Unfortunately, Hurricane Ian was a historic storm and has left a wide and substantial swath of damage across Southwest Florida. As we all work to recover from the ongoing effects of Hurricane Ian, I would like to share a few pointers we have learned from past storms and some things we are experiencing with Ian: […]
One Florida community built to weather hurricanes endured Ian with barely a scratch (FL)
In 2018, Wilkerson became one of the first 100 residents of Babcock Ranch — an innovative community north of Fort Myers where homes are built to withstand the worst that Mother Nature can throw at them without being flooded out or losing electricity, water or the internet. Read the article………………………..
Increasing Events of Extreme Rainfall and Flooding Cause Headaches for HOAs and Homeowners: Part II
A townhome community in Salisbury suffered unprecedented flooding rainfalls over the last two years. One townhome located in the community’s low-lying area sustained damage to the Foundation and other structural components, to the point that the structure was starting to settle. Like most townhome communities, the HOA only provides exterior maintenance on the townhomes. The […]
Hurricane Ian: Practical advice for communities in the aftermath of the storm
Hurricane Ian pummeled Florida’s southwestern coast last week, causing dozens of deaths, generating widespread property damage, and knocking out access to basic utilities in communities across the state. Considered one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history, cleanup, restoration, and rebuilding efforts are ongoing and will take some time. Read the article………………………..
What to Include in Your Community Association Hurricane Plan
With hurricane season in full swing, now is a good time to make sure your community association has a hurricane plan in place. While every situation is different, there are some basic things that should always be included in any hurricane plan. Read the article………………………..
Budget Workshops and Planning Sessions
Understanding how to create and maintain a budget is essential to the success of every community association. Unfortunately, however, understanding when and how to budget isn’t always easy. Read the article………………………..
Flood Preparedness Guide
From water damage to ruined personal items, floods can be a nightmare for homeowners. To learn how to best protect your home in the event of a flood, review our in-depth guide below. We’ll cover how to prepare before any potential flooding, how to stay safe during a flood, and how to best recover once […]
Spring Creek Association starts five-year strategic planning (NV)
What do Spring Creek Association homeowners want to see in their community in the next five years? According to a survey, residents are wanting better public safety and more community facilities, events and business growth. Read the article………………………..
Community Maintenance & Emergency Preparedness in the Perfect HOA
When it comes to perfection in a homeowners association, there’s one area in which almost all communities typically fail: emergency preparedness & maintenance planning. Okay, yes, that’s two things technically, but they rely largely on the same information to accomplish, and they are very closely related, so they’re typically bundled into one neat package. Community […]
Condo Insurance Tips: What to Know Before & After the Storm
With spring having sprung, it’s important to keep in mind that severe weather season is also upon us. Depending on where your community is located, you may be at risk for wind storms, flooding, tornadoes, and other threats. No matter where you are, part of your duties as a board member of a condominium community […]
The Association’s Duty to Maintain, Repair, and Replace: Adequate Assessment and Planning (MI)
Whether your community is a condominium, subdivision, or you live in a cooperative, one of the most important functions of your association is to plan for an execute repairs and maintenance of common elements, areas, or assets. This requires money, which almost always comes solely from the assessment of member homeowners. Read the article…………………………………
As wildfire becomes unavoidable, Westside residents ask the city for advanced evacuation planning (CO)
Since Waldo, city council and the Colorado Springs Fire Department have worked with neighborhood associations and homeowners to expand fire mitigation efforts and passed the 2013 Ignition Resistant Construction Ordinance to ensure vulnerable neighborhoods are built using non-combustible materials. Read the entire article……………………………….
Hope for the best; prepare for the worst: preparing for the 2022 hurricane season (FL)
Q. My condominium association just sent all owners a copy of a hurricane plan that lists the actions the association will take if our area is impacted by a hurricane watch or warning. If the association is responsible for protecting the condominium building, what should I do to prepare my Unit for a possible storm? […]
Why can’t co-ops (and condo’s/HOA’s) cooperate when disaster hits?
Today, there’s no expectation that neighbors will help each other rebuild after a catastrophic loss. But there are communal obligations and risks to cover through insurance for subdivisions, condominiums and cooperatives, as well as the risk of harm to others through liability coverage. Read the entire article……………………………….
How Natural Disasters Affect Community Associations: Insurance Policies & Filing Claims
Natural disasters can have a significant impact on community associations. One of the main issues that associations face after a natural disaster is knowing when and how to file insurance claims. In this article, we will discuss how storms affect community associations and the role of the different types of insurance coverage concerning filing claims, […]
“How to keep Communities looking good while also protecting them from natural disasters”?
Natural disasters typically announce their arrival by uprooting trees, roaring tornados, or blazing wildfires wiping out entire landscaped communities. Geophysical, hydrological, meteorological, and climatological factors all create severe disruptions to the functioning of communities and exceed their capacity to cope with them using their own resources. Climatological disasters are becoming a much more standard part […]
The Worst Storm Is the Storm You Didn’t Prepare For (FL)
With hurricane season quickly approaching, it is important that you prepare for the worst (and hope for the best)! Hurricane season is June 1 through November 30. This article will provide tips to help prepare your 2022 hurricane preparedness guide, as well as provide actions that you can take before a hurricane makes landfall. The […]
HOA Insurance Tips: What Do I Do Before and After a Storm?
As severe weather season comes into play, it’s time to consider what you will do if a storm hits your community. You will need to understand how to prepare for a storm and claim any insurance assistance you might need after the storm has passed. Read the entire article……………………………….
Emergency plans emphasized after Ocean City condo fire (MD)
Residents of high-rises were reminded this week to pay close attention to their buildings’ emergency plans after a transformer fire at a north Ocean City condominium forced a wide-sweeping evacuation. Read the entire article……………………………….
Emergency meeting held to keep private communities safe (PA)
A meeting in the Poconos Thursday, aimed to help Homeowner Associations (HOA) prepare their communities for emergencies Read the entire article……………………………….
How gated communities in Lee County should prepare for hurricane season (FL)
President property managers and homeowners association (HOA) can take protecting the people of their communities to the next level by updating Lee County Right of Entry forms before hurricane season starts. Read the entire article……………………………….
Maintenance Now, or Disaster Later?
Many homeowners association boards shy away from addressing day-to-day maintenance needs and may be unwilling to spend assessment funds for preventative maintenance. That apprehension is often motivated by a genuine desire to keep HOA dues low or simply due to indecision from a good faith desire to make only the right decisions. Whatever the motivation, […]
The Importance of Emergency Planning for Community Associations
In the Carolinas, we are pretty familiar with natural disasters, particularly hurricanes. Though they arrive by sea, there have been many instances of them making their way inland and causing just as much, if not more, damage than they do in coastal cities. Read the entire article……………………………….
Flood Risk Rises for Condos & Co-ops: How to be Physically & Financially Ready (NJ)
With hurricanes and other torrential storm events on the rise around the nation, the issue of flooding has come as something of a wake-up call for homeowners and local governments alike. The real-world effects of climate change are upon us, even in areas where such events were rare before—if they occurred at all—and certainly in […]
How to Create a Comprehensive Community Maintenance Plan
A structured community maintenance plan guides community owners in their property management. Cleaning schedules, routine inspections, upkeep, and major outage strategies are part of the maintenance plan. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo questions: Can the board shut off elevators during emergency situations? (FL)
Q: My condominium’s Board of Directors recently started discussing hurricane preparations and steps the Association would take if a hurricane were to hit our area. The Board said they would shut down both the elevators and air conditioning 24 hours before the hurricane hits. Does the Board have the right to shut off the elevators […]
Emergency Preparedness Kit – What You Should Include and Plan For
Each HOA consists of individual properties, and each homeowner is responsible for preparing for potential local weather disasters and emergencies. Are you prepared for an emergency at home? Local disasters can occur in a variety of ways. You may need to shelter in place for one or more days at any moment, due to anything […]
Why Do So Many HOAs Fail To Properly Plan For Predictable Expenses?
A fortune teller asked me to gaze into her crystal ball. “I see wear and tear in your condominium’s future. I see a new roof will be needed. I see cracking paint and asphalt in need of repair. I see (gasp!) no money to pay for these things!” Read the entire article……………………………….
Is Your HOA Prepared for a Disaster?
Unless the governing documents say otherwise, nothing formally requires a homeowners association to formally draft a plan for a possible catastrophic event. That said, association boards and managers really should “expect the unexpected” when it comes to unexpected adverse events like fires, earthquakes, and flooding. Whether it’s the worst natural disaster since the BP oil […]
Stay Safe with an HOA Emergency Preparedness Plan
No one can accurately tell when a severe storm, natural disaster, or unforeseen building issue will occur. That’s why it’s essential community associations take the necessary precautions to prepare. Read the entire article……………………………….
Rebuilding after disaster takes a community — and a streamlined process — say Coloradans who lost homes in Waldo Canyon fire (CO)
Fires destroyed 347 houses in 2012, but the Mountain Shadows community in Colorado Springs found ways to work with city officials, contractors and others to rebuild fast, and now offer help to Marshall fire victims. Read the entire article……………………………….
How to Prepare Your Community for Winter Weather Emergencies
As a member of your homeowners’ association (HOA) board of directors, fostering a safe and secure environment should always be a top priority. That includes protecting community members from hazards presented by winter weather conditions. Having a plan in place for winter weather will help you save lives, earn trust, and avoid costly property damage. […]
13 HOA Issues In The New Year And How To Prepare For Them (NC/SC)
Every year, homeowners associations across the country face new challenges in the world of community management. With 2022 just around the corner, what are the expected HOA issues in the new year? Read the entire article……………………………….
FEMA to Issue New Homeowner Flood Form
For the first time in more than 20 years, FEMA has announced plans to make changes to its Standard Flood Insurance Policy (SFIP). Under the proposal, FEMA would introduce a new Homeowner Flood Form, to be published at 44 C.F.R. 61 appendix A(4), that would provide flood coverage for one-to-four residential properties. Read the entire […]
Board Tips for Setting Community Goals
To maximize the effectiveness of a condominium community, boards must make goal-setting an annual task. With the board’s responsibility to maintain and, ideally, improve the community, creating goals can provide a roadmap to ensure that happens. Goals help keep you on track, accountable, financially sound, and much more. The following are some expert tips for […]
Plan for the Worst, Hope for the Best – The Proactive Policy Approach (CO)
Is it better to wait until problems occur or to address issues ahead of time to prevent those problems from arising? This is a concept that community associations around the country, not just in Colorado, struggle with on a daily basis. Basically, the community version of the chicken versus the egg scenario – if we […]
Strategic plans for HOAs
Businesses develop strategic plans to help them gain a clear and uniform understanding of who they are, what they are working to do and why they are working towards their goals. HOAs can also benefit from strategic plans as they can help busy boards and managers ensure their association is moving in the right direction. […]
7 Critical Steps in Creating an Emergency Action Plan
Natural disasters and emergencies are inevitable, and the only thing we can do is prepare for them. That’s why it is crucial that HOA put in place measures and plans to address them in the event they occur to avoid panic. HOA board members get tasked with formulating an emergency action plan to tackle disasters […]
What to Do if There is HOA Slope Movement/Failure (CA)
Southern California is known for the warm weather, relaxing atmosphere, and in certain cases, picturesque Homeowners Associations (HOA) situated high enough to see the ocean. However, what happens when those picture-perfect HOAs have a slope movement/failure? What should the Board of Directors (Board) do? Read the entire article……………………………….
Hurricane Window Protection Policies & Local Regulations (FL)
In the wake of Tropical Storm/Category 1 Hurricane Elsa, and with September being National Preparedness Month, hurricane preparations are top of mind for many owners and associations, as are considerations for how long hurricane shutters, plywood, or other protective window coverings should remain in place following an active threat of a storm. Read the entire […]
Community Association Debris Removal After a Natural Disaster
Natural disasters and severe weather have caused immense damage to communities across the U.S. this year. Wildfires in California have already burned nearly 1.8 million acres in 2021 as firefighters struggle to contain numerous blazes, including the Caldor Fire near Lake Tahoe. This week, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana as a category 4 storm, […]
‘We do it together’: how a Lake Tahoe community prepared to flee the Caldor fire (CA)
There is only one way out of the Golden Bear neighborhood in South Lake Tahoe, and as the flames of the Caldor fire crept closer on Monday that could easily have turned into a catastrophe. But as the fire bore down on the neighborhood, a cluster of a couple of hundred homes tucked into the […]
Plan, Don’t React: 5 Things Every Board Member Must Consider for Long-Term Planning
Long-term planning is one of the primary duties an individual undertakes when seated on the board of directors for a community association. There is a constant balance that must be found between a desire to keep assessment levels steady (and low) and ensuring that the items which the association is responsible for repairing, replacing and […]
Strategic Planning for Your HOA
Having a strategic plan is different than simply having a general plan for matters within your HOA. Strategic plans have the ability to unify a community under a central goal, while also making long-term planning easier and more organized for board members. Ensuring that your community has an up-to-date strategic plan is one of the […]
In Case of Emergency: 5 Funding Factors in Community Association Finances
Underfunded community associations can be at risk of falling behind on much-needed repair, restoration, or replacement. Read the entire article……………………………….
6 Crisis Management Lessons From The Florida Condo Collapse
The tragic condominium collapse that occurred recently in Surfside, Fla., has shed light on the importance of crisis management. Identifying threats before they arise can be a challenge. Emergencies can be difficult, if not impossible, to anticipate, but how to respond to them can be thought out beforehand. Proper planning is the first step in […]
Community Associations and Crisis Communication: 6 Best Practices (IL)
No one wants to have to deal with an emergency situation or natural disaster (ex. earthquake, flooding, tornado, wildfires) in their condominium, homeowner (HOA), or townhome association. But board members, community leaders, and property managers should be proactive in their preparation to handle a crisis. Read the entire article……………………………….
Establishing a Community Association Disaster Plan
Natural disasters can strike a community association at any time of the year. Boards and managers should prepare by establishing a disaster plan and reviewing it regularly. The Foundation for Community Association Research has developed best practices for disaster planning in community associations that include actions association boards and professionals should take prior to, during, […]
CAI Shares Condo Safety Resources in Wake of Surfside Tragedy
Condominium association residents and volunteer board members around the world understandably have questions about the safety of their own communities and are wondering how to protect their buildings after the tragic collapse of Champlain Tower South Condominium Association in Surfside, Fla. CAI is providing information and resources to help concerned residents and board members understand […]
HOA Hurricane Preparedness
Hurricane season officially season begins June 1st and runs through November 30th. Unlike a tornado that comes upon a community rather quickly, a hurricane can build for weeks at a time, with the forecast changing from day to day. But like a tornado, if you don’t prepare properly, the damages could be felt for years […]