Local complexes create COVID-19 regulations

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Off-campus housing complexes make changes to ensure residents’ safety during pandemic

Residents and guests of The Retreat are encouraged to wear masks. Team members will also wear masks

while working. Hannah Wolff / The Breeze

By CARLEY WELCH

The Breeze

Contrary to the back-and-forth between home and campus that on-campus students have faced this semester, off-campus students were able to stay in their residences if they wanted. These off-campus residences have adopted new safety regulations and policies to ensure the well-being of their tenants.

Below are four off-campus locations that have added COVID-19 precautions to their policies.

The Harrison Apartments

“While many things have changed around us, one thing has and will remain consistent: our commitment to keeping our residents and prospective residents safe and healthy as our top priority,” the Harrison Apartments website reads.

The apartment complex has added many safety precautions to ensure the health and safety of its residents. These precautions include: - Enhanced sanitation efforts - Social distancing adherence between staff and residents - Team members wearing personal protective equipment - No contact tours and interactions - Emphasizing the importance of communication

The Retreat

The Retreat’s COVID-19 response, like The Harrison’s, has added policies and regulations to ensure the safety of its residents. These policies are as followed: - Limiting use of amenity spaces in line with recommendations from the CDC and both state and local health authorities - Investing in new sanitization equipment for common areas, including electrostatic sprayers for fogging high-touch areas of the community - Adding hand-sanitizer stations - Adding social distancing signage to common congregation points in the community - All team members wearing and continuing to wear masks while working

Furthermore, The Retreat also emphasized the importance for residents to comply with safety precautions. The policies are as followed: - Guests are encouraged to wear masks just as residents are encouraged to do so - Amenity access is limited to scheduled time slots

The website also states that if a resident is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, they should contact their healthcare provider and follow their suggestions. Residents can email info@retreatharrisonburg.com to notify the complex. Additionally, The Retreat said it can also coordinate mail delivery for when residents or roommates of a resident are self-quarantined in their unit.

Sunchase Apartments

Sunchase Apartments, like The Harrison Apartments, has virtual tours in addition to contactless self-guided tours and in-person socially distanced tours. It also asks its residents that they schedule maintenance calls for a time when no one will be home to prevent the spread of the virus. If there’s someone home while a maintenance technician is present, Sunchase asks that the resident practices social distancing, and the technician will also wear a facemask and sanitize before they leave.

The Sunchase website says that amenities are open. However, there are restrictions and limited capacity “per the governor’s guidelines.”

The Hills of Harrisonburg

“We are committed to providing you with a community environment that aligns with CDC protocols and local health guidance in an effort to help stop the spread of COVID 19,” The Hills of Harrisonburg website says.

The precautions the complexes, which include Northview, Southview and Stonegate, are taking are listed below: - Cleanings are occurring several times a day in common areas with recommended cleaning agents - All residents have been provided with recommended cleaning protocols for their apartments - Staff members are “taking steps to sanitize living spaces” and will have additional cleaning supplies for residents upon request - Face coverings are “strongly recommended” to be worn on the property, especially during move-in - Face coverings will also be required at some locations at the direction of “local municipalities” - Team members are required to wear masks at all times when on the job - Signs have been put in place in common areas to remind residents to maintain social distancing - Revised occupancy limits - All large gatherings have been postponed until further notice