Community Policies & Agreements

Common Area Agreements

(from the Membership Agreement)

Purpose. The common areas in OpenDoor communities are the central place where members gather, socialize, host events, and more. In partnership with Members, we strive to make the common areas a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for Members and guests alike. As such, this policy is designed to provide a baseline of clear agreements and etiquettes for Members to follow in using the common areas.

Quiet Hours. Quiet hours are between 10pm and 8am every day. Members may use the common area during this time but must keep noise to a minimum and halt any noise-making activities if requested by another member. Quiet hours extend to the use of the piano in the first floor lobby. If a member wishes to use the common areas during quiet hours for activities that produce significant noise, they must receive permission from the Floor. Members must also respect noise restraints, as set by the local municipality.

Cleanliness. In service of providing a clean and inviting space for all members, each member agrees to leave common areas in the same or better condition than they found them – which includes removing all personal items and trash from common areas. While OpenDoor does hire professional cleaners to clean the common areas twice each month, this is no replacement for members tidying and cleaning up after themselves each time they use a common area. The purpose of the professional cleaners to provide the deep clean, including mopping floors, sanitizing surfaces, etc. They are not your maids, they will not clean up your messes.

Prohibited Activities. The following activities are prohibited in all common areas:

• No nudity in the common areas
• No sexual acts in the common areas
• No sleeping by members or guests in the common area
• No usage of illegal drugs (also prohibited anywhere on the Premises)
• No smoking (also prohibited anywhere on the Premises)
• No incense, candles, or open flames (also prohibited anywhere on the Premises)

Activities to be Mindful Of. Certain activities may make other members and guests feel uncomfortable or unsafe. These may include but are not limited to cuddling, massage, or other signs of overt physical affection. We kindly ask that members be mindful of the impact on other Members when considering performing these activities, and always err on the side of consent with other members in the space if they are not sure.

Exclusive or Dominating Uses of Common Areas. Any use of a common area that makes it difficult or impossible for other Members to utilize requires permission from the entire Floor. This includes activities such as large social gatherings, yoga, loud music, and similar. We do encourage events and other special activities in common areas, so long as the Floor is supportive of it as well. OpenDoor will provide a community calendar to help coordinate shared usage of the common areas.

Restricted Access. OpenDoor reserves the right to restrict or eliminate access to common areas, or programming being offered therein, for members who are a) not following the below common area policies, b) causing damage or harm to the common areas or common furnishings, or c) being a nuisance to other members or their guests.

Common Area Usage & Booking

1st Floor Common Lounge + Kitchen Usage. These two common areas are the largest in the building and are available to all members. These are the best place to host larger events and gatherings (10+ people) such as building-wide events or community dinners. 

Common Kitchen Usage. Each floor has its own common kitchen which is intended to be used by members on that floor (except for the 1st floor kitchen, which is common to all members). Of course, members from other floors can visit / hang out in other common areas, but priority is given to the members who live on that floor. Usage is on a first-come, first-serve basis; while common kitchens will be available to members most of the time, you are not guaranteed access at all times due to usage by other people, in which case you can use the kitchenette in your studio. Note: 1st Floor Members have access to the basement kitchen when the first floor kitchen is booked / being used for an event.

Large Group Gatherings. If you are doing a large group gathering with floormates, you are not required to book the common kitchen on your floor but please communicate and coordinate with your floormates on Slack.  For gatherings over 7 people during COVID (and 10 or so people in “normal” times), we recommend using the 1st floor common area to accommodate, which you are required to book. 

Public Events. We encourage members to host events or gatherings available to other Freya members. If you are hosting such an event, please share it in Slack in the #events channel and add it to the whiteboard calendar in the common space. If you would like to host an event open to the wider public (not just Freya members), please reach out to OpenDoor to discuss and coordinate.

Guests

Hosting Guests. You are welcome to have friends, families, partners, and the like over at Freya. Hosting guests helps build a larger community and network of people around the Freya community. As a member, opportunity to connect with new and interesting people is one of the great benefit of coliving.

Guests are the responsibility of the member who invites / hosts them. Guests are required to follow all rules and policies of Freya, and it is the hosting member’s responsibility to make sure guests are sufficiently educated and managed. For the safety of all members, during the COVID pandemic, guest visits are limited to your own studios and are now allowed to hang out in common areas. 

Overnight Guests. Overnight guests are welcomed at Freya. Overnight guests must sleep in the hosting member’s private unit and are not allowed to sleep in any common areas. Per the membership agreement, each guest is limited to a maximum of 15 days a month and 30 days a year. If you would like a guest to stay longer, they will need to be added to your Membership Agreement, which is subject to approval from OpenDoor. Please see your membership agreement for the full details of this policy. 

Subletting

Due to the nature of our program, we do not allow members to sublet their units. It adds complexity to the community dynamic, especially given the thoughtful process in which we onboard and bring new members into our communities. Similarly, you are not allowed to advertise or rent your unit on Airbnb, VRBO, Craigslist, or any other listings platforms.

COVID-19 Policy

(from the Membership Agreement)

Purpose. As a coliving apartment building, it is particularly important to have clear and thoughtful COVID agreements in service of keeping all members safe & healthy in their home. As such, and as outline in the membership agreement, members agree to follow the following requirements at Freya.

Masks. Masks are required to be worn in common spaces, including but not limited to:  kitchens, TV lounges, laundry rooms, the lobby, hallways, stairwells, garbage and recycling room, bike storage / dog wash room, and exercise room.

Guests. Guests are allowed to visit only in member’s units and are required to wear mask when walking through common areas. Guests are not permitted to hang out in common areas (lounges, TV Room, or kitchens, etc). Members are required to limit the number of guests to 3 at any given time to avoid exposure for other members.

Exposure. Members are required to inform OpenDoor and the community (via Slack) if they have been exposed to someone with or test positive for COVID-19.

Quarantine. Members are required to quarantine in their Private Unit for 14 days following exposure or positive test results.

Safe Practices. Members agree to follow the below safe COVID-19 practices:

• Sanitize surfaces after use, including but not limited to kitchen counters, exercise equipment, and laundry machines.
• Maintain 6 feet distance and wear masks when outside of the community, avoiding large crowds as much as possible
• Avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe illness
• Avoid touching your face and wash hands often

Policy Updates.  As the pandemic and associated healthy requirements / recommendations is an evolving situation, OpenDoor may periodically update this COVID-19 policy. OpenDoor will adhere to any local, state, and/or federally mandated requirements regarding COVID-19, as well as employ the best practices and recommendations of local, state, and federal agencies. OpenDoor will at some point remove all restrictions once we have deemed that we can do so legally and in a way that maintains the health & safety of all Freya members.

Slack Policy

Purpose. OpenDoor uses Slack as the online communication platform for our members to communicate, collaborate, and organize with one another. Freya has its own dedicated Slack workspace intended for open communication about community needs, issues, and coordination between community members.  This policy is meant to provide basic guidelines for Slack usage by members and moderation by OpenDoor.

Prohibited Activities

• Do not posts anything that is obscene, inappropriate, sexually explicit, an invasion of privacy, or generally unwanted by other member(s)
• No bullying, harassing, and shaming of other members
• No spamming or excessive posting

Moderation by OpenDoor. While OpenDoor does not monitor daily Slack activity, OpenDoor may take the following actions if it deems member(s) have violated the Slack policy or are generally being a nuisance in the Slack workspace:

• Delete a post
• Delete a channel
• Temporarily or permanently limit access by a member
• Temporarily or permanently remove a member from the slack Workspace
• Temporarily or permanently shut down the workspace altogether

For details on how we use Slack as a community workspace, including best practices and norms, check out the Slack section of the Life at Freya page. 

20 Days Notice Policy

You are required to provide OpenDoor with at least 20 days notice prior to moving out, which must be given before the 1st of the month in writing. Please email [email protected] to give property notice. 

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