Pools, Parties and (Outdoor) Pits: Keeping Outdoor Multifamily Amenities Accessible and Secure

This is the second part of a two-part series. You can read the first article, “Summer is Coming—Time for a Seasonal Apartment Amenities Focus,” here.

Managing multifamily property warm-weather amenities involves more than dumping the occasional bag of chlorine in the swimming pool. “Managing summertime amenities comes with unique operational pressures due to high demand and increased foot traffic,” observed LIVunLtd’s President and COO Brian Buccino. Additionally, “overcrowding, amenity misuse and supply strain are common challenges, especially during the summer when resident activity surges,” said Alexandra LaFlam, national account executive at WithMe Inc.

As such, Buccino, LaFlam and FirstService Residential’s Athenes Bauza told ApartmentBuildings.com that continuous oversight of summertime features is required to ensure that residents remain safe while enjoying those swimming pools, deck chairs, dog parks, and barbecue pits.

Increased Usage, Many Challenges

Bauza, who serves as business development director, New Development and Multifamily Rentals, pointed out that owner-operators and managers find themselves walking a fine line between amenities management and residential safety during the warmer weather.

Part of the issue is having enough staff on hand. “Often, properties leverage existing building staff to maintain and manage amenity spaces to control costs,” Bauza said. As a result, property teams are spread thin. Additionally, “this requires building maintenance workers to handle tasks they may not have been trained for,” Bauza said.

Another potential challenge is supply levels for shared resources. Examples might include a lack of pool towels, limited disposal bags at dog parks or an absence of coffee beans and other supplies. “Resource management changes during the summer months,” LaFlam said.

Then, keeping all areas clean can be a challenge as residents flock to the great outdoors. Furthermore, outdoor furniture can break, HVAC systems and lighting can fail, unauthorized visitors and alcohol can lead to problems.

Baking in the Sol-utions

The experts agreed that an essential solution to the challenges is staff preparation. “Whenever possible, we encourage properties to hire staff that have the capabilities of managing people traffic, observing health department protocols and following hospitality-driven standards,” Bauza said.

Buccino added that seasonal staff should be hired and trained early on. To ensure that staff return, offer competitive pay and consider incentive-based bonuses.

Another issue all agreed upon was proper rule enforcement. “Communicate the rules ahead of time and post them on site,” Buccino recommended. Also, ensure that staff are trained to manage any violations with consistency and professionalism.” Staff should also understand emergency plans and participate in safety drills, he added.

The experts also pointed out that smart technology can go a long way toward meeting the challenges of warm-weather amenity uses. Buccino explained that access control systems linked to resident profiles can prevent unauthorized entry from non-residents. LaFlam added that past data concerning tenant behavior and experience can pinpoint which supplies are needed when, while Bauza said that technology can also manage pool headcounts and determine maximum allowable users during a certain time.

Finally, involving the residents in amenities usage discussions can go a long way. “Summer is a great time to re-educate residents on amenity expectations,” LaFlam said. “A kickoff message outlining rules and etiquette can set the tone for the season and reduce friction.”