HOA News, Advice, and Tips
The Community Association is established for the purpose of maintaining the common areas, recreation facilities and, in some cases, the exterior maintenance of each home. This “Purpose” or “Charter” is intended for the general use, benefit and welfare of the owners. The primary goal should be the enhancement of the community’s property values. While it […]
Continue ReadingImagine waking up every morning on Main Street USA in Disneyland. For some kids that would be the ultimate dream to live right there in the “happiest place on earth.” As adults, we know that’s not a practical choice for living arrangements. However, that doesn’t mean that a community specifically designed for an active resort lifestyle […]
Continue ReadingIn general, the lobbyists gets a bad reputation as being the purveyors of everything that is wrong with politics. The reality is that the vast majority of lobby groups provide strong advocacy for a wide range of personal interest groups. That is certainly the case with the CAI California Legislative Action Committee (or CAI-CLAC), which […]
Continue ReadingThe primary mission of any community association is to manage the upkeep of all the common living areas. That in and of itself is a huge responsibility, but an HOA should not stop at paying the gardeners or fixing the roof. They should also foster a positive living experience for all residents. This could mean establishing […]
Continue ReadingBelieve it or not, the Empire State Building in New York City took exactly one year to build from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting. This was back during the Great Depression when it was vitally important to complete a towering project like this to provide hope and inspiration to the entire nation. Today, every city’s skyline […]
Continue ReadingWe have all seen the “trial by fire” training that many volunteer board members receive. They attend their first meeting, receive a large notebook or envelope containing the association’s contracts and documents, and begin to address the current events facing their association. In many of these instances, the amount of information provided is staggering and […]
Continue ReadingBy all accounts the country’s first Master-Planned Community was built in Scottsdale, Arizona. What is the difference between a Master Planned Community and a bunch of homes in the suburbs? The key word is “planned.” With a MPC, there is an effort by developers to create a community that will satisfy all the needs of […]
Continue ReadingAs a community association board member, you’re taking on an active role in your community. This covers all the general upkeep issues with gardening, cleaning and laundry room service and any ongoing “handyman” type projects. A board is bound by many legal mandates set forth in many places (such as state and and your own […]
Continue ReadingIndependence in the Reserve Study process means freedom from control or influence. Independence means the Reserve Study professional is able to provide their complete findings and recommendations without interference. Common problems with lack of independence are when management influences the size of Reserve contributions (trying to make their budget or financial oversight “look good”), when […]
Continue ReadingWe do not get to choose who will be in our families. In other situations like work or school, we are thrust into communities where the concept of “getting along” is required of us. This is especially true in a neighborhood where a community association is the governing body responsible for the management and upkeep […]
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