Page 9 - NY Cooperator December 2020

COOPERATOR.COM THE COOPERATOR — DECEMBER 2020 9 Make the Right Mortgage Choice. $170,000 Brooklyn, NY Residential Underlying Co-Op $300,000 New York, NY Residential Underlying Co-Op/Retail $250,000 Brooklyn, NY Residential Underlying Co-Op 220 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556 • www.FlushingBank.com Patrick Akosah 718.512.2798 MLO #674966 Patrick Dolan 718.512.2817 MLO #1016524 Cindy Lam 718.512.2816 MLO #410081 Daniel Lee 718.593.8067 MLO #64756 Anthony Montalbano 718.512.2731 MLO #1180405 Christopher O’Hara 718.512.2809 MLO #673112 Michael Pollis 718.512.2911 MLO #1703994 Community lending expertise with personal service. At Flushing Bank, we are focused on exceeding your goals. Composed of experienced lenders with local market knowledge, Flushing Bank’s Real Estate Lending team is ready to help you with your real estate mortgage solution. As a leader in community lending, we provide competitive rates, including long-term, fixed-rate loan programs. Call us today to discuss a mortgage solution that is right for you. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark FB 952 - RMU Cooperator UPDATE.indd 1 12/13/18 11:13 AM tions. No matter what rules an association or co- operative board puts in place, says Marks, the who live in your household earlier it informs residents of them, the better. People need to make plans and communicate loved ones and neighbors, especially those at lar sentiments. With the idea of “ending this comfort of home that are made possible by with their guests, too. No one should be sur- prised by a new visitor policy or a new tennis vere illness from court regulation, especially in the middle of COVID-19, and the holidays. “It is a really challenging balanc- ing act,” says Marks of both the condo’s and way that doesn’t the city’s attempts to institute safety precau- tions while allowing residents to come togeth- er and enjoy their properties. “We’re doing what we can to lighten spirits and give people tual dinner and diversions.” Activities with Lowest Risk If you are following the advice of the CDC and most other medical authorities, you will rather than in per- likely opt to keep your holiday activities as son, or shop lo- close to home as possible, rather than travel- ing, which poses coronavirus risk for both than Black Friday oneself and the population at large. In fact, staying at home, with a limited number of events, household members or perhaps a fastidious ‘pod’ of close associates, is the safest way to home spend the holidays while the virus still poses a worldwide health threat. e CDC has provided recommendations for holiday activities that pose the lowest risk southwest, mentions that communities in the sparkly things that remind us of holidays past com/join): Free board games to individuals in terms of coronavirus conta- gion, and they can be enjoyed by any house- hold, whether an apartment, condo, co-op, its, maintain a sense of normalcy, and create re hazard, impede emergency egress, or ex- townhome, or single-family residence: • Have a small dinner with only people homes and yards with the regular holiday • Prepare traditional family recipes for with messages like ‘Together Apart’ and simi- higher risk of se- deliver them in a involve contact with others • Have a vir- share recipes with friends and family • Shop online cally on days other • Watch sports parades, and movies from Deck the Halls Spectrum Association Management, which manages properties throughout the hood. Bring out the lights, trees, colors, and area have started decorating early “to kick o the last quarter of the year in e ort to li spir- community.” In addition to festooning their ceed brightness and noise restrictions.) fare, residents are adding lights and displays year on a celebratory access to high-speed internet, new so ware, note,” households and communities are Net ix Party extension for Google Chrome, sharing their displays for example, groups of individuals with miles on social media with or walls between them can simultaneously hashtags like #Coro- naKindness and #ChristmasLights. Co-ops, condos, that Net ix Party only works on desktop and HOAs that allow and laptop computers for now, and Chrome public-facing decora- tions in and around enhance this experience by plugging a laptop residences can pro- mote such activi- ties with contests or What better way to enjoy “It’s a Wonderful photo-sharing within Life”—and to be reminded that it is, in spite of their communities. Holiday displays in lobbies and entrances can bring joy to the that might appeal to a particular community’s world—even if your world is currently re- stricted to your building or your neighbor- and stir up anticipation of future merriment. (Just be mindful of anything that can pose a lator.com/games): Realistic, 3-D simulated Home for the Holidays Multi-Housing News points to virtual ways of getting together from the safety and and availability of smart devices. With the watch anything that streams on Net ix while using the chat menu to have a fun, communal experience in a socially distanced way. (Note must be installed.) MHN suggests that users into their TV with an HDMI cable, thereby getting better sound and a larger picture. these challenging times. Another suggestion from Multi-Housing New s is to promote an online game service residents and take the place of such in-person activities. Some examples are: • Board Game Arena (en.boardgamearena. • Tabletop Simulator (www.tabletopsimu- continued on page 14 “During COVID, we’re gonna have to challenge ourselves just a little bit to lower our risk factors. Have the crucial conversations with your relatives and loved ones. Plan ahead.” — Dr. Sam Jarvis