HabLab Protocol

HabLab Hostel – Operations Manual and Cost (One or More Occupants)

Version 2.4

• $400 cost for a private room in a shared accomodation setting with 10 rooms
• Private room (≈100-150 sq ft)
• Shared kitchen + bath
• Basic/hostel-like accommodations
• Heat Pump + Electricity + water + Internet included
• Not included - propane for hot water and cooking

1. Purpose and Operating Principles

This manual defines the operational expectations, access boundaries, cleanliness standards (interior and exterior), utilities responsibilities, pest control expectations, and enforcement mechanisms for HabLab Hostel when one or more occupants are using the facility.

Operating Principles

1. Stewardship: Residents are temporary stewards of authorized spaces and grounds.
2. Clear Boundaries: Access is limited to designated areas only.
3. Low-Cost, Shared-Responsibility Model: Reduced housing cost is enabled by resident upkeep and responsible resource use.
4. Predictability: Standards and consequences are predefined.

2. Access Control and Space Use

Authorized Areas

Residents are authorized to use:

• Their assigned private room(s)
• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Common areas (living area, workspace, dining area, hallways)
• Designated outdoor common areas (porch, entryways, walkways, immediate grounds)

Restricted Areas

Residents are not authorized to use:

• Any unassigned bedrooms
• Storage rooms not explicitly designated for resident use
• Offices or rooms marked “Restricted”

Unauthorized access is a material violation.

3. Cleanliness, Maintenance, and Pest Control Standards

Interior Cleanliness Standards

All authorized interior spaces must be maintained in a sanitary condition, free of accumulated trash, food residue, pests, and odors.

Kitchen

• Counters wiped after use
• Sink empty of dishes
• Food stored properly
• Trash removed before overflow
• Floors swept weekly

Bathrooms

• Toilets, sinks, mirrors cleaned weekly
• Floors swept or mopped weekly
• No standing water or mold
• Trash removed weekly

Common Areas

• Outdoor shoes left in shoe rack
• Floors swept weekly
• No personal items left in shared walkways
• Tools and equipment returned to designated storage

Private Rooms

• Hygienic condition
• No food waste accumulation
• No damage to walls, floors, or furnishings

Recycling + Trash

• All organic materials including paper and cardboard are to be composted in a compost bin north of the house. Just walk out the back door.
• Use a 5 gallon bucket with sealed top for compostable materials.
• All plastic, glass, aluminum, and metal cans are to be separated into 4 recycling 55 gallon drums outside HabLab. Best practice involves lining drum with a large garbage bag, and taking out the bag when near full on an as-filled basis - as a regular chore shared by residents.
• No recycling bags, or trash bags, shall be left outside of containers or drums because animals and wind can scatter them.
• Trash shall be taken to the burn barrels and burned as soon as a burn barrel is full.
• Trash should be minimal - as all plastic should be recycled, and any nontoxic materials should be shredded for making Trement Blocks or composted.

Exterior / Grounds Cleanliness Standards

Residents are responsible for basic cleanliness and order of immediate outdoor areas:

• Entryways and porches
• Walkways to and from the building
• Immediate yard areas used for access

Minimum standards:

• No trash or litter left outside
• Entryways swept weekly
• Snow/ice removal from primary walkways and entries (if applicable and equipment is provided)
• No accumulation of personal items outside
• No dumping of materials, scrap, or waste on the grounds

Major landscaping and grounds work remain facility responsibility unless otherwise agreed.

Rodent and Pest Control

Residents must:

• Each resident uses up to 2 food storage cabinets, and labels with sticky pad or tape
• Keep all food covered or sealed in rodent-resistant containers
• Not leave food out overnight
• Use mouse traps in designated locations if rodent activity is present or suspected
• Check and reset traps regularly and dispose of trapped rodents promptly
• Keep floors and food-prep areas free of crumbs and spills
• Report evidence of rodent activity promptly

Failure to follow rodent-control practices is considered a cleanliness violation.

4. Cleaning Schedule and Responsibility Model

Residents collectively are responsible for:

• Daily light upkeep: dishes, trash, wiping spills, keeping entryways clear
• Weekly standard clean: kitchen, bathrooms, floors, common areas, porch and entry
• Monthly deep clean: baseboards, appliance interiors, shower surfaces, door handles, spot-clean walls

Cleaning duties are assigned via a posted rota, zones, or a rotating House Steward model.

5. Supplies, Equipment, and Utilities

Supplies Provided by the Facility

The facility provides only the following shared cleaning tools:

• Interior broom
• Exterior (outside) broom
• Mop and bucket
• Dustpan

No cleaning agents, consumables, traps, or pest-control products are provided.

Resident-Provided Supplies

Residents are responsible for providing:

• All cleaning agents
• Trash bags, rags, paper towels
• Laundry detergent (if applicable)
• Mouse traps and rodent-control supplies
• Propane for cooking and hot water

Propane for Cooking and Hot Water

Residents are responsible for supplying and paying for propane used for cooking and hot water. Existing tanks must be refilled from approved suppliers and handled safely. No modifications to propane systems are permitted. When multiple occupants are present, residents must coordinate equitable cost-sharing for propane.

6. Inspection, Reporting, and Accountability

Weekly inspections of common interior and exterior areas may be conducted by facility management or a designated House Steward. Residents must report maintenance issues, safety hazards, pest activity, and exterior hazards promptly.

7. Enforcement and Consequences

Non-compliance may follow the escalation path:

1. Notice and 24-hour remediation
2. Written warning and possible fee
3. Termination of housing

Unauthorized access to restricted rooms or damage beyond normal wear may result in immediate termination.

8. Conduct, Storage, and Move-Out

Personal items must remain in private rooms or designated storage areas only. Upon move-out, assigned rooms and common areas must be left clean, and no trash or personal property may be left on the grounds.

9. Acknowledgment

Occupancy is contingent on adherence to:

• Access boundaries
• Interior and exterior cleanliness standards
• Stewardship responsibilities
• Resident responsibility for propane used for cooking and hot water
• Rodent-control practices (food storage and mouse traps)
• Recycling and trash procedure

This facility is operated as low-cost, stewardship-based housing, not a serviced rental.