June 18, 2020

As people in British Columbia and Vancouver continue to practice social distancing and take appropriate precautions, the number of new COVID-19 cases in on the decline and we are seeing the curve further flattened. The continued vigilance and restraint of Vancouverites like yourselves is proving effective, and the “new normal” is becoming more the norm each day.

Washing hands, social distancing, and wearing masks whenever possible in public are as important as ever. Equally important is remembering to disinfect/sanitize personal effects and high-touch surfaces, particularly if venturing out more frequently.

Some things that should be sanitized frequently include:

• Keys/fob
• Cell phone
• Wallet
• Bottom of purse/bag
• Vehicle steering wheel/gearshift
• External and internal door handles of your unit/home, including lock/deadbolt
• Light switches
• Faucets

Office Updates

The Brightside office continues to remain closed to walk-in guests. We are, however, meeting with residents in the office by appointment only. To schedule an appointment please email info@brightsidehomes.ca or call 604-684-3515.

Before attending an appointment with Brightside staff at the office, guests should be aware of the following procedures being implemented for everyone’s safety:

• Guests will be admitted by appointment only. No walk-ins at this time.
• Only one guest will be admitted at a time.
• We recommend arriving no more than 5 minutes early as the waiting area is not currently available.
• You may be asked to wear a mask and to apply hand sanitizer during your visit.
• All guests will be required to sign-in upon entry and sign-out upon exit.
• All guests will be expected to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
• We ask all guests to avoid unnecessary touching of surfaces or objects.

We ask that guests not attend their appointment if they are experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms: fever, shortness of breath, coughing, sneezing, etc.

Operations Updates

Operations staff are available to meet at the office by appointment only.

Residents are also able to submit repair requests for regular repairs, as well as emergency repairs. Submitting a signed repair request gives permission for trades and/or Brightside staff to enter your unit.

Residents will be offered gloves and masks while Brightside staff/tradespeople are in your home for repairs to reduce the spread of the virus. If you are exhibiting any signs of illness and have submitted a repair request, or are concerned that you have been in contact with someone that has COVID-19, please contact Brightside as soon as possible to cancel repairs.

Note that some of our contractors have their own protocols in place that may require residents to leave their suite or to stay in another room while repairs take place.  We ask that residents be understanding and follow these additional requests by tradespeople to allow for repairs to take place.

As we are experiencing a higher-than-normal number of repair requests, all non-emergency requests will be completed as received, on a priority basis. If you are comfortable with Brightside staff or tradespeople completing in-suite repairs, please submit your request in writing. If you are not yet comfortable with staff/tradespeople entering your unit at this time, you may deny access to your home.

We thank you for your patience and understanding as we work within new provincially regulated guidelines. We, too, are learning and practicing the new normal as we go.

As always, we continue to request that residents confirmed to have COVID-19 inform Brightside immediately. Your privacy is of paramount importance to Brightside and this information will be taken in confidence to help ensure protective measures are taken.

If you are experiencing extraordinary hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we invite you to contact our office by phone or by email as we may be able to provide assistance. You can contact us by email at info@brightsidehomes.ca, or leaving a voicemail at 604-684-3515 for more information.

Practice social distancing, wash your hands often, and stay safe.