Preparedness

Latest News

Frequently Asked Questions: COVID-19 Vaccines and Mitigation Measures

March 18, 2021 | By Karli Lubin, Esq.

Since the start of the pandemic, landlords and property managers have been working with tenants to create a safe and healthy environment for building occupants. As more and more people have access to the vaccine, more employees are returning to office buildings. While COVID-19 vaccines are encouraging for employers currently struggling to balance worker safety with a desire to return to the workplace, their slow rollout has prompted a number of complex concerns. Below are some of the most pressing questions landlords, property managers and tenants face on how to handle vaccinations in the workplace.

Navigating Coronavirus Concerns

March 12, 2020 | By BOMA International

As the impact of the novel coronavirus (now known as COVID-19) has continued to grow across the globe, new questions have surfaced for the commercial real estate industry. As property professionals navigate this evolving situation in their own markets, BOMA International, BOMA local associations and our affiliates around the world are working closely with one another—vetting materials, sharing experiences and sourcing guidance—to ensure that BOMA is providing is members with credible, objective information. In this issue of the vlog, BOMA International President Henry Chamberlain highlights several resources and important business continuity considerations for commercial building owners and managers.

Emergency Preparedness At Your Fingertips

October 6, 2019 | By Liz Wolf

Building emergencies are nothing new. But, thanks to that glowing device in your pocket (and a little help from the cloud), there are new wrinkles to how we respond and how we recover.

What Does Resilience Mean for Commercial Real Estate?

September 16, 2019 | By Ryan M. Colker

Around the world, the frequency, intensity and impacts of natural disasters are increasing. These events can significantly affect the social, economic and environmental functionality of communities. The ability of the commercial building stock and the businesses they house to adequately prepare for such events and quickly return to full operations—a quality known as resilience—contributes significantly to a community’s ability to bounce back. In addition to the community-wide impacts, the state of individual buildings also can affect the long-term viability of the businesses that occupy those buildings.

Conventional Wisdom: Preparedness Lessons from the 2016 Political Conventions

September 9, 2016 | By Jessica Bates

This presidential election year in the United States may be marked by political turmoil, but, from an event planning perspective, the 2016 political conventions in Philadelphia and Cleveland this summer went remarkably well. Thanks to months of detailed planning, thorough preparation and strong communication, both cities boasted successful gatherings with minimal disruption to business as usual—much to the relief of local commercial building owners, property managers and tenants.

Expecting the Unexpected

October 14, 2015 | By Jessica Bates

Nearly fifteen years ago, Pam Schramm had just begun a new job managing an office building in Austin, Texas, when a tornado came tearing down I-35, dangerously close to her property—and her tenants. “That’s when the importance of preparedness really hit home for me,” recalls Schramm, now a senior property manager with Stream Realty Partners. “Back then, the building staff still was using walkie-talkies to communicate, and I didn’t know when the emergency e-mail list had been updated last.” As it turned out, her team was able to notify the building’s tenants quickly about the hazardous conditions outside and implement the emergency plan, keeping everyone safe. But Schramm never forgot how she felt when she realized that they were in real danger. “I didn’t feel prepared,” she admits. “On that day, I decided I was never going to let that happen again.”

Pandemic Lessons Learned—So Far

July 15, 2020 | By John Salustri

Mark Dukes, BOMA Fellow, CCIM, RPA, says he’s ready now for virtually anything: “Storms? Okay. Blackouts? Bring it on. Pandemics? Sure. We have a procedure for that.” The trials of social distancing, widespread quarantine and business interruption that continue to define many of our lives caught most of us unprepared. But, as Dukes, who is vice president of Asset Management for Physicians Realty Trust, indicates, the COVID-19 pandemic has added yet another capability to property managers’ arsenal of contingency plans. Lessons on preparedness have come out of this extended trial, lessons that extend far beyond the obvious, low-hanging fruit of stocking up on facial masks and hand sanitizers.

BOMA International’s Coronavirus Resource Center

March 5, 2020 | By BOMA International

As global concern over the novel coronavirus (now known as COVID-19) increases, BOMA International is actively working to provide commercial real estate professionals with credible information on how to mitigate the potential health and business impacts. Based on information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BOMA International has released a series of guidance documents to help property professionals navigate this public health concern.

BOMA International will continue to monitor this issue as it develops, and resources will be posted regularly to www.boma.org/coronavirus. Members should refer to the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) for up-to-the minute updates and best practices.

Guidance Documents

Guidance Document #3
Tenant FAQ
Updated March 25, 2020

Guidance Document #2
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Preparedness Checklist
Updated March 4, 2020

Guidance Document #1
What You Need to Know: Novel Coronavirus
Updated February 25, 2020

Property Managers Rally In The Face Of Crises

September 23, 2019 | By John Salustri

Let’s face it. No building manager can be fully armed against all risk to life and business at all times, unless they work in a fortress—and who wants to work in a fortress? Yes, there will be times when they’ll be caught off guard. Then, every event becomes a learning experience, costly though it might be, informing the recovery strategy for the next time. And, there’s always a next time.

A “Living Plan” for a Changing World

September 1, 2019 | By Caroline Pomilla

Like many things in the commercial real estate industry, our approach to emergency preparedness is not what it used to be." So says Peter Franklin, DABFE, managing director of Physical Security Management and Risk Assessment for TAL Global and a member of BOMA International’s Preparedness Committee. Looking back on his decades of experience, Franklin can recall a time when each floor of a building was stocked with bags of (highly flammable) sawdust in case of a water flow incident.

Communicating in a Crisis

September 19, 2018 | By John Salustri

When disaster strikes, getting the right information to the right people at the right time can make all the difference. Having a crisis communications plan will help keep tenants safe—and prevent panic.

Building Owners and Managers Association International