HabLab Protocol

HabLab Hostel – Operations Manual (One or More Occupants)

Version 2.4 (Final)

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

• 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

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:

• 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
• 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. Tanks must be obtained 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 follows 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)

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