Reserve Studies & Your Community’s Long-Term Goals

It is widely known that having an updated Capital Reserve Study is vital for the success of any community association; as it is a guide to help set aside funds and is the road map for all future capital improvement projects and expenditures.    Read the article…………………….

Avoiding Religious Discrimination Claims in Condominiums and HOA’s

The Federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”), 42 U.S.C. §3601, et. seq. prohibits a condominium association or homeowners’ association from discriminating against a potential purchaser or an owner based upon religious beliefs. 42 U.S.C. §3604 provides in pertinent part:     Read the article……………………..

Drones in an Association (IL)

The Federal Aviation Administration estimated that over 2 million drones would be sold in the United States during 2019. The proliferation of these unmanned aircrafts has created unique concerns involving privacy, access, and safety.  Below are five considerations involving drone use in condominium, homeowner, and townhome associations.    Read the article……………………….

Have a Safe 4th of July in Your HOA

Summer is in full swing and, believe it or not, the Fourth of July is just around the corner! Fourth of July events, such as a community barbeque, ice cream social, or block party, can bring neighbors together and reinforce that they live in a great HOA. This is a wonderful time to get together […]

Lessons from Hurricane Florence (NC)

Many in the Carolinas are still catching their breath after Hurricane Florence, even as we enter into another season of hurricane preparedness. Here at CAMS, we’re taking what we’ve learned and adding it to our playbook containing 30 years of best practices in professional community association management — what to do, and perhaps more importantly […]

Implementing HOA and Condo Clubhouse Policies

Summer is in full swing and that means HOA and condominium clubhouses and recreation centers are experiencing a higher than average volume of users. Ranging from small enclosed gazebos to elaborate mini country clubs, these structures serve a multitude of functions.    Since more residents are using these amenities this time of year, now is […]

Effective Rules for Managing Stray and Feral Cats in Communities

We are a nation of animal lovers. Nearly seven in 10 Americans own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association, and 16% of pet owners feed stray and feral cats. To clarify, feral cats typically have little to no human interaction and are born from other feral or stray cats. Stray cats, on […]

Why your Customers Need a Pavement Report

Pavement reports based upon the MICROpaver or PCI (pavement condition index) system have been around for years. These reports are widely used in large municipalities and federal organizations; however, they have not been fully adopted by the commercial and residential world.  This problem is the result of the high upfront costs the reports may require […]

Desperately Seeking Conflict

If you interact with 20 people in a business day, 19 may be pleasant encounters. But if just one is extremely disagreeable, that interaction will probably stick in your mind. You may replay it over and over throughout the day, while you think of the clever replies you wish you had said at the time. […]

Firing HOA Vendors | How to End Contractual Agreements

The primary purpose of an HOA is to manage, maintain, and repair common areas. This often requires contracts with 3rd party vendors for services such as landscaping, plumbing, and painting. Vendor contracts are a large responsibility of HOA boards. While board members cycle off, the signed vendor contracts remain, leaving new board members with limited […]

Is Your Association Ready For The Next Election? Adopting Rules For Electronic Voting (IL)

Getting members to participate in board member elections can be like pulling teeth. The more convenient you make the process, the more likely to get members to participate. Fortunately, the Illinois Condominium Property Act (the “Condo Act”) and the Illinois Common Interest Community Association Act (“CICAA”) allow Boards to adopt rules and regulations to permit […]

Online Election Options for Homeowner Associations and Condo Communities

All in favor, say “Aye”! If only the process of electing community association directors were that simple! Depending on the size and complexity of your association, you may find the proper handling and record keeping requirements of annual elections to be a significant burden. Did you know there are a myriad of online election tools […]

Surpassing Expectations: How HOA Management is Evolving

In today’s world you can rent a movie, order a meal and make a stock trade with a few clicks—so why does HOA management seem to be stuck in the past? Other management companies have tried to address this question by piling more technology into their processes. However, we took a more holistic approach. Here […]

The Nitty-Gritty of Your Governing Documents

Homeowners are often overwhelmed at all the information contained in their HOA’s governing documents. It’s no wonder— an association’s covenants, conditions & restrictions (CC&Rs), bylaws and rules & regulations are packed with information, some of which is written in dense legalese.  Read the article……………………

HOA Overnight Parking Defined

Parking is one of the hottest issues in HOA-governed communities. Because of this, parking policies should be clearly spelled out in the association’s CC&Rs. Be sure that all expectations are clearly defined so that the rules are not open for interpretation, but rather, the homeowner can clearly determine what is expected.   Read the article………………………

Financial Management of Community Associations | Assessments

What is an Assessment? An assessment (sometimes referred to as a Maintenance Fee) is an Owner’s financial obligation to a community association during a given period of time (typically one year). It covers the owner’s share of the common expenses. An annual assessment may be paid on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. An assessment […]

Condominium Defects in the Carolinas

Condominium owners associations (COAs) are usually responsible for maintaining and repairing roofs, exterior walls, and other building envelope components. If the building envelope has not been designed or constructed properly, water will find its way into the building and attack studs, sheathing, and other structural components that hold the building up. The resulting decay, hidden […]

3 Things to Do at Every Board Meeting

A community association’s board of directors consists of elected officers who represent a not-for-profit corporation. Serving as a board member is, and should be, a position of respect and leadership in the community, and the responsibility should be taken seriously – especially during board meetings.    Read the article………………..

Red, white, and blue: Tips for displaying the Stars and Stripes

The Star-Spangled Banner. Old Glory. The red, white, and blue. No matter how Americans refer to the U.S. flag, everyone has the right to fly it. Flag Day, held annually on June 14 since 1916, should serve as a good reminder for how all should properly and proudly display the Stars and Stripes.  Read the […]

Sustainability and Your Association: Considerations for Solar Panels (IL)

Homeowners are “going green” with small-scale sustainability efforts in an effort to reduce their energy footprint. Wind turbine, rain water collection, and composting systems have become viable renewable, clean energy options. In particular, residential solar technology has gained popularity due to accessible technology, streamlined equipment, and decreased installation costs.   Read the article…………………….

Condo Maintenance: Who is Responsible for Upkeep and Repairs?

Condominium associations typically are obligated to maintain and repair common areas, but the burden may be shifted to owners when forced by overwhelming conditions. For example, consider the situation faced by this 18-unit, four building condominium complex in Los Angeles.    Read the article……………………….

How did we get here?? Management Insider #2

Sometimes managers entering the community association field have a hard time understanding some of the stressful dynamics of the business. They hear that profit margins are tight. They may wonder if their bosses are making excuses to justify low wages. As I’ve stated before in the T-Rex Blog, management fees ARE artificially low. A look […]

Hurricane Preparedness: What Associations Need to Know

Hurricane preparedness is a significant undertaking for every community association in Florida. Being well prepared — and well informed — can determine whether association boards and their managers will sink or swim in the aftermath of a storm. Here are some helpful tips to enable associations to stay ahead of the 2019 hurricane season, which […]

New FEMA podcast on building fire-adapted communities

Today, FEMA released the podcast “Advancing Wildfire Resilience through the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network.” Since 2013, the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network (FAC Net) has connected and supported people and communities who are striving to live more safely with wildfire. FAC Net serves as a catalyst for spreading best practices and innovations in fire […]

Enticing Your Way to a Quorum

Most attorneys are not known for being cute. But Bruce Cholst, a shareholder at Anderson Kill, is not most attorneys. “I was trying to be cute,” Cholst recalls of his unorthodox idea to entice shareholders to attend a co-op’s annual meeting several years ago. “I suggested having a raffle of two or three months’ free […]

It’s hurricane season: This is what you need to do before, during, and after a disaster

Fourteen named storms—including seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes—are expected to form during the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. The Weather Company expects the season to be slightly less active than last year but warns that residents along the coastal U.S. should be prepared no matter the forecast.   Read the article…………………..

10 Tips for Pool Management and Maintenance

Summer is an exciting time in any community—kids are out of school, the weather is perfect for barbecues and snow cones, and families are looking for ways to keep cool. That’s where the community pool comes in.  As a board member, you want to do everything you can to make sure your homeowners have fun […]

Governing by the Book – Deviating From Governing Docs Can Cost You (NY)

Most newly-elected condo or co-op board members aren’t experts in running a multifamily building or development. They may be eager, enthusiastic, and committed to serving their community. But they also probably have little idea of how to do that until they’ve learned a bit more through experience. Fortunately, co-ops, condos and HOAs all have an […]

HOAs Are Popular Where Prejudice Is Strong and Government Is Weak

A new study finds that higher percentages of wealthy, Asian, and white residents live in HOAs; and people pay a premium of about 4 percent for homes in HOAs.  Homeowners love to complain about homeowners associations, or HOAs. The seemingly ubiquitous private organizations limit what people can do on their own property, and charge for […]

Do You Know Your Association as Well as You Should?

Although Colorado has thousands of common interest communities and most of the directors and community managers working with these communities feel they have an adequate grasp on the specifics surrounding their particular community, it can be an eye-opening experience to test your knowledge and see how much you really know (or don’t know) about your […]

Association Funds – Look Before You Spend

Part of the duties of a community association’s board of directors includes fiscal responsibility. Among other things, the board of directors is tasked with prioritizing and making decisions regarding the best use of the association’s limited financial resources. Expenses such as common area maintenance, insurance, water, and professional services including management, accounting, and legal are […]

How to make Minutes SMART: Five Must-have Ingredients

No one loves their minutes; no one even likes them.  No one likes taking minutes. The hardest position to fill on any volunteer boards is the secretary.  No one ever does anything with their minutes anyway.  An easy fix would be to get rid of them. Most boards are practically doing this already.     Read […]

HOA Pool Safety: Debate over Eliminating Lifeguards

Q: Our association is considering eliminating the lifeguard at our pool. Other than posting “swim at your own risk” signs, is there anything else we need to do to ensure swimmers safety?  Read the article……………………….

Hurricane Shutter Law Explored (FL)

Q: A friend of mine owns a townhome in a coastal community in Florida. He asked the HOA board if they can come up with a storm shutter policy under Florida Statute 718.113. The board replied that the HOA is not a condo HOA, based on the declaration, hence 718.113 does not apply. Is there […]

What To Do When Homeowners Are Harassing Board Members

As a board member, you’ve surely seen emotions run high at your association meetings. Whether you lead a condo association or homeowners association, you know the subjects discussed at your meetings involve people’s homes, their quality of life, and their finances—topics that can be tricky to talk about, especially when lots of opinions are present. […]

Technologies can enhance community association efficiency, productivity

No one can accuse community association managers or their accounting teams of being lazy. Managing requests from thousands of homeowners in the communities they serve can leave these employees drained and searching for more hours in a day.  No computer program or mobile app can actually increase the number of hours in a day. But, […]

5 Tips for Choosing the Right HOA Insurance

Homeowners associations are creatures of budget. The primary purpose of a budget is to provide certainty and avoid surprises as the board complies with its obligation to protect, preserve, and enhance the association assets.  More often than not, board members primarily focus on price when purchasing insurance. However, price is only relevant if the options […]

Cyber and Data Security in Colorado Common Interest Communities (CO)

As banks, credit card companies, and financial service providers grapple with identify theft, so too must HOAs. Over the last several years, there has been a substantial increase in cyber-related crimes, resulting in increased identity theft and financial fraud. As a result, federal and state governments have been working to enact laws to reduce crime […]

What Do I Do With an HOA Demand Letter?

When buying or selling a home or condo within an HOA-run community, there are certain particularities and processes that aren’t necessarily in place when buying or selling in a non-HOA community. These processes are usually accompanied by certain fees. One such expense is the HOA Demand Letter.   Read the article………………………

Advocacy Tips: Inviting Your Elected Official to Visit

Summer is almost here, and that means legislative recesses and state session adjournments. This is the perfect time for advocates like you to engage with your elected officials at all levels of government by inviting them to attend your community association events, your board meeting, or asking to meet with them at their district office […]

Misadventures in Rulemaking

Arguably the most challenging task a community association board of directors can undertake is drafting rules and regulations for their community. Good intentions, but bad drafting, can lead to unanticipated results and make enforcement difficult or impossible.    Read the article………………………

Neighbor vs. Neighbor at the Newswalk Condominium (NY)

Unit-owners at the Newswalk condominium in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn – a repurposed former Daily News printing plant – are no strangers to strife. When the first unit-owners moved in after the 2002 conversion, they were shocked by construction so slipshod that many of the “luxury” apartments were barely habitable. The condo board sued the developer, […]

Juggling Concurrent Projects in Your HOA

Juggling multiple projects in a community association can seem daunting at the beginning. There are so many expectations, deadlines, meetings, schedules, vendors, contracts, mobilizations, and de-mobilizations to think of. Not to mention you might be dealing with scaffolding, orange cones, swing stations and demolition. . . a lot of demolition. (You can’t have an omelet […]