Construction notice to residents

The same notice three ways: an email with the details, a text of 160 characters or fewer, and a phone script of about 30 seconds.

For work that runs more than a day, such as a sidewalk replacement or a clubhouse renovation. Say when it starts, the working hours, and what residents should do.

Email

Subject: Sidewalk replacement on Cypress Lane, June 15 to June 26

Residents of Cypress Lane,

The sidewalk on the east side of Cypress Lane will be replaced from Monday, June 15, through Friday, June 26. Crews will work weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Please use the west sidewalk while the work is going on. Driveways stay open, but expect short waits while equipment passes.

If the schedule changes, we will send another notice.

Questions: call the office at 727-555-0100 or reply to this email.

Oak Hollow HOA office

Text

DewAlert - Oak Hollow: Sidewalk work on Cypress Ln east side Jun 15-26, weekdays 8am-5pm. Use the west sidewalk. Questions: 727-555-0100

DewAlert adds the gray start, "DewAlert - Oak Hollow:", so residents know who the text is from. You write the rest. 136 characters in all. One text.

A resident's first text after signing up also ends with "Reply STOP to opt out":

DewAlert - Oak Hollow: Sidewalk work on Cypress Ln east side Jun 15-26, weekdays 8am-5pm. Use the west sidewalk. Questions: 727-555-0100 Reply STOP to opt out

158 characters. Still one text.

Phone call

This is the Oak Hollow office with a notice for Cypress Lane. The sidewalk on the east side of Cypress Lane will be replaced from June 15 through June 26. Crews will work weekdays from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. Please use the west sidewalk while the work is going on. Driveways stay open. Questions, call the office at 727-555-0100. Thank you.

About 26 seconds read aloud.

Writing tips

One notice, three ways.

Email

Put the street and the time in the subject. Many residents read only that.

Text

Keep the whole text to 160 characters, counting the start DewAlert adds with your community's name, and the STOP line on a resident's first text. An emoji or a curly quote can cut that to 70 and make it two messages. Leave out links, and give a phone number.

Phone

Say who is calling first. Say the main fact twice. Write times the way you would say them: "9 in the morning," not "9:00 a.m." Keep it near 30 seconds, because voicemail may cut a long one off.

DewAlert

Write all three on one page.

DewAlert sends one notice by email, text, and a recorded phone call, written separately for each, to the residents who asked for it.

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These templates are for everyday notices. They are not the official notice for a meeting, an election, a budget, a fine, or a lien. They do not replace your county's emergency alerts.