Hurricanes: After-Storm Cleanup Services

It’s over – the hurricane has passed. But now the real work begins – assessing and cleaning up the damage to your community. How do you start this Herculean task? Following are some pointers to keep in mind as your community begins the rebuilding process:

Site Inspection

The property manager (if your community has one) and one or more board members should inspect the property as soon as possible after the storm. Create a running list of all the items that need to be repaired or cleaned in common areas. This could include: removing debris that is blocking roads or sidewalks; removing debris that is creating unsafe conditions in common areas; restoring power, water or other utilities; repairing roofs, other structural damage, landscaping, or common area damage; and mitigating water damage. As you tour the property, take photos and videos to document the conditions. This will be useful when you file a claim with your insurance company.

Contact the Association’s Insurance Company

If the damage is likely to exceed your association’s insurance deductible, file a claim with your insurance company right away. Hurricane deductibles can be quite large, so you may need to tap into your reserve funds to cover this. If your reserve funds are not high enough, then consider a line of credit to fill the gap. Make sure to remind your residents that they need to contact their personal homeowner’s insurance company to file claims to cover damage to their individual properties.

Immediate Repairs

As much as possible, avoid making any major repairs before the insurance company gives you permission to do so. However, it’s important to take steps to mitigate any additional damage, such as placing tarps on damaged roofs or placing boards in broken windows to prevent additional water damage.

Similarly, remove any debris from the roads and sidewalks that is blocking residents from reaching their homes. If there are any trees that appear unstable and could fall and hurt a person or property, take those down as well to prevent additional injuries or damage.

Communicate with Residents

Send daily communications to residents to keep them up-to-date on the status of the community. Some topics to include are: findings of initial site inspection, cleanup plans, status of utilities and cell towers, and reminders to contact their own insurance companies. Residents may feel scared and vulnerable and will likely want as much information as possible on the clean-up efforts. It is often better to over-communicate than under-communicate in situations such as this.

Let CCM Handle the Heavy Lifting: Literally and Figuratively

Our professional team is experienced in all facets of hurricane cleanup, whether it is site inspections, communicating with residents, debris removal, facilities repair, and more. Our team manages the cleanup process for several of Florida’s most exclusive communities. Contact us today to learn how working with CCM as your property management company can make your next hurricane cleanup process seem like a breeze. 

Consolidated Community Management (CCM) is a full-service property management company specializing in condominium and homeowner association management in Broward and southern Palm Beach Counties.  We are committed to working together with community Boards of Directors to develop management plans tailored to the unique requirements of each community and their residents.

CCM provides a quality of service that is unique to our industry and consistently delivers a distinct competitive advantage.  Our concentrated, extensive local presence and knowledge of community associations results in lasting partnerships and superior service.  We have built our industry reputation on employing the best in the business and assigning only a limited number of properties to each Property Manager Team.

Our team at Consolidated Community Management provides expert property management services at competitive prices.  Contact us today by calling (954) 718-9903 for Broward, (561) 465-7639 for Boynton Beach, or clicking on ccmfla.com.