HOA News, Advice, and Tips
So now you’re on the Board of Directors. Has a pretty good ring to it doesn’t it? You’ve seen some ineffective actions and unjust rulings and you are determined to make a difference; so you volunteered, well maybe you were coerced into running. However it happened that you gained your seat on the board, it […]
Continue ReadingEver attend a community association meeting where there was a vote on an emotional issue? As you watched the losing side, did you worry that deep divisions might sour neighborhood spirit? Ever watched a meeting where only a few people knew the rules of the process? Ever wondered if there was a better way? There […]
Continue ReadingIt is understandable that a Board occasionally experiences situations involving conflict or escalated disagreement. After all, any time you are dealing with decisions that may affect someone’s home or neighborhood, emotions can run high. Honest, effective communication is one of the best ways to alleviate conflict and potential confrontations. One of the key components to […]
Continue ReadingWhen you bought a home in your community, you should have received copies of all your governing documents for your Association, including the rules and regulations, prior to or at closing. Sometimes these documents get lost among all the other papers you received at closing. Additionally, many homebuyers are so involved with moving into their new […]
Continue ReadingOne of the fastest, least expensive and therefore most popular methods to enforce deed restrictions is through a system of fines. However, this enforcement tool also contains a number of potential pitfalls and hidden dangers for unwary board members and managers. All condominium associations are granted the right to adopt a system of fines pursuant to […]
Continue ReadingYou have probably run across at least one thing in your lifetime that you could neither live with nor without. We have one of those seeming paradoxes in community associations. It is called compliance. The governing documents of most community associations, primarily the declaration, bylaws and rules and regulations, outline specific taboos (restrictions), and charge […]
Continue ReadingNew community associations are expensive to establish. Developers understand that in the current economic climate, community associations can be a hard sell to purchasers trying to obtain a loan and keep their monthly expenses low. Some developers have established associations in their new developments but have not assessed dues to the owners, in the belief […]
Continue ReadingThere has always been a delicate balance between the level of service and the cost of the service. Usually, the more service desired, the higher the cost. This is especially true in the world of association management. Since the members of an association and its elected board of directors are all volunteers, having service providers as business partners is the best way to improve the service levels while maintaining a fair price.
Continue ReadingThe backgrounds of community association board members are so varied with regard to their work experience, their personality, and the reasons that they are serving on the board that we find there is a huge benefit when all board members agree to a common Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct lays out the expectation […]
Continue Reading