CAI-NJ April 2021

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW? COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION COVID-19 UPDATE CAI-NJ Editorial Committee T he Community Trends ® What Should You be Thinking About Right Now? — Community Association COVID-19 Update is a new monthly feature in every issue in 2021. While upcoming issues of Community Trends ® will include featured articles relating to COVID-19 and its impact on community associations in New Jersey, the Community Association COVID-19 Update provides direct, bullet-point style updates of the latest relevant COVID-19 information available at the time of publication. For the most up to date official information relating to COVID-19 in New Jersey, readers are encouraged to visit the State of New Jersey’s dedicated COVID-19 Information HUB at https://covid19.nj.gov/ Vaccination Eligibility On March 11th, during Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address, the president directed all states to make every adult eligible for the vaccine on May 1st. How do you know if you’re eligible? Go to the New Jersey Website: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/covid-19-vaccine-locations-for-eligible-recipients Should you qualify, you can then go reg- ister for the vaccine scheduling at https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/ UPDATE FOR APRIL 2021: Use of Common Areas and Amenities The guidance of the state outlined in Executive Order 192 defines what is allowed in gyms. The executive order applies to condominiums and cooperatives. It requires social distancing and limits to the capacity of 35%. On March 19, the New Jersey indoor dining capacity limits increase from 35% to 50%. Gatherings are limited to 10 people with no more than one person per 200 sq. ft. Check your local municipalities for additional guidelines.

• Provide sanitization tables • Have additional masks available • Spaces should allow for social distancing • When vendors come onsite, have them sign a waiver of liability with the risks How to Protect Employees and Your Association

• Post social distancing requirements • Establish designated areas for pick up and deliveries • Limit the sharing of objects • If there are positive tests, immediately complete contact tracing protocols

For Homeowner’s Association and Condominium Association Dues On March 10, 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Act”), which President Joe Biden signed into law on March 11, 2021. The Act is a $1.9 trillion economic relief package intended to address the COVID- 19 pandemic and its economic fallout. The Act appropriates approximately $9.9 billion to the Homeowner Assistance Fund to assist homeowners in mitigating COVID-19 related financial hardships. The funding aims to prevent homeowner mortgage defaults, loss of utilities, foreclo- sures, and displacements by helping with past-due mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, and HOA/COA dues. The Act includes homeowner’s association and condominium association fees as a “qualified expense,” allowing home- owners to obtain funding for past-due assessments. Homeowners Assistance Fund should positively impact homeowner and condominium association’s ability to collect on delinquent accounts. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319/text#H1C6645637921451C8F178147E2C932A6 https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319/text#H5A1B4986CEA84FF78D11F2F5A93763CA

CAI-NJ would like to thank this month’s contributor Editorial Committee Member, Robert Arnone, AMS, CPM, RCA Management, LLC, with additions by Melissa Volet, Esq., Stark & Stark.

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