Author: Admin

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Revised Spec Sheet

Please see our newly revised spec sheet! There are plenty of newly updated parts and numbers, so please familiarize yourself with the sheet. Please make sure to delete electronic copies of any spec sheet other than the one revised in August 2020, as well as throwing out any paper copies. This revision replaces all previous versions.

And, as always, a copy of the spec sheet can be found on Cambridge’s Exchange.

CRES-Spec-Sheet-Revised-8-20-1Download

Thank you, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Scott Busch

Telephone: 503.919.1670

Facsimile: 503.450.0241

sbusch@cresapts.com

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Maintenance Supply Levels

As we’ve become accustomed to living during COVID-19, one thing we’ve all become familiar with is supply shortages, whether that be toilet paper, hand sanitizer, or face masks. Many other supplies have become limited as well, ranging from chicken to bandsaws. 


But, in our industry, we’ve started to see longer lead times when purchasing some supplies, such as kitchen or laundry appliances, or HVAC equipment. And, we have reason to believe that as more and more manufacturing plants require physical distancing for employees and COVID testing, production may slow down even more. We don’t expect mass shortages such as we saw with cleaning supplies early on, but in some cases ordering something that we’d expect to arrive next day may arrive next week. Or the week after. 


So, to be proactive, we’re going to suggest to each of you that you should take a quick but thorough inventory of your shop, and make an order of up to three months worth of these turnover and maintenance supplies. Granted, we’re not asking you to run out with a blank check, but pay particular attention to key items that you may need, such as toilet fill valves, faucets, or light fixtures, and plan to order accordingly. If you normally use one in a month, buy three. Don’t feel inclined to buy more than that at this time, nor should you triple your entire inventory, only items that are crucial or high use items. As always, there is a need to balance inventory needs with budget, but let’s be prepared to endure some longer than average wait times for parts. You should also continue to order these parts as you use them, so you should continue to have a larger than normal inventory until things get back to normal. 
If you have any questions regarding how many of any particular item you should need, please contact your property supervisor or me, we’ll be happy to discuss COVID inventory levels with you. 


Thank you, and stay healthy!

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Masks Required Sign – Please Post in Common Areas

Please find below a “masks required” sign to print post throughout common areas in your property today, as well as in and around your management office. Since your property’s amenities are closed at this time, places to post the attached might include (but are not limited to):

-Laundry Rooms

-Interior Hallways

-Lobbies

-Elevators

-Public Restrooms

cres-ppe-rules-c-19Download

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Regional Manager or Property Supervisor.

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Q and A- COVID 19

In case it is helpful, here are a few answers to some frequently asked questions that we are receiving:

  • Yes, you can and should require people to wear masks when they are around you or other staff.  This is also the case when they are entering your office or community building.
  • Yes, that includes you. 
  • Yes, that includes maintenance, too.
  • Yes, and vendors.
  • Yes, you can and should require social distancing. 
  • Yes, that includes your staff.
  • Yes, you guessed it.  Residents and vendors, too.
  • Yes, you should keep us updated on the number of suspected and/or confirmed cases at your site as you learn of them.  Things change fast and we need to be responsive.
  • No, you do not have to have your offices open.  Or closed.  There is no one answer here and too many variables to possibly consider in one policy.  Please just communicate your circumstances and we can make good decisions together. 
  • Yes, you should be back to emergency / urgent maintenance requests only.  If you happen to be in an area where there are no cases, we can consider a more comprehensive maintenance program- in no case are we back to preventative maintenance inspections and repairs yet. 
  • Yes, you can ask people to leave their apartments when emergency maintenance is being completed. 
  • No, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. 
  • Yes, if you don’t ask them to leave you can and should require that they are in another room- away from our staff. 
  • Yes, we need to be sanitizing all frequently touched common area surfaces at least daily.  Preferably more often than that.
  • Yes, we know that cleaning expenses are rising.  It is okay.
  • Yes, we know that you are tired of cleaning the same things all of the time.  Need to do it anyway.
  • Yes, we have more masks that we can send you if you need some.  Just ask- we are happy to get them out to you!
  • Yes, we have hand sanitizer too.  We ordered a bunch cause of the craziness…
  • Yes, evictions (for other than non-payment of rent) are entirely complicated right now.   They are slow to be processed and are not always effective.  That being said, sent in your termination letter requests and we can work through this together.  To repeat- you should send in the termination letter request just as you normally would. 
  • Yes, all amenities (pools, weight rooms, etc) remain closed.
  • No, there is no rent break for this.  We don’t charge fees to use the amenities, therefore there is no fee to waive and no credit to offer.

Now, if you see a few residents walking together down the sidewalk- (sigh) not socially distancing and (gasp!) not wearing masks…   No- you cannot make them.   You should not yell at them out your window and as much as you might like to- you should not load one of those T-Shirt guns with masks and play target practice.  This is not okay.  What can you do??  Pay close attention and use that information to trace an outbreak if it comes to that… 

In case it helps- a “Mask Required” sign (to be posted in common areas and management offices) will follow under separate cover.

To sum it up-  We have been able to get through this so far by making adjustments to how we operate.  And, (sometimes to our surprise) we have done just fine.  Remember this- YOU are our priority.  We cannot do this without YOU.   We appreciate you and understand the environment that you are working in.  We are here to help and want to help. 

Everyone is getting tired of quarantine.  Things are opening back up- and, just as quick- things are closing back down because this virus is spreading.  This is not the time to become relaxed.      Now, go sanitize something.  Then wash your hands.  And put your mask back on.

Stay healthy!

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COVID 19 staffing updates

What a crazy time we are living in!

As we continue to respond to the seemingly ever changing landscape surrounding COVID, we wanted to send out the following guidance.  If you have any questions regarding your specific property, please reach out to your property supervisor. 

For reasons too numerous to mention we are seeing more positive COVID test results- more positive test results bring with them the very real possibility and likelihood that things will shut down again.  It is the goal of Cambridge that our employees, our residents and our vendors remain safe and healthy.  To that end,  we may be returning to site management offices experiencing a temporary change in office hours and also the way we conduct business.   This means the very real possibility of again providing coverage through call forwarding, remote access to email, checking night drop slots, and lots of public postings in and around the office area so members of the public know how to reach staff when they attempt to visit an office which is otherwise closed.

With the desire and need to limit staff exposure to the virus we are again instituting the following parameters and procedures for maintenance employee response to maintenance requests.

The attached form describes the types of issues in apartments that would justify an active response from our maintenance staff.

If a resident calls and their maintenance issue is not listed as an Urgent/Emergency Priority Work Order in the attached form, please let them know that you will record their request and that it will be handled in the order it was received following the lifting of the limited contact order prompted by the Coronavirus situation.

Our staff and resident health is a primary priority at this time. A work order should be filled out completely including the date and time of the request, and details about the maintenance issue report.  Permission to enter should be obtained after we return to a more normal business format.

For those issues that are listed as a Urgent/Emergency Priority Work Order, please contact the maintenance technician that is on duty for your property. If they are unavailable or if it’s after normal work hours, please reach out to the on call afterhours emergency tech.

Remember, before proceeding to respond to a priority maintenance request, staff should inquire as follows:

  1. Has anyone staying in (or living with) the household tested positive for Covid-19 within the past 21 days?
  2. Is anyone staying in (or living with) the household who has been tested and is awaiting for COVID-19 test results?
  3. Has anyone staying in (or living with) the household who has been sick with the COVID-19 symptoms within the past 21 days?
  4. Has anyone staying in (or living with) the household decided to self-quarantine due to either symptoms or exposure to COVID-19?

Maintenance Technicians should take the following precautions when responding to a Urgent/Emergency Priority Work Order:

You are responsible for your safety and the safety of those around you. Please take all precautions:

  • Protective masks and gloves should be worn at all times while in the unit
  • Avoid unnecessarily touching any surfaces within the apartment
  • Residents should be asked to vacate the apartment while the PRIORITY or EMERGENCY service is being completed
  • Dispose of gloves after use
  • Wash your hands immediately after working in a unit

It’s very possible a maintenance request may come in that does not fit in one of the categories we’ve outlined. If you on unsure whether the maintenance request qualifies as a priority and deserves

response during the limited contact period, please contact your supervisor, Scott Busch, or your regional manager for further input. While postponement of work orders will cause some

inconvenience to residents, we want to ensure residents continue to have an apartment that meets their basic needs.

Thank you again for all that you do.  If you have any questions of concerns, please do reach out.

Stay healthy!