Owner, Tenant & Property Manager Storm Responsibilities: A Commercial Property Planning Matrix

Storm planning gets messy when three different questions are treated as one: Who coordinates the task? Who is legally responsible? And who ultimately pays? At a leased commercial property, those answers can differ. A property manager may coordinate vendors and tenant communications, for example, while the owner retains approval authority and the lease or insurance policy determines financial responsibility.

This guide is a planning framework for commercial properties, with New Orleans-specific considerations. It’s meant to help owners, tenants and property managers assign work before a storm, document decisions and know when the lease, management agreement, insurance policy, applicable law or an official emergency order controls the next step.

Quick Answer: Who Is Responsible for Storm Preparation and Recovery?

Operational lead: the person or team expected to coordinate the task.
Approving authority: the owner, tenant or other party that must authorize the action or expense.
Controlling document: the lease, management agreement, policy, vendor contract or emergency plan that defines the rule.
Public authority: evacuation, closure, access and safety orders can override a private operating plan.

Start With the Documents That Control the Decision

A responsibility matrix is useful only when it points back to the documents and authorities that actually govern the property. Review these before hurricane season, not for the first time after damage occurs.

Document or authority	What it controls	Who should review it
Commercial lease	Repair and casualty clauses, notice requirements, insurance obligations, access, restoration, tenant improvements, rent consequences and termination rights.	Owner, tenant and commercial real-estate attorney
Property-management agreement	Manager authority, spending limits, vendor dispatch, inspection duties, tenant communication, owner approvals and escalation.	Owner and property manager
Insurance policies	Covered property and perils, deductibles, notice requirements, mitigation duties, claim procedures and flood coverage or exclusions.	Named insured and qualified insurance professional
Emergency plan and vendor contracts	Contacts, shutdown procedures, roof/security/generator/vendor responsibilities, access rules and response steps.	Owner, manager, tenants and vendors as applicable
Official emergency orders	Evacuation, closure, return, access and public-safety restrictions.	Everyone involved in property operations

Owner vs. Tenant vs. Property Manager Storm Responsibility Matrix

Use this as a planning allocation, not as a universal legal rule. “Typical operational lead” means the party that often coordinates the task in a well-defined plan; the lease, management agreement, insurance policy, law and emergency orders may assign or limit responsibility differently.

Storm phase	Task	Typical operational lead	Owner role	Tenant role	Property manager role	What controls?	Escalation / caveat
Before hurricane season	Verify owner, tenant, manager and vendor contacts	Property manager or designated coordinator	Confirm ownership contacts and decision-makers	Provide business and after-hours contacts	Maintain current contact list and escalation tree	Emergency plan; management agreement	Name primary and backup contacts
Before hurricane season	Review lease and management responsibilities	Owner with counsel; manager supports	Confirm casualty, repair, notice and approval terms	Confirm tenant duties, notice rules and insured property	Translate delegated duties into an operating checklist	Lease; management agreement; law	Do not treat a planning matrix as contract interpretation
Before hurricane season	Review property and flood insurance	Owner / named insured	Confirm property coverage, deductibles and insured interests	Confirm coverage for tenant property, inventory and improvements	Maintain policy contacts and reporting procedure if authorized	Insurance policies; lender requirements	Standard commercial property coverage typically does not include flood
Before hurricane season	Inspect roof, drainage and building envelope	Owner/manager with qualified vendors	Approve needed capital or repair work	Report tenant-space issues and keep tenant areas accessible	Schedule inspections and track corrective work within authority	Lease; management agreement; vendor scopes	Use qualified professionals for technical assessments
Before hurricane season	Confirm emergency vendor availability	Property manager	Approve preferred vendors and emergency authority	Identify tenant-side vendors if needed	Maintain vendor roster and contact sequence	Management agreement; vendor contracts	Pre-authorize limits and escalation rules
Before hurricane season	Confirm emergency spending authority	Owner	Set approval thresholds and backup approvers	Know what tenant expenses require approval	Document limits; escalate costs outside authority	Management agreement; owner instructions	Do not assume emergency spending power
Before hurricane season	Document baseline property condition	Property manager / owner	Set documentation expectations	Photograph tenant property and improvements	Photograph common/base-building areas as authorized	Policy instructions; operating plan	Store records somewhere accessible off-site
Before hurricane season	Plan critical-system and data backups	Owner/tenant by system	Address base-building critical systems	Back up business data and tenant-controlled systems	Coordinate building-side testing where delegated	Emergency plan; vendor procedures	Only qualified personnel should operate technical systems
Storm approaching	Monitor official alerts and triggers	Property manager / designated coordinator	Confirm major decisions and closures	Monitor alerts affecting employees and operations	Relay verified alerts and property decisions	NOLA Ready; emergency plan	Official orders take priority
Storm approaching	Secure exterior and common-area items	Property manager / vendor	Authorize work outside delegated scope	Secure tenant-controlled exterior items as required	Coordinate common-area work and vendors	Lease; management agreement; vendor scope	Do not require unsafe work as conditions deteriorate
Storm approaching	Implement tenant communications	Property manager	Approve ownership decisions and exceptions	Acknowledge notices; share tenant status and needs	Send property-specific notices and updates	Management agreement; emergency plan	Use one designated source of truth
Storm approaching	Protect tenant inventory, records and equipment	Tenant	Clarify access/closure boundaries	Secure tenant-controlled property and back up data	Communicate access deadlines and building conditions	Lease; tenant plan	Owner/manager does not automatically assume custody of tenant property
Storm approaching	Finalize closure or evacuation plan	Owner/manager within authority	Confirm property closure decisions unless official order controls	Follow employer safety plan and official orders	Communicate closure, access and contact procedures	Official orders; emergency plan; management agreement	Mandatory evacuation overrides private plans
Storm approaching	Complete final pre-storm documentation	Property manager / tenant by area	Confirm documentation is captured	Photograph tenant space/property	Photograph accessible common/base-building areas	Policy instructions; plan	Do not delay evacuation or safety actions for documentation
During storm / evacuation	Follow public orders	Everyone	Do not countermand evacuation/safety orders	Follow evacuation and safety instructions	Suspend nonessential on-site operations	Official emergency orders	Safety and public authority come first
During storm / evacuation	Maintain remote communications where possible	Designated coordinator	Remain reachable for major approvals if feasible	Report safe, verified business impacts	Maintain status log and distribute verified updates	Emergency plan	Avoid speculation about damage or reopening
During storm / evacuation	Avoid nonessential re-entry	Everyone	Do not pressure staff or vendors to enter unsafe areas	Do not return solely to inspect property	Wait for official and property-specific clearance	Official access restrictions; safety conditions	Remote reports are not a substitute for a qualified inspection
Immediate post-storm	Confirm access conditions	Property manager / owner	Authorize inspection plan within safe access rules	Wait for tenant access notice and official restrictions	Confirm public restrictions and property access protocol	Official orders; emergency plan	Businesses may have phased return rules after evacuation
Immediate post-storm	Conduct initial property inspection	Qualified vendor/manager as appropriate	Authorize specialist assessment when needed	Report visible tenant-space damage without disturbing hazards	Document visible common/base-building damage within authority	Management agreement; safety guidance; policy	Do not label a visual walkthrough as structural/electrical clearance
Immediate post-storm	Document damage and preserve records	Owner/manager/tenant by area	Preserve building records and owner evidence	Preserve tenant-property evidence	Centralize photos, logs, invoices and tenant reports	Policy instructions; lease; plan	Multiple parties may need separate records
Immediate post-storm	Notify insurer or claim contact	Named insured / authorized representative	Make or authorize owner-side notice	Follow tenant policy notice duties	Support notice only within delegated authority	Insurance policy; management agreement	Property manager is not automatically an insurance adjuster
Immediate post-storm	Triage emergency mitigation	Owner/manager with qualified vendors	Approve emergency measures beyond delegated limits	Protect tenant property when safe and authorized	Dispatch approved vendors and record work	Policy mitigation duties; contracts; management agreement	Preserve evidence and avoid unnecessary alteration
Recovery	Determine repair allocation	Owner and tenant with counsel as needed	Address base-building/owner duties under controlling documents	Address tenant obligations under lease/law	Coordinate approved scopes; do not decide legal liability	Lease; Louisiana law	Cause, lease language and fault can change the answer
Recovery	Determine insurance response	Named insured and insurer/qualified adviser	Manage owner policy obligations and decisions	Manage tenant policy and covered property	Provide records/coordination only within authority	Insurance policies; Louisiana insurance law	Coverage is policy-specific; flood may require separate coverage
Recovery	Authorize and coordinate vendors	Owner / manager within delegated authority	Approve scopes, budgets and capital decisions	Coordinate tenant-side repairs as required	Schedule vendors, access and reporting	Management agreement; lease; contracts	Separate regulated adjusting from repair/contracting roles
Recovery	Restore operations and communicate timelines	Owner/manager and tenant	Set owner decisions for reopening/repairs	Restart business when access and safety conditions allow	Provide verified status updates without guarantees	Emergency plan; lease; safety conditions	Do not promise completion or reopening dates before they are verified
Recovery	Review lessons and update the plan	Owner and property manager	Approve process changes	Provide tenant feedback	Update contacts, vendors, triggers and documentation process	Management agreement; emergency plan	Review after each material event and before next season

What Owners Should Decide Before Hurricane Season

For owners, the most valuable work happens before the forecast cone is pointed at New Orleans. The goal is to remove approval bottlenecks and make sure the people managing the property know exactly what they can do without waiting for a new decision.

Review the lease structure for casualty, repairs, notice, insurance, access, tenant improvements, restoration and termination provisions.
Confirm the property’s insurance program, including whether separate flood coverage exists and which party is responsible for different property interests.
Set written emergency spending and vendor-authorization limits in the management arrangement or owner instructions.
Name primary and backup ownership contacts who can approve emergency work, capital repairs and material tenant communications.
Confirm the vendor roster for roofing, water mitigation, electrical, HVAC, security and other property-specific needs.
Decide what baseline photographs, inspection records, equipment information and lease documents must be stored off-site or in a cloud location.
Define the restoration decision chain: who scopes work, who approves it, who communicates with tenants and who reports progress to ownership.

If the property does not have a clearly delegated storm coordinator, the owner should address that gap before hurricane season. LaNasa’s commercial property management in New Orleans includes maintenance coordination, inspections, vendor management, accounting and oversight of repairs or renovations; the exact authority for any property should still be stated in the management agreement.

What Commercial Tenants Should Prepare

Commercial tenants have their own continuity problem to solve. Even when the owner controls the building shell and common systems, the tenant may still need to protect employees, inventory, records, equipment and other tenant-controlled property while meeting lease notice requirements.

Know the building’s emergency contacts, closure rules and expected communication channels.
Check the lease for notice requirements, tenant repair duties, insurance obligations and rules for tenant improvements or exterior items.
Back up business records and data before a storm threatens operations.
Photograph tenant-owned contents, inventory and improvements that may need to be documented after a loss.
Secure tenant-controlled equipment, signage, inventory and exterior items when required and when it is safe to do so.
Keep employee and customer safety decisions separate from property-protection tasks; do not require staff to remain on-site when conditions or official orders make that unsafe.
Report damage or repair needs promptly through the process required by the lease and property plan.

Louisiana Civil Code Article 2688 states that a lessee must notify the lessor without delay when the leased property has been damaged or requires repair. The specific notice method and other casualty duties may also be addressed in the written commercial lease. Louisiana Civil Code Art. 2688

What the Property Manager Can Coordinate — and Where Authority Stops

A property manager is often the operational hub because they’re already connected to owners, tenants, vendors and property records. That puts the manager in a good position to coordinate the plan, but it doesn’t give the manager unlimited authority.

A property manager can often coordinate	A property manager should not assume authority to
Maintain contact lists and communication templates	Rewrite lease obligations or make legal conclusions for the parties
Schedule routine inspections and document property conditions	Commit the owner to expenses beyond delegated authority
Dispatch approved vendors within the management agreement	Promise insurance coverage, claim payment or settlement outcomes
Collect tenant damage reports and maintain a central incident log	Act as a public adjuster unless properly licensed and engaged to do so
Escalate repair, access and safety issues to ownership and specialists	Give engineering, electrical, structural or legal clearance outside the manager’s expertise
Coordinate approved repairs, access, records and owner reporting	Override official evacuation, closure or re-entry restrictions

LaNasa Realty’s published property-management services include maintenance coordination, inspections, vendor management, financial reporting and oversight of repairs or renovations. Those services can support a storm plan, but the property-specific management agreement should define the actual scope and approval limits. View LaNasa’s commercial property-management services

Louisiana Commercial Lease Rules That Matter After Storm Damage

Louisiana rule	Plain-English planning meaning	Why the lease still matters
Art. 2682 — lessor obligations	Louisiana law sets baseline lessor duties, including delivery, maintenance and peaceful possession of the leased thing.	Commercial lease language may define detailed repair, casualty, access and restoration responsibilities.
Art. 2683 — lessee obligations	The lessee has baseline duties including paying rent, prudent use and return of the leased thing.	The lease can add property-specific operating and insurance obligations.
Art. 2688 — notice	The lessee must notify the lessor without delay when the leased thing is damaged or requires repair.	The lease may specify who must receive notice, how quickly, and what documentation is required.
Arts. 2691–2692 — repairs	As a default, the lessor makes necessary repairs except those for which the lessee is responsible; the lessee is responsible for certain damage caused by the lessee’s fault or use.	Commercial parties can allocate repair responsibilities in the lease, so do not assume the default rule settles a specific storm loss.
Art. 2694 — necessary repairs after lessor failure	Louisiana law provides a limited repair/reimbursement mechanism under specified conditions after the lessor fails to make necessary repairs.	This is not a self-help instruction. A tenant should get legal advice before relying on this rule in a live dispute.
Art. 2714 — total loss or destruction	If the leased thing is lost or totally destroyed without either party’s fault, Louisiana law provides for lease termination without damages between the parties.	Whether a real property loss qualifies, and how insurance or other lease provisions interact, can require legal analysis.
Art. 2715 — partial destruction or substantial impairment	When the leased thing is partially destroyed or its use is substantially impaired without the lessee’s fault, Louisiana law provides remedies that depend on the circumstances.	Do not use a general article to decide rent reduction, dissolution or other remedies for a specific commercial lease.

Primary legal sources: Art. 2682 Art. 2683 Art. 2688 Art. 2691 Art. 2692 Art. 2694 Art. 2714 Art. 2715

Insurance, Flood and Claims: Keep the Roles Separate

Does Commercial Property Insurance Cover Flood?

Not necessarily. Flood damage is typically not covered by standard commercial property insurance, so building owners and tenants should confirm whether they have separate flood protection and what property each policy covers. Coverage, deductibles and claim duties depend on the actual policy; the responsibility matrix should identify who holds each policy and who is authorized to report a loss. NFIP commercial flood coverage guidance

Property Manager, Insurer Adjuster, Public Adjuster and Contractor Are Different Roles

Role	Primary function in the storm-recovery process	Planning boundary
Property manager	Coordinates property operations, communications, records, vendors and owner reporting within delegated authority.	Management authority comes from the agreement and owner instructions; management is not automatically public adjusting.
Insurer/company or independent adjuster	Investigates and adjusts the claim for the insurance company.	Represents the insurer’s claim process, not the owner’s property-management role.
Public adjuster	A licensed professional engaged by the insured to assist with a first-party property insurance claim.	Louisiana requires a public-adjuster license to act or hold oneself out as a public adjuster.
Contractor/vendor	Performs mitigation, construction, roofing, repair or other contracted work.	Louisiana restricts a public adjuster from providing construction, roofing or repair services on a claim the adjuster processed.

Louisiana law requires licensure to act or hold oneself out as a public adjuster. Current public-adjuster conduct rules also bar public adjusters from giving legal advice, and they prohibit a public adjuster from acting as a contractor or providing construction, roofing or repair services to the insured in connection with a claim the adjuster processed. Louisiana R.S. 22:1693 Louisiana R.S. 22:1706

LaNasa’s public website states that the company works with a “private adjuster” or insurance-adjuster partner and separately describes construction oversight. Because the partner’s identity and license status are not verified for this article, this guide does not label that partner a public adjuster or describe a specific claims role. Owners should confirm the exact engagement and regulated role before assigning claim-related responsibilities.

New Orleans Storm Planning: Local Steps That Belong in the Matrix

New Orleans hurricane planning should use local triggers instead of generic storm language. NOLA Ready states that hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 and notes that the City may issue mandatory evacuation orders. If a mandatory evacuation is issued, residents and visitors must leave. NOLA Ready also advises property documentation, drainage preparation and flood-risk awareness before a storm. NOLA Ready hurricane guidance

Sign up for and monitor official New Orleans emergency alerts; assign one person to relay verified updates to owners, tenants and vendors.
Put evacuation and closure triggers in the property plan, and make clear that official orders override normal building access procedures.
Clear or report drainage issues that fall within the property’s responsibility, and secure exterior/common-area objects before conditions become unsafe.
Photograph accessible property conditions before the storm so post-storm comparisons are easier to document.
Keep flood risk and flood insurance separate from wind/property coverage discussions; do not assume one policy responds to every type of water damage.
Create a re-entry sequence. After an evacuation, official return rules, utility conditions and property-specific safety concerns may limit access even when the weather has improved.
Use a single tenant communication channel for closure, access, inspection and reopening information so conflicting messages do not create additional risk.

How to Turn the Matrix Into a Property-Specific Storm Plan

List the property-specific tasks that must happen before, during and after a storm.
Assign one operational lead to every task so it’s clear who coordinates it.
Identify the person who can approve the action or expense, plus a backup approver.
Link each task to its controlling lease clause, management-agreement provision, policy requirement, vendor contract, emergency plan or official order.
Add primary and backup contacts for ownership, management, tenants, insurers and critical vendors.
Add the trigger for each action, such as the start of hurricane season, a storm watch, a named closure decision or an official evacuation order.
Record access requirements, keys, credentials and vendor entry procedures without storing sensitive credentials in an unsecured public document.
Flag tasks that need legal, insurance, engineering, electrical, structural or other specialist review.
Test the tenant communication process before hurricane season rather than discovering gaps during an emergency.
After a material event, update contacts, vendors, approval limits and procedures while the lessons are still fresh.

Owners who want a single point of operational coordination can review LaNasa’s commercial property-management services and use the management agreement to define the property-specific responsibilities, approvals and reporting cadence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the owner always responsible for hurricane repairs?

No. There is no universal rule that makes the owner responsible for every hurricane repair. The answer can depend on the lease, the cause and extent of damage, Louisiana law, insurance policies and the type of property involved. Use the lease and legal advice for a specific dispute.

Is a property manager legally responsible for every storm-preparation task?

No. A property manager’s scope depends on the property-management agreement, owner authorization, applicable law and the facts. A manager may coordinate many operational tasks without becoming legally or financially responsible for all of them.

Who should communicate with tenants before and after a storm?

The property plan should name one communication lead and a backup. A property manager often coordinates notices when that authority is delegated, while ownership may need to approve major closure, repair or access decisions.

Who should document damage after the storm?

More than one party may need records. The owner or manager can document building and common-area conditions as authorized, while tenants should document tenant property, inventory and tenant-space damage. Each insured should follow its policy instructions.

Does a standard commercial property policy cover flood?

Flood damage is typically not covered by standard commercial property insurance. Owners and tenants should confirm separate flood protection, covered property, deductibles and notice requirements with a qualified insurance professional.

Can tenants re-enter as soon as the storm passes?

Not automatically. Re-entry can depend on City restrictions, utility conditions, building access rules and property-specific safety clearance. Weather improving does not by itself mean a commercial property is ready for normal occupancy.

Can a property manager handle an insurance claim?

A manager may help organize records, inspections, vendor information and communications when authorized. Regulated insurance-adjusting work is different. In Louisiana, a person acting or holding themselves out as a public adjuster must be licensed, and public adjusters are subject to specific conduct restrictions.

Need a Commercial Property Management Plan for New Orleans?

Sources

Primary and first-party sources used for legal, insurance, emergency-preparedness and client-specific claims: