Community associations play a vital role in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in their respective communities. At the heart of every community association is its board of directors, comprised of dedicated individuals who serve in various officer roles. In this article, we will delve into the responsibilities and functions of these officers, shedding […]
HOA Board Member Roles
As a homeowner in a community governed by a homeowners association (HOA), commonly referred to as a Community Association, you may be curious about the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors are elected by the association members to serve as their representatives and make decisions on behalf of the […]
3 Steps to More Efficient Board Meetings
Community association board meetings are the primary forum for directors to make formal decisions that affect the community. With so many moving parts and topics to discuss, running effective meetings that make the best use of everyone’s time can be challenging. Here are three strategies for running efficient meetings. Read the article………………………..
How To Be A Good HOA President
Many people underestimate the HOA President’s responsibility and what they must do to keep the community running smoothly. Although this task can seem daunting at times, it can also be very rewarding. A board of directors governs homeowners associations. Each board member has a distinct title and set of responsibilities. The HOA president stands at […]
Characteristics of Great Community Association Presidents
A well-functioning community association board requires dedicated directors who are all doing their part to help make their enclave the best it could possibly be. Each of a board’s members and officers, which generally include the president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, play vital roles and make essential contributions to the administrative and financial wellbeing […]
Understanding the Role of an HOA President
Understanding your roles as an HOA president will enable you to fulfill your duties towards the HOA and serve the community well. Roles may differ slightly depending on the HOA’s bylaws and Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs). Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront: Presidents are board members not bosses (CA)
If the HOA president’s role is misunderstood, the result can be very serious board dysfunction, as well as stress and risk for the president. First, it is critical to understand that the role and power of the HOA president are dramatically different than that of a for-profit corporate president. The typical for-profit president is hired […]
Can An HOA President Be Impeached? Here’s What to Know
Community association presidents often have a lot of power and responsibility. They can make decisions that affect the entire community. Although most volunteer board members balance this tough job very well and have the best interest of the community in mind, rarely, that might not be the case. What happens if they start abusing their power? […]
President is typically chairperson of board meetings (FL)
Q: Who presides over the board meetings, the property manager, or the president? And who contacts contractors for bids, the property manager, or the board? Finally, can you rent out rooms in an over 55 community? Read the Q&A…………………………………
Association president should vote on most issues (IL)
Q: The president of the board of our homeowners’ association does not vote on any matter or motion that comes before the board, except if there is a tie vote. She says she is not supposed to vote in general, and that the board president only votes to break a tie. Is this correct? Read […]
A Guide To HOA Board Responsibilities
Serving on the board of a homeowner association is a high calling. Well meaning volunteers are elected to roles that are critical to the well being of the HOA. But what exactly is a board member supposed to do to fulfill this charge? Here’s a handy guide: Read the entire article……………………………….
When the President Thinks They’re King (FL)
So all this talk about the Presidency lately has got me thinking about an issue that comes up every week in my practice for the past 30 years or so. I get a call from someone on a Board of Directors. And they tell me that they have a President on the Board who is […]
What Do They Do? A Deep Dive Into the Roles of HOA Board Officers
Every homeowners’ association (HOA) is required to have an elected board of directors that acts on a community’s behalf. Often, there’s a misconception that all board members do is measure budget performance and create and enforce rules. Read the entire article……………………………….
The Dos and Don’ts of HOA Meeting Agendas
Meetings, and the decisions that come from them, play a critical role in maintaining and determining the future of a homeowners’ association (HOA). Whether it’s an annual board meeting or periodic committee and project meeting, it’s important that these gatherings are productive and accomplish the intended goals. Read the entire article……………………………….
The Main Duties of a Homeowner Association President
You love your neighborhood because the community pulls together and cares about each other. That’s why you decided to run for a position on the board. In the United States, a huge number of people live in communities like yours with a board committee working to make the neighborhood better. A recent survey found about […]
Does a Community Association Board President Have Executive Action Authority or Unilateral Powers? (FL)
Community associations are not administered by a single director or officer of the board, instead, the affairs of such associations are administered by its board. The articles of incorporation and/or bylaws of an association most often specify the required minimum number of board members. In the condominium context, the Florida Condominium Act provides that in […]
The role of the president’s report in a condo AGM
The annual general meeting (AGM), also known as an annual meeting, is arguably the most important meeting for condo communities. Members are elected to serve on the board of directors. Owners are given an opportunity to hear about the corporation’s financial health, projects, and other significant issues. Read the article…………………………………..
HOA’s: Some advice after 12 years at the helm (NC)
When my wife Gloria and I moved from Long Island to the Townhomes at Harborside in 2004, two unanticipated things happened rather quickly: First, we made great friends. Whether they hailed from the Carolinas or other states, it’s been a blessing. Before you know it I became president of our homeowners association. I retired in […]
HOA 101: Understanding the Role of the Board President
To function correctly, a homeowners’ association (HOA) must have a board of directors that’s authorized to act on a community’s behalf, create and enforce community guidelines, and maintain shared spaces. Generally, the HOA board has four officer positions: president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Each officer has specific duties and responsibilities related to the operation […]
Do You Know Who’s Who in Your Community Association?
You may be a member of a community association but not be familiar with all of the positions and responsibilities of each board member. Maybe you haven’t ever thought about who does what and who is responsible for different things within your community association board, but each member has a distinct role. If you want […]
No Thanks: The Lot of a Co-op Board President (NY)
Paranoia seems to be an inevitable part of daily life in this big city. And paranoia is in evidence among some co-op shareholders and condo unit-owners who, whenever a decision is made that they don’t like, immediately suspect the board of malfeasance. To these people, the board members have grown drunk on their power to […]
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 […]
HOA Homefront: What to look for in resume for president
The office of a homeowners association president is important but sometimes misunderstood. In most associations, presidents are selected by board vote (in an open meeting). Here are some ideas as to what to look for in the HOA’s next president. 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 […]
How to chair a condo board meeting
Condo board meetings aren’t only a regulatory requirement; they’re also crucial in fulfilling the board’s mandate i.e. to serve the interests of the condominium corporation and ensure adherence to all the by-laws. The specific number of meetings each year is outlined in the condominium’s by-laws so it can vary. However, there must be at least […]
HOA Board Roles and Responsibilities
It is common knowledge that homeowner associations have a board of directors, but the exact roles and responsibilities of the board are often misunderstood. Simply put, the board is responsible for running the association, occasionally with the assistance of an HOA management company. While the board may consist of 3-7 members as a whole, typically […]
The Co-op Board President Who Misses Nothing (NY)
She was born Lillian Chin, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and she grew up on the West Side of Manhattan when the neighborhood still had rough edges. Her father toiled long hours in restaurants and her mother was a garment worker in Chinatown, and Chin and her four siblings grew up conversant with what it […]
Kass: When Disaster Strikes: What Is An Emergency In Your HOA?
Question: I am the President of our 98 unit condominium. Every so often, (and usually in the middle of the night) I get a telephone call from a unit owner (or our property manager) telling him that something has happened that needs immediate approval. For example, the other evening during a heavy thunderstorm, all the […]
All You Need to Know About Board Member Roles
Whenever new members are elected to serve on their Board of Directors, a new tone is set for the association. Each new Board member brings a dynamic to the meeting that sets the tone for the operation of the association. These new volunteers are, most of the time, homeowners who have a vested interest in […]
Eight Roles You’ll Master as Community Association President
Serving as a homeowner or community association board president is an honor, a privilege and an experience that many across North America take great satisfaction in. But before you make the leap from resident to board member, it’s key to understand exactly what you’ll be getting yourself into, and we can help. The good news […]
Diary of a New York Co-op Board President
Buying an apartment in a New York co-op building can seem like such a great idea — at first. But just wait. There is often a steep learning curve that runs from happy optimism to weary cynicism. This is one such story, as I remember it. As most New Yorkers know all too well, when […]
Ready to Become Board President? Practice R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Being a board member has its challenges and rewards, but if you’re ready to take your community to the next level, being the board president might be the right role for you. Before you put your name on the ballot though, it’s worth your time to consider the personal attributes the role requires before taking […]
HOA Homefront: El presidente is not el jefe
The office of HOA president is often misunderstood. And very serious dysfunction for associations and their boards, as well as heartburn for the president, can be the outcome. At the outset, it is critical to understand that the role of the homeowners association president is dramatically different than the for-profit corporate president. Read the article…………………
A Guide To HOA Board Responsibilities
Serving on the board of a homeowner association is a high calling. Well meaning volunteers are elected to roles that are critical to the well being of the HOA. But what exactly is a board member supposed to do to fulfill this charge? Here’s a handy guide: Read the article………………
FAQs on HOA Board Member Roles and Responsibilities
The president leads the Board and is responsible for overseeing and handling many of its procedural duties. In order to succeed in this role, the Board president must be knowledgeable about the community’s CC&Rs and governing documents and understand how to run an effective meeting. He or she serves as the authority on all association […]
One Board President’s On-the-Job Training
John F. Kennedy said, famously, that there’s no school for presidents. The only way to learn the job is by doing it. The same goes for presidents of co-op and condo boards. Just ask Darren Arithoppah. Like many of the residents at the 157-unit condominium at 140 East 56th Street in New York City’s upscale […]
Clarifying Board Roles: Who’s On Board?
Chances are if you’re a resident in a co-op, condo, or HOA community, you’re familiar with your property’s board of directors (or trustees, or managers, depending on what part of the country you live in). Boards are usually made up of volunteers, or members appointed by the community’s initial developer, depending on the property’s age […]
Eight Jobs You’ll Master as HOA Board President
Are you considering serving as the President of the HOA Board for your homeowner or community association? Well, before you picture yourself at the head of the table, transforming your community into the vision of perfection you have in your head, it might be good to take stock of the many jobs you’ll be doing […]
The Essential Five People On Your Association Board
It takes a lot to build a great community. You need committed residents, a dedicated board of directors, and a clear understanding of everybody’s roles and responsibilities. Read the article…………
Unanimous Consent: Good Presiding Officers Use It!
Sure, you can use formal procedure to handle routine, noncontroversial matters in board and membership meetings. But why would you? Read more…….
Take charge of that meeting: 8 ways to make sense of Robert’s Rules of Order
If you’re going to chair meetings or rise to a high post in your professional society, you’re likely to run up against Robert’s Rules of Order. In the U.S., it’s the most widely used authority on parliamentary procedure–and many a meeting chair has struggled to follow those rules. A reader of The Eloquent Woman wrote […]
Condo board chiefs often make hard choices
Imagine that you have a job that requires you to be an expert in everything from finance to construction and that trying to do your best at this job makes your closest neighbors hate you. Now imagine that you do this for free. That’s the life of a condominium board president. Read More……
So Now You’re On the Board
The first steps to superior board performance are clarifying your board’s job and then following through with appropriate plans, actions and evaluation of results. The checklists presented here are intended to assist you in those tasks. They cover a significant number of your responsibilities. The checklists will apply to virtually any association. To use them, […]