Dear AAR Directors, 

On behalf of President Morgan Ashurst, we hope everyone is doing well. We are writing to provide several important updates:

• Governor’s Safer at Home Order: This afternoon, Governor Ivey updated her Safer at Home Order and continued a methodical, phased in reopening of Alabama’s economy. The Order goes into effect on May 22, ends July 3, and can be found here. Information graphics can be found here and here. 
• Department of Public Health: Alabama’s Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris and other health experts continue to stress the importance of social distancing, wearing masks in public, following all public health guidance and avoiding large gatherings. This public health emergency is far from over. 
• Liability Protection: In case you missed it, Governor Ivey also issued an Executive Order to provide liability protection from frivolous lawsuits relating to COVID-19. An overview of this can be found here. 
  • The liability protection will only apply to individuals, businesses, schools, churches who are making reasonable attempts to comply with recommended public health guidance.
  • The Order will not protect reckless or careless conduct or those not following public health guidance.
  • Please continue to show leadership and follow recommended public health guidelines within your businesses, boards, communities, and set a great example as we move forward.
  • Those efforts may be helpful in the future to defend against a COVID-19 related lawsuit.
• Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures: This afternoon, Governor Ivey issued an Amended Executive Order to remove the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures effective June 1. This is positive news for many of our members in property management. An overview of COVID-19 Property Management FAQs was published last week in REA and will be updated with this new information.

Looking ahead: 

• Board of Directors Zoom Virtual Meeting in June:
  • We hoped to have an in-person meeting with the Board of Directors in June. Given the circumstances, an in-person meeting will not be possible.
  • We will make plans to have a Zoom Virtual Meeting instead and will circulate that information as soon as a date is confirmed.

Please reach out if you have any questions or we can be helpful. Thank you for everything you are doing.

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend and please remember the military servicemen and women who perished in service to our country.

Warm regards, 

Jeremy