Written by: Gregg Shivers, Esq.

With the passage of the immunity bill for community associations, boards are quickly and enthusiastically returning to business as usual. As part of that movement, some associations are scheduling bus trips, holiday parties and other off-site activities. It is important to remember that the limited immunity provided by this new law only applies to exposures to COVID-19 on the premises of the Association. The purpose of the bill was to allow associations to safely open their pools and clubhouses and was not meant as a blanket immunity. Therefore, your association is not protected against COVID-19 claims by insurance or the immunity law for off-site activities.

With the number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths increasing again, any Board planning an off-site activity should consider their decision carefully.  At the very least, you should require participants to sign a waiver; however, keeping activities on-site is the best course of action.

Also, remember that unless the immunity law is extended by the legislature, it only covers exposures through December 31, 2021. You should keep that in mind when planning your winter calendars.

If you have questions about how this immunity law affects your community, or have any other issues with your community association, please contact one of our community association attorneys.

Written by: Loren Lightman

On May 19, 2021, the New Jersey Department of Health issued updated regulations applicable to indoor and outdoor community association pools. The most significant change from prior regulations is that both indoor and outdoor pools are no longer subject to percentage based capacity limits; rather, the regulations require measures are taken to ensure that “patrons or groups of patrons” can maintain a 6-foot distance from other patrons both in and out of the pool which are to be incorporated into the Covid-19 Pool Operation Prevention Plan (CPOPP) submitted by the association to the local health authority.

The Governor announced today that a number of restrictions will be modified as of May 19. However, he noted that we would be receiving details from the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) regarding some of these changes. As usual, we will need to see those details before we can take specific actions, especially in regard to swimming pools and gyms. Here are the highlights as they pertain to community associations:

Written by: Ronald L. Perl

With more favorable infection numbers and the increasing number of vaccinated individuals, the Governor is raising the limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings as of Friday, March 19th.

“Spooky scary skeletons
Send shivers down your spine
Shrieking skulls will shock your soul
Seal your doom tonight”

Like everything else, Halloween will look a little different in our community associations this year thanks to COVID-19. In response to the pandemic, both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and the New Jersey Department of Health (“NJDOH”) have issued “Halloween Celebration Guidance” to be followed when trick or treating or just celebrating the season.

While most of this guidance, which includes social distancing, wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, etc., should not be new to anyone, there are some good suggestions for those who plan to either give or receive candy. And remember that your Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, or other costume masks are not acceptable substitutes – incorporate a cloth mask into your costume. Most importantly, have fun and stay safe!

For the full CDC guidance, click here.

For the full NJDOH guidance, click here.

For more information on this or any other issue concerning your community association, please contact one of our Community Associations attorneys. For breaking news or updates on new blog posts, follow us on Twitter at: @njcondolaw.

Written by: Terry A. Kessler, Esq.

With Executive Order 152, issued on June 9, Governor Murphy has authorized larger numbers of people to congregate in certain areas and under specified conditions and so enables community associations to open their clubhouses and facilities and to hold both indoor and outdoor events. However, the order restricts the sizes of such gatherings and the proximity of attendees because congregating in large groups and remaining in close proximity increases the risk of transmitting COVID-19. These new regulations can be found here. While outdoor events also are permitted, this article addresses only indoor use/events. An association is not required to open the clubhouse but if it does, it must consider the following: