Over the week-end, a friend and longtime PMFA reader contacted me with a question that he would like to pose to others in the neighborhood. What happens if you yourself follow all the Covid-19 restrictions, wear a mask when you go out, and don't allow anyone into your apartment, but your landlord or fellow tenants seem to throw caution to the wind by inviting guests and hosting gatherings?
Here is his question to others:
How are people managing the shared responsibility of preventing the spread of the pandemic while complying with the lockdown restrictions known as PAUSE there where they live?
That is, how are your readers (as tenants or renters but also building owners and property managers) approaching the lockdown and social distancing? Do they see it as a shared responsibility or is up to each person to decide whether not to comply? For example, does your building have a coordinated policy?
And if so, do the policies or practices align with PAUSE and Matilda's Law (the city-wide restrictions) and are all of the tenants in regular compliance?
Tenants in our building are very good about sharing the responsibility for keeping the building clean and as germ-free as possible. We all wipe down door handles, we all wear masks and gloves when using the common areas, we all make space for each other. on top of that, most of us meet up outside our building for the 7PM "clap because we care" where we all maintain social distancing. It all adds up to helping everyone feel that we are looking out for each other.
I know other buildings have similar set-ups but i'm curious how many of your readers are using practices like these or if it's a sticking point for some people?
With that in mind, what happens when tenants don't get with the program? What if it's not the tenants or renters who are the problem but instead it's an owner who is also a tenant?
I'd love to know how your readers are managing these concerns and how they feel about all of this?
Furthermore, if tenants / renters / landlords don't comply, how are people handling that? What's the right balance between "live and let live" and "shared responsibility" and what ethical concerns are they dealing with so that we can all get through this pandemic without getting sick?
For example, (1) what happens when a tenant won't wear a mask or take protective measures when using the common areas (like the stairwell, the hallways, the entry ways)? (2) what happens when tenants won't collect their mail or deliveries or even take out their garbage (because they don't want to leave their apartment)? (3) what happens when a tenant regularly hosts gatherings?
The PAUSE restrictions are very clear - NO GATHERINGS of ANY KIND for ANY REASON, in particular no gatherings between people of different households (even if they are from the same family) - it's simply not allowed because it creates too much risk of contagion by introducing potential new vectors for the spread of the disease.
I know of circumstances where tenants regularly host gatherings and outdoor get-togethers where social distancing is not practiced and not only does it seem very unwise, it also seems very disrespectful to all of the people on that block who comply with PAUSE and Matilda's law and have been doing so during these last two months.
Why do some people act like they are the exception and therefore give themselves permission to ignore the rules?
How does this affect the others who have made a lot of sacrifices as part of complying with the rules?
Of course, there's also the reality that a significant number of people simply don't believe the COVID19 is dangerous. they question the very need for restrictions of any kind.
This is not meant to be a debate about how the lockdown is affecting businesses - we all know it's bad, and we all know that businesses in our neighborhoods are really hurting, but that's a separate conversation.
This is a question of how renters and tenants, building owners and landlords are handling the restrictions and guidelines in the buildings where they live.
Thank you.
How about it? Have you had issues with a landlord an/or fellow tenant not being as careful as you in your building? How have you handled it? Is this a bigger issue in brownstones/townhouses or does it affect larger buildings as well?
.JPG)
17 comments:
Carroll gardens doesn’t have huge buildings with 100 people unless we are talking the buildings along the canal. My building has 20 units. Large buildings have elevators and other common spaces. Buttons. Germs etc. in my building Many have escaped and a few have moved. So it’s empty. Our super won’t sanitize the hallways unless we call the office. I have a spray so I usually will spray the railings and knobs. And the intercom. Our super lives below and doesn’t wear a mask. Our landlord sent letters out. They own a million buildings. They won’t forgive rents obviously but they said this: you give us three months in advance and we will give you 10 percent off!!! How does this kind of BS help anyone but them?! It was a mass mailing and not specific to us. I found it appalling . No one had been gathering here. Usually the upstairs people always have people over. So thankfully it’s been relatively quiet. But on a whole the ones still here are ok but rude and won’t move aside if we happen to be our front entering or exiting. I’m more worried about the deniers who walk around mask free and don’t give me space. Forcing me to walk in the streets. I had one man curse at me and tell me there’s nothing wrong!! Now that the Wing Bar is open we saw a cluster of maskless Covidiots standing out front. We also have a mask sign in our hallway. Reminding people. Perhaps this may be a small thing others should do in their halls. Posting a sign. Subtle hints. People will do what they do.
We live on the canal by Carroll St. I would say 95%+ observe distancing and wearing masks. The building staff are really excellent, constantly wiping things down, etc. All amenities,gym, pool, lounge, kids room have been closed...Issue is they have staff to do this, in a brown stone it's up to the tenants. I see some brownstoners sitting outside on the steps, no mask, no distance. If the owner is a tenant, they will have some authority but if absent, it becomes an issue base on peoples behavior.
My upstairs neighbors have moved out-of-state (couldn't bear the idea of NYC schools not reopening in the Fall, among other things) and my landlord was having contractors work on the unit totally illegaly, some walking in and out without masks, tossing cigarette butts in the front yard... He must read the New York Post (see: NYC building inspectors use 'speed trap'-style stakeouts against contractors) because work stopped today and I'm told that they won't be coming back until Cuomo lifts the current restrictions. While I like my landlord, I didn't appreciate that he never asked us if it was OK to have contractors come in and out of our small building during lockdown. So, yes, I thank the New York Post!
Just heard that DOB gives huge fines to contractors who are currently working without special dispensation for ´necessary’ work.
yes. contractors coming in and out of buildings, not wearing masks or gloves is a problem.
in our building, we had two different teams of movers come in and out on two separate moving days and none of them would mask up or wear gloves while the landlords failed to intervene - even though they were present during the moves. we were not happy nor was the other remaining tenant. it felt like being held hostage in our own home - but, of course, as renters, we don't really have a home. it's not our home. that is, a home is never a home as long as someone else decides which rules apply.
This is just a bit off topic but a unit became available in our building. The rent is a $700/month increase over the previous price. Unit was not updated. Just cleaned. Personally, this makes me feel a bit sick.
Good luck with that increase. So many people are currently leaving the city that there will be a glut of apartments in the next few months.
I am sure the landlord will have to adjust his or her’s expectations
I am curious about people moving out of the city. While I have heard about people leaving, I haven't talked to many landlords -- just one family on our block with an apartment in their brownstone. Their tenant, in fact, is leaving.
Are people with places to rent experiencing this a lot? It wouldn't surprise me. It's just that I don't have much in the way of information about what's really happening, or how fast it's happening.
There's not really a glut of apartments because many people are staying put in their current apartments instead of moving when their lease is up. In fact, it's kind of driven the average rent up a bit because it's mostly larger expensive apartments on the market now like 2 bedrooms and less 1 bedroom and studio apartments available. You might see some rents go down a bit but I don't think there's going to be any major shift in housing costs falling. We still have a housing shortage.
Very noticeable number of people breaking leases and leaving, as per the New York Times: https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2020/05/report-nyc-population-down-5-since-coronavirus-shutdown.html
Mentions residential rentals too: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/21/nyregion/commercial-rent-NYC-coronavirus.html
Different friends (most with kids) living on these blocks have all moved out of the city:
Smith Street Between Wyckoff and Warren
Clinton Street Between Kane and Degraw
Union Street Between Clinton and Court
President Street Between Hicks and Henry
President Street Between Henry and Clinton
1st Place Between Clinton and Court
Not just commercial rent coming down because many local businesses can't pay rent right now but how many residential renters will be able to make rent come June 1?
By then, for many it will be two months, maybe more, since last pay check.
Back to the issue of compliance with PAUSE, tenants in one apartment in my small walk-up include a twenty-something year old who keeps inviting friends over in groups of three and four for social gatherings. It's against the law. No gatherings of any kind for any reason. They don't wear masks. They don't wear gloves. Landlords won't intervene. Am I supposed to call 311? 911?
311.
We rent the ground floor at one of the brownstones on Clinton St. Our landlords, a couple, live upstairs. The relationship has always been peaceful, they are very responsive whenever we had issues and we take good care of the place. But these times, it went to a level I've missed for so long since I've moved from Brazil to NYC: the true sense of community. Since the beginning of lock-down, we've exchanged our thoughts about care and measures and whenever we can, we help each other: they had spare masks to give to us,we have been grocery shopping for them. I'm grateful this got us to know each other better (including me getting some awesome cookies from upstairs when we exchange groceries).We had talks about how we would be dealing with the process of 'unquarantine' and we'll keep the dialogue open and flowing. I know renters x landlords relationship can vary a ton, but at the end, that's what we'll carry us thru this: open conversations (not insults or raged talks) and the willingness to do our best possible to protect the community, every day.
I must say, that is my experience between us and our tenants. We have definitely talked and planned on how we would deal with things during the quarantine and have kept to our plan. We also help each other with shopping and get together for pot luck meals.
My building hasn't really done anything to combat COVID-19. My landlord lives out of state, so he is completely hands-off when it comes to matters within the building. I have noticed most of my neighbors entering/exiting with masks, but the couple on the first floor acts with pretty wanton disregard. They regularly have visitors in the backyard that don't socially distance or wear masks, and even once had a barber come to give a haircut outside. I live in a 4-story, 8-unit building on Hicks St.
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