Adopting smoke-free policies in condominiums and housing cooperatives can help make a community more appealing to potential nonsmoking residents. But what if there’s a lingering tobacco odor and yellowish stains on the walls of a unit being sold after its former occupant has moved out? Read the article…………………………
HOA Holiday Tips: Visitor Parking
Thanksgiving means turkey and travel. Last year, more than 54 million Americans traveled over Thanksgiving, the most since 2005, according to AAA. Whether you’re hosting or traveling to your dinner destination, your community will likely see an increase in traffic. To accommodate your guests it’s important to know where they can and can’t park. Follow […]
How to Keep Your Community Thriving in the Event of a Recession
The duty of a homeowner’s association is to provide stability to the community of homeowners you oversee. Traditionally, this has meant creating community rules, managing a budget for maintenance, and providing an overall positive community environment. In the event of a recession, an HOA can provide much needed structure and stability to a community. Having […]
Making the Switch to E-Voting: A Primer for Condominium Associations (FL)
In 2015, the Florida Legislature adopted Section 718.128 into the Florida Statutes, thereby giving condominium associations the right to conduct elections and other unit owner votes via online voting systems. While many associations in Florida have implemented online voting systems for their elections and other unit owner votes, some associations are still contemplating making the […]
A Recipe for a Happy Holiday in Your HOA
With the holidays fast approaching, we want to assist our boards provide a safe and happy holiday season for their homeowners. This week, we discuss common topics that homeowners and board members face during the holiday season. Read on for helpful holiday tips: Read the article……………………….
Homeowner Feeding Wildlife Leads to Black Vultures Overwhelming Parts of West Palm Beach Community
Recent reports in the Palm Beach Post and on WPBF 25 News (see video below) chronicled the devastating damage that is being caused to homes in the Ibis Golf and Country Club community in West Palm Beach by hundreds of black vultures. The large birds are being attracted by a homeowner who is feeding the […]
Landscape Budget Planning
Budgeting season is here, and while it might not be the most enjoyable time of year for property managers, your landscaping provider can be a valuable partner when it comes time to take on your biggest yearly expenses. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind when budgeting for landscape expenses this coming […]
7 Ways to Avoid an Unruly Association Board Meeting
Board members must often make the most difficult decisions for their community association including budgeting and addressing owner concerns. Differences of opinion regarding any of these and other issues can result in confrontation. Read the article………………………..
Street Sweeping in HOAs
Most people think parking lot sweeping in homeowners associations or condos is for aesthetic reasons only. In the retail world, empty bottles, paper bags, cigarette butts, and overflowing trash bins can drive the decision of a consumer. The same holds true for a potential homebuyer as they pull into a community parking lot. Read the article………………………..
Assistance Animal Chart
CAI has published a chart to assist associations in delaing with assistance and support animals. Read or download the PDF…………………………..
The Lurking Danger of Association Websites; Accusations of Discrimination (FL)
Very recently, more and more condominium and homeowner associations find themselves as potential defendants in Federal Fair Housing Act (the “FHA”) discrimination litigation due to the association’s website. It is alleged that the failure to make the website easily accessible to those with visual impairments or who are blind is discriminatory. In short, the FHA […]
10 Ways To Thank a Volunteer, With Little (or No) Budget
Volunteers who serve your HOA board – or provide any other free service for the homeowners association – deserve thanks and gratitude for the invaluable role they play in the HOA. Trouble is, there’s often not an unlimited budget available to throw huge parties or special events. Read the article…………………………
Thanksgiving: How to Set Up a Food Drive For Your Community Association
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for a food drive. Not only is everyone thinking about the value of their possessions to be thankful for, but they are also clearing out their pantries for feast ingredients. Associations can share a great deal of Thanksgiving fun by planning for events and charity. Read the article………………………
CAI Board of Trustees Adopts Public Policy on Assistance Animals
Last month, the CAI Board of Trustees adopted a new public policy, Assistance Animals and Pets in Community Associations, that recognizes and supports the rights of residential community associations to regulate and adopt rules pertaining to pets and assistance animals. These rules must guarantee the rights of individuals with disabilities to receive the assistance they […]
Changing your laundry room vendor may be more difficult than you think—here’s why (NY)
If the washing machines in your building’s laundry room are not maintained well, or worse, break down all the time, wouldn’t it make sense to change vendors? You would think so, but unfortunately switching companies is not that easy. Read the article………………………….
Dealing with Owners Who Bully or Harass
Recently on a national HOA/condo list serve, a community association professional lamented that civility has fallen in HOAs and condos and asked about how to deal with homeowners who regularly bully or harass. Read the article………………………….
Tips to Avoid Selective Rules Enforcement
One of the most challenging aspects of effectively managing a condominium or homeowners association is dealing with board membership turnover and inconsistency in rule enforcement as a result. When members decide to run, they often do so because they feel the current leadership is not doing a good job, including rule enforcement. Read the article……………………..
Costs and Income Must Be in Balance (NY)
A lot of co-op and condo boards seem to think that keeping the monthly maintenance or common charges down is the way to go. But what happens when costs outrun income? Read the article……………………….
Best Practices in Association Document Retention (IL)
Governance of a condominium, townhome, or homeowners’ association requires a great deal of documentation. Budgets, meeting minutes, owner information, voting records, and insurance policies represent a small sample of the records that a board of directors must maintain and archive. Moreover, factors such as board turnover, unit owner issues, and liability highlight the importance of […]
Who is Responsible for Inside Maintenance?
Our townhome community asks owners to be responsible for the maintenance of items inside the units, such as heating and cooling systems, dryer vents, and plumbing. Since proper maintenance of these systems impacts the health and safety of other owners, how can the board be sure everyone is keeping up? Read the Q&A…………………………..
Get Out the VO……….. (CO)
T’is the season for public elections and for community association annual meetings. You probably assumed the last word in the title above to be “VOte.” And yes, that’s one of the things we urge readers to do. Everybody has positions, opinions, differences of opinion and even disagreements over both public policy and HOA governance. We […]
End Minute Madness: Love your Meetings
When I joined my condo board, I absolutely refused to be the secretary because I knew taking the minutes would be a pain. I became president instead. During my term of office, we had recording secretaries of variable quality ranging from excellent to inadequate. One secretary took copious hand-written notes but never managed to get […]
The General Counsel Model
Condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowners associations are often referred to as “community associations.” This is with good reason; the associations usually govern a neighborhood of friends and people who regularly interact with one another in a social setting. For that reason, their governing boards of directors can often fall into the trap of operating in an […]
Recurring Insurance Claim Handling Issues
Insurance is an essential part of any community association’s risk management program. But purchasing a good policy is only the first step in the process. Proper claims handling must occur for the association to receive the benefits of insurance. Colorado’s Front Range experiences some of the highest hail storm frequency and severity in the country. […]
20/20 Vision on Your HOA’s 2020 Financials
Whether you are a property manager, a management company principal, a new or a seasoned community board member – a clear 20/20 vision of your Homeowner Association’s 2020 budget begins today. It may seem a little early for this discussion, but it is better to understand your community’s financial health now, so you have plenty […]
Insurance Myths: Does “Full Replacement Cost” Insurance Requirement Really Mean an Association has to Cover Everything?
I recently had a conversation with an insurance agent who acknowledged he “didn’t deal much with homeowners associations.” His client lived in an association, and had suffered damage within his townhome that the agent thought should be covered under the association’s master insurance policy. He believed that, if a declaration states that the association’s master […]
Taking flight: What to consider when deploying drones in your community
Drones have rapidly become useful tools for commercial and recreational purposes, including search and rescue operations, surveying damage after natural disasters, and aerial photography. Community associations, whether in a high-rise condominium or a community of single-family homes stretched over dozens of acres, also could benefit from the visual advantages offered by drones. Read the article………………………….
Abraham Lincoln, President of – the Community Association?
President of the Neighborhood Homeowners Association. President of the Condominium. The President of the United States of America. One of these things is not like the other. Or is it? The title is the same. The election process and democratic nature are…. similar? Perhaps there is something to be learned from what makes a successful […]
Avoiding Inconsistent Enforcement in Your Association … Community Leaders Take Heed
Inconsistent, or selective, enforcement of covenants, restrictions and rules & regulations by a Community Association is, unfortunately, a frequent occurrence. Community leaders must understand that inconsistent enforcement by an Association for even a minor issue can lead to major liability for an Association. This article will explore some of the issues surrounding inconsistent enforcement and […]
Co-op and Condo Boards Under Pressure From All Sides (NY)
You seem to be of the opinion that the pressures facing co-op and condo boards – from both inside and outside the buildings – are greater than ever. I really believe they are. I think that the ever-changing regulatory landscape of New York City – from the Department of Buildings, the Department of Health, Con […]
Best Practices in Association Document Retention
Governance of a condominium, townhome, or homeowners’ association requires a great deal of documentation. Budgets, meeting minutes, owner information, voting records, and insurance policies represent a small sample of the records that a board of directors must maintain and archive. Moreover, factors such as board turnover, unit owner issues, and liability highlight the importance of […]
How Condo Associations Can Mitigate Damages from Sea-Level Rise (FL)
Daunting statistics indicate that sea level will continue to rise for centuries, even if greenhouse gas emissions and global warming are sharply reduced. By 2100, sea levels are expected to rise by at least 24 inches. In Florida, the statistics are not encouraging. Miami has the most to lose in terms of financial assets of […]
Slow Your Roll: How to Address Speeding Issues in Your Association (FL)
Speeding is a big problem for many community associations — a problem that is not always easily addressed or corrected. How can your board slow the speed of traffic in your community? If your association does not currently have traffic rules, you may be able to rely on a nuisance provision in your Declaration. Alternatively, […]
Community Fellowship or Losing Your Religion? Religious Freedom in Homeowners Associations
The American Founding Fathers unmistakably voiced their conviction that the government had no business getting involved in religion. John Adams simply declared “nothing is more dreaded than the national government meddling with religion.” And Thomas Jefferson maintained that, if religious practices weren’t harming other people, the government shouldn’t be involved: “It does me no injury […]
How to Keep Your Community Association Free From Any Conflicts of Interest
Conflict of interest is a real threat to your HOA’s integrity and reputation. As a board member of a community association, you should understand what this means, and how to recognize and avoid it. In this article, we will give you some tips on how to keep your community association from possible conflicts of interest. […]
Keep Track of the Money: Finance and Condos
Money is a top-of-mind topic for condos. Following the money is hard without good policies and procedures. This blog fills the gap on financial policy. Read the article………………………..
The right reasons for raising HOA dues (NV)
A community association’s board of directors is elected by fellow homeowners to make decisions for the well-being of the community, including how the community’s finances are managed. Read the article………………………….
The Law and Emerging Technology – Why developers should be careful about using untested technology in buildings
In 2015, the developer behind Brickell House, a 46-story condo tower in Miami’s financial district made the news as a brand new $16 million robotic car garage that was supposed to retrieve cars in under ten minutes went haywire and became inoperable. Condo owners were forced to find new places to park and they responded […]
The Massive Challenges of a Massive, Self-Managed Condo (NY)
By the close of her first year on the board of managers of the sprawling 1,500-unit Leisure Village condo association in Ridge, Long Island, Carole Leonard had made some unsettling discoveries. The community manager had advised a contractor what to bid on a job. He had returned some building supplies and pocketed the cash. And […]
5 Signs It’s Time to Change HOA Management Companies
Switching your management company may seem like a lot of work, but the success of your HOA is worth it. When the association/management company relationship is working well, it makes life easier for everyone involved. On the other hand, when the relationship is faltering, it can create problems when trying to achieve even the smallest […]
How to Protect Your Community Association from a Lawsuit
Facing litigation from an HOA member is something all board of directors must take seriously. From pet issues to issues involving discrimination, knowing how to handle the situation is best left to a qualified attorney and a professional community association management team. Navigating real estate and other types of associated laws is something most volunteer […]
How Co-op and Condo Boards Can Prepare for the Next Disaster (NY)
Emergencies come in all shapes and sizes, and preparing for them seems daunting. It’s a big deal. The goal of emergency preparedness is to get a building back up and running as quickly as possible, to minimize any damage to the building, and ensure the safety and security of all the residents and building staff. […]
Removal of an Officer vs. Removal of a Board Member of a Community Association (NC/SC)
Removal issues are almost always sensitive and highly charged emotional issues. It is important that the of directors follows the required process correctly and seeks legal guidance when necessary. If your board directors has questions regarding removal of an officer or removal of a board member, please contact one of our community association attorneys here at […]
Condo Water Riser Repair: Why Is It So Expensive?
Nothing is quite as unsettling as water pouring through your ceiling. Where is it coming from? How much is there? And how can you get it to stop? For condo owners and their management teams, plumbing issues are even more complex. Sharing walls and ceilings with other tenants makes the problem more difficult to solve. […]
Tips to Find the Right Reserve Study Firm
Reserve studies are reports about the condition and likely useful life of all the major components in your building or community. In a high-rise, major components include garage gates and access systems, elevators, trash compactors, and boilers; in a homeowners association, they might include the gate system, pool pumps and clubhouse HVAC system. Read […]
Maintaining Proper Records: Keeping a Digital Paper Trail (NY)
It is essential that a community association keep careful records of its financials, rules, and meeting minutes, just to name a few of the kinds of records boards and managers must stay on top of. Not solely because the law often requires it – although of course that’s important – but because an association that […]
Handling HOA Trespassing
Do members or representatives of the HOA have permission to enter into, or onto, a homeowner’s property? The short answer is, technically, yes. However, although there are times when, legally, the HOA can get authorization to enter a homeowner’s property, you may want to think twice before doing so! In many cases, the risks may […]