Deep Dive: Safe and Healthy Buildings

Reducing COVID-19 Risks in Multifamily Buildings

How do I protect tenants and staff members?
The City of Chicago recommends that multifamily property owners:

Require staff and tenants to wear face coverings in common areas (unless they cannot safely covering their face).
Limit gatherings of residents to less than 50 people in common areas.
Clean high-touch areas more frequently and provide hand sanitizer, tissues, and cleaning products in common areas.
Post signs to promote social distancing and COVID related policies and procedures.
Need help finding signs? The CDC has created a toolkit for housing providers with posters and factsheets.
Provide proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to employees and maintenance staff.
The City’s Phase 4 guidance document has details for residential building owners.

What happens when tenants or staff get sick or test positive for COVID-19?
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued guidance on what to expect, and what to do when someone gets sick.
According to the CDPH guidance:

CDPH will not notify building owners or occupants of residents testing positive for COVID-19.
Landlords and building management do not need to notify other occupants if a building resident is sick with COVID-19.
Residents are not required to self-report to building management if they are sick or test positive for COVID-19.
If your building has a cluster of cases, complete this online form.
If you think your building needs to be tested, you can fill out CDPH’s COVID-19 Community Testing Request Form.

Chicago DPH has a fully staffed hotline and email account to answer questions: coronavirus@chicago.gov or call 312-746-4835.

Webinar with the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services and Department of Public Health

The Preservation Compact and the Illinois Housing Council hosted a webinar with the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) on resources for senior citizens, and CDPH information about multifamily buildings. Below are some follow up materials:

Recording of the webinar.
PDF of the DFSS PowerPoint presentation.
List of resources for owners and managers of senior buildings from CDPH.

Want to learn more?

CIC and The Preservation Compact are working to compile relevant resources that may be helpful to building owners and tenants in Illinois during the COVID-19 health pandemic.
We have compiled information and resources for tenants and owners on our website.
Public Health and Rental Buildings:

The Chicago Department of Public Health released COVID-19 Guidance for Residential Buildings.
The Chicagoland Apartment Association has resources on operations during the pandemic on their COVID-19 resources page.

Housing Authority Operations During the Pandemic:

The Chicago Housing Authority released a FAQ that provides information about working with the CHA’s Housing Choice Voucher Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
HUD released an Eviction Prevention and Housing Stability toolkit for tenants, owners, and Public Housing Authorities effected by COVID-19.