Artificial Intelligence: Responsible Guidelines for Your HOA

Community association board members and managers should approach the use of artificial intelligence thoughtfully and responsibly. Consider the following:  Clearly define objectives. Outline your goals. Whether it’s building community, streamlining processes, or enhancing decision-making, understanding your objectives is essential.   Read the article…………………………….

Preparing HOAs for the Future: 3 Tech Trends Changing Community Management

Homeowner associations (HOAs) have rapidly grown in popularity over the past few decades. Nearly 30% of American households now live in an HOA community. With this growth comes new opportunities and challenges, especially when it comes to leveraging technology to meet rising homeowner expectations. HOAs that fail to adapt and embrace innovation will quickly fall […]

Elevating the Homeowner Experience in Community Association Management

Many factors contribute to how community association management companies can enhance the quality of life for their homeowners and boards. To ensure a positive relationship with their associations, management companies must be mindful of their homeowners’ needs, the role of technology in the relationship, transparent communications strategies, understanding how to solicit and incorporate homeowner feedback, […]

The Age of the Homeowner

In the community management industry, we’re entering an era where homeowners and board members, the core stakeholders of every community, are becoming the new focal point. While the industry has long prioritized back-office efficiency, a new emphasis on putting technology directly into the hands of homeowners and board members is emerging.   Read the article………………………………

Spectrum Sues a Homeowners Association After It Tries To Switch Providers (FL)

Spectrum Sunshine State, LLC, the local affiliate of Charter Communications and Spectrum Cable TV, filed a lawsuit against a local homeowners association in Florida. At issue here is the local HOA signing a new contract with Blue Stream Communications to replace Spectrum TV and internet services.  Read the article………………………..

Legal implications of AI in condo management (ON)

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, like ChatGPT, is becoming more commonplace, and this emerging technology is likely to continue to evolve and embed itself in business practices.  AI in condominium property management can have several legal implications, depending on how it is implemented and used. Here are some important legal considerations:   Read the […]

10 Tips to Ensure a Well-Run Hybrid Meeting (ON)

For over 3 years now, most owners’ meetings have been held virtually. Technology has drastically improved, lessons have been learned, and changes have been implemented by virtual meeting host platforms to improve the overall experience of participating in a virtual meeting.   Read the article………………………..

After a Damaging Leak, Co-op Board Installs Sensors to Avert a Repeat (NY)

…..a pipe in a vacated — and renovated — ninth floor apartment started leaking, possibly assisted by the cold weather and the fact that water was not moving in the unused pipe. Water traveled all the way down to the second floor of the 14-story building before a housekeeper entered a vacated apartment on the […]

Should your Condo or HOA use ChatGPT to reduce legal expenses? (MI)

A recent survey by the Community Associations Institute’s Foundation for Community Research reported that 91% of community association managers and HOA board members reported seeing unexpected increases in operating expenses due to inflation. While cost increases are inevitable, it appears that condominium and homeowners associations are dealing with the increased expenses in different ways.    Read […]

Police, Private HOAs Team Up to Buy License Plate Readers

Flock Safety, which began as a startup in 2017 in Atlanta and is now valued at approximately $3.5 billion, has targeted homeowners associations, or HOAs, in partnership with police departments, to become one of the largest surveillance vendors in the nation.   Read the article………………………..

Why Condo and Co-op Boards Should Reconsider Cable Bulk Agreements (NY)

As a co-op and condo efficiency consultant, we analyze our clients’ operating expense and income line items as well as their contracts. When we hear that they are in a cable bulk agreement, we immediately review it to get the end date so that we can cancel it at the earliest possible date. Why? Because […]

ChatGPT’s Opinion About HOAs (UT)

(Very interesting) I recently tried ChatGPT for the first time and decided to find out what computers think about homeowners associations. As Thomas Kuhn has been attributed as saying, The answers you get depend on the questions you ask.” So if you like HOAs, you may get positive answers. If you don’t like HOAs, I’m sure […]

Digital Decision Making: Community Association Board of Directors Can Conduct Business Electronically

In recent years, as work, entertainment, and socializing have migrated online, community association governance is following suit. Traditional face-to-face meetings do not always offer the same convenience and accessibility as digital communication technologies. There are several electronic platforms that Boards have begun utilizing, such as Messenger, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and even WhatsApp, just to […]

Data Security In HOAs: How Is Homeowner Information Protected?

Data privacy is a widely discussed topic among planned communities and condominiums today. But, is an HOA legally required to protect member information? How do you strike the right balance between records inspection and data security in HOAs?   Read the article………………………..

What duties does an association have to maintain video recordings? (CA)

Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing pace. The cellphones in our pockets are not just phones, they take pictures, send email and text messages, provide GPS navigation, play music, run hundreds of apps that do almost everything, and they have better higher resolution video capability than movie studios had in the 1990s. As the technology […]

How technology can revolutionize the governance of shared-ownership properties (ON)

Traditionally, one of the greatest challenges managers have had in terms of governance is getting simple responses from enough owners to make a positive difference. Board-by-default happens way too often because most owners are too busy to be bothered. Too often this leads to poor decision-making at the board level in governance over millions of […]

Is Putting Up A Cell Tower In Your HOA Community A Good Thing?

A cell site is vital in ensuring strong and reliable cellular service. Sometimes, a cell company will want to construct a cell tower in HOA communities. What should homeowners associations do when presented with this opportunity?     Read the article………………………..

Tips for an Effective Virtual Annual Meeting

Annual meetings are a requirement for all HOAs as outlined by the Homeowner’s Association Act. These meetings should give residents enough notice to attend (at least 14 days before the meeting), and will cover important information like budget updates, amendments to current governing documents, and new board member elections.   Read the article………………………..

How technology is helping remove racist language in Washington state property deeds

If you live in a home built before the 1950s, there’s a chance that lurking in its property records is racist language.  For decades in the first half of the 20th century, developers, real estate companies and communities inserted covenants into property deeds and neighborhood association bylaws that forbid Black, Asian and Jewish residents from […]

Cyber Security In HOAs (AZ)

In 2021, the average number of cyber security attacks increased by over 15%.[1] LinkedIn was source of the largest data breach in 2021 when over 700 million files were stolen. An increase in cyber related attacks should have everyone reviewing their cybersecurity plan.   Read the article………………………..

License plate readers: Pros and cons for condos and HOAs to consider

Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) are computer-controlled camera systems that can read license plates. It’s a simple concept, but the technology is not without controversy. Authorities have been early adopters of the surveillance tool; it can help police locate suspects, or catch speeders who are creating unsafe environments for others.   Read the article………………………..

Condo Q&A: Can Owners Install Video Doorbells?

Question: Can an owner install a security camera to monitor his or her unit front door entrance area in a condo complex, and can the board approve this as an agenda item?  Read the Q&A……………………………….

Cybersecurity protection: Understanding and addressing community association risks

Mike McGinnis, board president of a condominium in Spokane, Wash., was surprised earlier this year when his community association changed insurance carriers and he discovered that the new policy did not include cybersecurity protection.  “Our debate was paying out an additional $700, which could go to upgrading, say, our security cameras,” McGinnis says. “Is our […]

Tips to Consider in Preparing Your Community Association for a Fiber Network: The Present & the Future of the Internet and TV (FL)

The Present: These days, we are driven and focused on data and media consumption. The fiber optic technology continues to strengthen and the need for gigabit speeds becomes more and more evident.  It is important to engage with a telecommunication service provider that specializes in community associations offering bulk discounted rates    Read the entire article……………………………….

The Best Recommendations to Help Protect Your HOA’s Sensitive Data

Every Association has sensitive information that it needs to protect to ensure the safety of the association and its residents. Associations that have safe practices for keeping their residents’ information safe can protect their residents, avoid liability and generally operate more smoothly.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Fed up with paying hundreds, Hampton community sues over high cable and internet (NC)

A local Hampton community is suing its developer over claims that homeowners are being overcharged for cable and internet services.  The homeowners of H2O by Chesapeake Homes, near the Hampton Coliseum, say they are within their legal rights to terminate the existing communications agreement, which is forcing them to pay more than double.   Read the […]

Neighbors voice concerns over high fines from speed camera tickets (NV)

Neighbors in a Spring Valley community have concerns over the use of cameras to crack down on speeding, and ticket fines they said are far too high.  According to an HOA notice by email in the Park View community, the penalty for anyone speeding past 15 miles per hour is as follows: a first violation […]

Security Tips For Protecting Your HOA’s Data

Technology can enhance homeowners’ associations (HOAs) in a variety of ways—including helping with data storage. Many HOAs depend on digital platforms to store contracts, resident databases, banking information, and other confidential documents. This method of storing data can be extremely efficient, but as with all technology, the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches is present.  Read […]

New FCC Rules Affect Broadband Competition in Multi-Tenant Properties

On February 15, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Report and Order (Order) that prohibits cable operators and other service providers from entering or enforcing agreements for exclusive or “graduated” revenue-sharing with owners of residential or commercial apartment buildings, condominiums, shopping malls, and other multi-tenant environments    Read the entire article……………………………….

Five HOA Automation Tools For Better Property Management

Managing a property requires a high level of business acumen. Being an HOA community manager is sometimes a thankless job. But someone needs to help manage the community, ensure that those are being paid, and help take care of maintenance/repairs that might need to be done. It’s also prudent to keep the neighborhood looking in […]

More on the Installation of Security Cameras (FL)

The installation of a security camera on condominium common elements is considered a material alteration or substantial addition to the common elements. In Sterling Village Condo., Inc. v. Breitenbach, 251 S.2d 685, 687 (Fla. 4th 1971), the court defined “material alteration or addition” as follows:    Read the entire article……………………………….

Vesta Property Group Notifies Individuals of Data Security Incident (FL)

Vesta Property Services, Inc. (“Vesta”), an organization that provides association management services to developers of planned unit communities, condominium associations, homeowners associations and property owners associations announced today that it is notifying certain individuals whose information may have been involved in recent data security incidents.   Read the entire article……………………………….