem intuitive and an annoying redundancy of information, emphasizing it will help clarify any discrepancy that a potentially uninformed person may have. While it is easy to assume that everyone understands this crisis at the same level, that is simply not the case. In reality, all your residents are receiving their information on the virus at different rates. Some of your residents may be constantly checking the news for updates while other residents may be working all day and not see updates until later in the day. So be sure to keep your residents and staff updated as best as you can on the incoming information of what they can do to help slow the spread of this virus.

For more information, visit coronavirus.gov.

- 14 -

PRINT & SHARE

Know the

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure: Fever Cough Shortness of Breath

Seek medical advice if: You develop worsening symptoms You have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 You live in or have recently been in an on area with ongoing spread of COVID-19

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT CDC.GOV

- 15 -

We continue to serve.

The Navigate Affordable Housing Partners team is working remotely and continue to serve you in light of COVID19.

Open:

8:00 AM CST

Close:

5:00 PM CST

Navigate Affordable Housing Partners 1827 FIRST AVENUE NORTH STE 100 BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 35203 PHONE: (888) 466-5572 ehall@navigatehousing.com navigatehousing.com