Living in a residential community or condominium building offers many perks. It is safe, comfortable and well-maintained. But your neighborhood or building does not magically maintain itself. It requires a staff of dedicated individuals to keep common areas clean and in working order. This can be a daunting task, and your maintenance crews may require a little help. Some Homeowner Associations employ workers directly and do not use contracted service providers. These tips are especially helpful for your community and Board of Directors. If your Property Management Company is managing your contractor service providers this message may not apply to you, however there is still some good advice for you to be aware of.
Here are a few tips owners and HOA board members can use to help your maintenance workers be well-equipped to take better care of your investment and community.
1. Know Your Crew
Whether you are a homeowner, renter or board member, you should know the individuals who work to maintain your environment. When you see them hard at work, introduce yourself. Remember that above all else, you live in a community, and the community extends past just the people who reside there and encompasses those who work and visit there as well.
2. Provide Insurance
Though the economy is tough, you are more likely to find quality workers that take pride in the services if the HOA provides a workers’ compensation policy, which covers the worker (and in effect, the HOA) in the case of an accident or injury. It’s a simple gesture that covers the interests and well-being of all involved.
3. Keep Your Side of the Street Clean
For homeowners and renters, a little effort can go a long way. Since maintenance workers’ primary work objective is to care for the common areas, if garbage and debris is constantly left in the street outside your residence or in the hall of your condo, you are creating more work for them. A simple scan of your immediate area only takes a few minutes. Take pride in your property and show consideration for those who work around you.
4. Provide Smartphones
Having a smartphone helps maintenance workers do a better job because they can receive emailed work orders while out in the field, do any necessary research and purchase equipment as the need arises. Homeowners and HOA members could even contact workers immediately in the case of emergency service issues.This doesn’t have to be an expensive or elaborate endeavor, either. You can get less-expensive Samsung phones, like the Galaxy Core Prime, that can be paid for over time instead of all at once.
5. Invite the Crew to HOA and Community Meetings
As workers within your community, maintenance employees deserve a say in what goes on in the community and a chance to communicate directly with its members, and not just to air grievances. Remember, these workers are onsite and outside during the hours you are not there. More than likely, they observe a lot of the goings on in the area and can be the eyes and ears of the community.
At the end of the day, a housing development is more than a cluster of homes, and every person who resides and works within the boundaries of that development should feel like they are part of something greater. Take action and responsibility for your neighborhood’s well-being. It requires so little but could mean so much. By making a a genuine effort to help and improve maintenance workers’ jobs, you transform that cluster of homes into a community.
