Brooke Bayer ran through her mental list of must-haves as she searched this fall for an apartment to share with her boyfriend. They both needed office space. Their building had to welcome Hazel, her miniature schnauzer. And their new place had to be serious about pandemic safety protocols.

Policies at Southstar Lofts in Center City, where she lived until last month, had made her feel as safe as she could feel while COVID-19 cases skyrocketed and she called a multifamily building home. The apartment has increased cleaning in shared spaces, asked residents not to ride elevators with people from different households, and removed chairs from the lobby to discourage lingering, among other policies. Signs remind everyone that masks are mandatory, and people should keep their distance.