In the complex realm of managing condominium and homeowner associations, disputes with contractors and other critical business decisions can unexpectedly arise. Successful navigation through these challenges requires proactive measures, clear communication, and careful decision-making. In this guide, we explore how to handle dispute settlements, important business choices, and the significance of release agreements for associations. […]
Conflict Management How to Handle When Things Get Out of Hand (NV)
Living in close quarters can—and often does—lead to conflict. In co-op, condo, and HOA communities, conflict can occur between residents, or between a resident and the board. And to complicate matters, a seemingly isolated conflict between residents may spill over to become a conflict between resident(s) and the board. What’s the key to resolving differences? […]
What Is a Community Association’s Responsibility In Regards To Alleged Discrimination Or Harassment?
Years ago, if the board of a community association (condo, coop, or HOA) learned that an owner was allegedly discriminating against or harassing another, it could turn a blind eye with little (if any) legal consequence. Today, federal regulations and many local laws require a community association board to intervene and take action when it […]
Unlocking the Vibrancy of Your Community with Lifestyle Programming
In the realm of community association living, a growing trend is transforming residential landscapes, making neighborhoods more vibrant and connected than ever before. It’s called lifestyle programming and is not exclusively for 55+ communities anymore. Read the article…………………………….
Preparing your Community for Hostile Behavior
Community association board members and managers frequently practice diffusing tension and communicating clearly. Today, they also need to prepare safety and security plans in the event of hostile and dangerous behavior. Though worst-case scenarios are rare, in an increasingly uncertain climate, a renewed focus has been placed on safeguarding residents, volunteers, and employees. Read the […]
Safety and security: Preparing your community for hostile behavior
Community association board members and managers frequently practice diffusing tension and communicating clearly. Today, they also need to prepare safety and security plans in the event of hostile and dangerous behavior. Though worst-case scenarios are rare, in an increasingly uncertain climate, a renewed focus has been placed on safeguarding residents, volunteers, and employees. Read the article………………………..
Annoyance, Harassment, Complaint ot Threat: When Should Boards Act and What Should They Do?
Remember when people would ask in the middle of a heated dispute: “Can’t we all just get along?” No one asks that question very often anymore because the answer clearly is, no. We can’t get along. We can’t seem to behave with even moderate civility. Debates (loosely defined) in Congress are only one example. Read […]
Problem Solved – Accessing a Unit (MA)
Most governing documents allow the trust to gain access to an owner’s unit to deal with both emergency and non-emergency situations. So the first step is to review the association’s documents to make sure they provide this authority Read the article………………………..
How Being Kind Can Lead to Success
Disputes and disagreements between board members, residents, community managers, staff members, and business partners are an inevitable part of living in a community association. While generating an atmosphere of kindness and respect might seem easier said than done, it can make for a more collaborative and positive environment for all. Being nice can really pay […]
Dealing With Harassment: Separating the Impolite from the Illegal
While occasional annoyances and interpersonal friction are simply part of the cost of communal living, some behaviors cross the line from minor nuisance into legitimate harassment. Knowing the difference is important—but it can be tricky to discern, and even more difficult to address. Read the article………………………..
Where I Live: Harbour View Estates neighbors ‘take care of our own’ (TX)
My home is located in Harbour View Estates, just north of Lake Worth and west of Saginaw. Our “Best of the Best ‘hood’” as we call it, is 152 homesites on a minimum of an acre, some more and some less but none more than two. Read the article………………………..
Condo Columns: The sociopath next door
There are more sociopaths surrounding us than we want to believe, including in your condominium association. The most commonly cited statistic is that one percent of the United States population is comprised of sociopaths. Read the article………………………..
Detailed exploration of the County’s condo assessment loan program (FL)
……let’s take a closer look at Miami-Dade County’s new Condominium Special Assessment Program, which was explained to residents in late March in a meeting hosted by the Key Biscayne Condominium Presidents’ Council and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado. Read the article………………………..
When You Can’t Just Walk Away
Afew weeks ago, I wrote a column about what Board members should do when they are confronted with a person screaming or yelling at them and otherwise acting nuts. In sum, the answer was “just walk away” because in those circumstances there is little you are going to be able to do to convince the […]
Having Trouble With Your HOA Along With Complaints? (CA)
Having the opportunity to live in a condominium, townhouse, or row home is a great benefit and challenge for people who live in a homeowners association. However, there are some common complaints about the way the Board of Directors of an association treats its members. Read the article………………………..
How to Keep Owners Engaged in the HOA
Owners make up the heart of any HOA. They elect the board of directors. Their HOA fees fund community projects. They provide a volunteer workforce for the community. The owners in your HOA are extremely important. The following are some tips to keep them engaged and active in the community. Read the article………………………..
Illinois Common Interest Communities and Condo Associations Can File Property Tax Appeals on Behalf of Unit Owners
Anyone who has ever owned property in Illinois understands that there exists a potentially never-ending cycle of property tax appeals and assessments because real estate is subject to being re-evaluated or re-assessed either on a 3-year or 4-year cycle depending on which county the property is located. Even further, if there are changes made to […]
A condo board’s guide to fixing people problems
Attempting to fix a condo board’s problem does not usually result in calling the police. If a fight breaks out at a condo board meeting and the police are called to assist, most directors recognize that there is a problem. These types of problems usually escalate over time. Fortunately, most condo boards will never find […]
7 Must-Have HOA Online Services For The Best User Experience
There is a lot that goes into managing a homeowners association. But, with the right tools, it can be made significantly more straightforward. Here are the HOA online services every community should have. Read the article………………………..
10 Common Resident Complaints & How to Manage Them
In every industry, customer complaints are inevitable. It’s important to have a system in place to deal with them efficiently. In the property management industry, this is even more crucial, as buildings are constantly interacting with residents and their families. Read the article………………………..
Tips for HOA boards on dealing with increasing demands from homeowners
It’s not just your imagination. Homeowner demands are increasing, and unfortunately, the hours in your day are not. If you and your board are starting to feel overwhelmed by emails, calls, and verbal requests, we’ve got some ideas to help your team succeed. Read the article………………………..
Tips for HOA boards on dealing with increasing demands from owners
It’s not just your imagination. Homeowner demands are increasing, and unfortunately, the hours in your day are not. If you and your board are starting to feel overwhelmed by emails, calls, and verbal requests, we’ve got some ideas to help your team succeed. Read the article………………………..
Issues that often lead to a dispute with an HOA (FL)
The intent of a homeowners’ association is to manage certain aspects of a community, such as the maintenance of common areas, as well as protect the values of the homes in the community. While there are many benefits to an HOA, there may be times when the responsibilities and power of this governing body conflict […]
Ways to Keep HOA Residents Happy
Everyone wants to live in a happy community filled with friendly, kind neighbors. Board members and community managers work hard every day to make that dream a reality. But, such a lofty goal can seem near impossible when faced with the realities of CC&Rs violations, construction projects, and broken pool keys. When faced with a […]
Dealing with disruptive association members (MI)
Q: We have an unruly co-owner in our condominium association who is always disruptive at the annual meeting of members. There is time allowed for individuals to address the membership, and we have set a 3-minute limit for each speaker, but he always goes over time and interrupts other speakers, including board members. What can […]
Every Voice Matters: The Best Ways to Get Input from Homeowners
Asking owners to share how they feel and what they want to see in their community might be harder than you think. After all, many homeowners may not understand the limitations of the association or the benefits that the association has to offer. Read the entire article……………………………….
Mental Health Issues in Multifamily Communities: Compassion, Respect, & Avoiding Liability (IL)
Running a community association requires boards and managers to work with people from all walks of life, including those who have unique experiences, wants, needs, and challenges. That requirement also includes residents living with behavioral or mental health issues—and thanks to the pandemic and all the chaos and upheaval that came with it, more people […]
Tips to Handle HOA Residents Who Meddle
Q: We have a resident who often meddles in the affairs of committees that she is not part of. I know we can issue a cease-and-desist letter, but what else can we do? Read the Q&A……………………………….
HOA Complaints
As an HOA Board Member, you are likely faced with complaints from fellow homeowners. This can be daunting—especially when the homeowner is perceived as unreasonable or irate. Below are helpful tips to guide you through the process to achieve a successful resolution. Read the entire article……………………………….
9 Common Homeowners Association Lawsuits
As with any other type of organization, homeowners associations are vulnerable to legal action. More often than not, it is the community members who challenge the association. It is important that HOAs familiarize themselves with the most common homeowners association lawsuits to better prepare for any and all possibilities. Read the entire article……………………………….
How to Address Bad Homeowner Behavior
A homeowner became disruptive at our annual meeting after repeatedly being told that he was out of order, and he was asked to leave. How should the board follow up so that he does not repeat this type of behavior? Read the entire article……………………………….
Out of Control Homeowners, Help Please! (AZ)
“Help! What can our HOA/condo do to make this homeowner STOP?! We have a homeowner that is verbally abusive, the name-calling is offensive and vulgar – we feel harassed!” You often hear us say, serving on your association’s board is a thankless job – and, many of you know this firsthand! Read the entire article……………………………….
Dealing With Disruptive Residents – Empathy & Education vs. Enforcement & Eviction
If you live in, work in, or provide services for a co-op, condo, or HOA, you know that however harmonious a building or association is in general, there is always that one person—or perhaps more than one—who throws a wrench in the works. It could be the guy who seems to take pleasure in disrespecting […]
Eye For Compromise In Your HOA
One of the vexing issues a new board has to contend with is lax enforcement of owner additions and modifications by former boards. Lack of enforcement often results in non-compliant decks, fences, sheds and other creature comforts. The violators sometimes claim they got verbal approval from the developer or some long gone board president. Others […]
Can Homeowners Request HOA Financial Reports?
As a homeowner living in an HOA community, it is only natural for you to want to know that your association is doing well financially. To that end, you might want to request HOA financial reports. But, is that even possible? Read the entire article……………………………….
Being Threatened With Legal Action? What Community Association Board Members Can Do To Protect Themselves (NC)
For homeowner association volunteers, a very real concern is the possibility of legal threats that may be levelled against the board. In a recent “Ask the Experts” webinar, Attorney Chris Gelwicks provided information on what community association board members should do when faced with threats of litigation from homeowners. Though these threats may be considered […]
Dealing with Harassment (CO)
Over the past year we have been required to spend much more time at home. During that time, some of us have been attempting to tutor our children through virtual schooling. We have cancelled vacations, graduations, and other important events. These stressors have not brought out the best in everyone. Many board members, and every […]
How To Deal With False HOA Mistakes
Like any organization, homeowners associations (HOAs) make mistakes. Even the best HOA can suffer from occasional mismanagement, human error, and other problems that negatively impact residents. Association managers can help their clients handle mistakes. When the association is at fault, managers can mediate the HOA dispute and resolve it. Read the article…………………………
The Most Common HOA Complaints And How To Deal With Them
Homeowner association complaints are common in any planned community. However, not all of them are directed to the board or the association. Most of the time, homeowners’ complaints are directed towards their neighbors or other members of the community. While neighbor disputes do not always involve or require action from the association, it’s still important […]
HOA surveys: Collecting feedback from your community
An association is the sum of its members. While the board of directors is charged with upholding specific responsibilities, the fate of the association ultimately lies in the hands of the owners. In order to operate at its best, an HOA needs funding, and most of that money comes from owners. These community members also […]
Calm and collected: 6 steps for board members to reduce tensions in a community
Community association boards sometimes find themselves at odds with homeowners when carrying out their fiduciary duties and responsibilities. Board members often may feel unsure of what to do when an angry resident constantly complains and may not know how to reduce tensions that arise in the community. Read the article…………………………….
HOA Homefront: Civility must start somewhere (CA)
From presidential debate stages to courtrooms to families to HOAs, civility is becoming so rare, it should be considered endangered. Differences of opinion are no longer allowed – either you agree with me or you are a demon and I will reject any dialogue with you. 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 […]
How Condo Boards Can Deal With Bad Behavior (NY)
If bad behavior in a condo is a serious ongoing situation, what can a board do to fix it? Habitat asks David Berkey, partner at Gallet Dreyer & Berkey, for his advice. It’s inevitable that residents in a co-op or condo sometimes behave in ways that cause headaches for their neighbors. But if it’s a […]
Community Associations Challenged with Limited Resources When Dealing with Mentally Ill or Violent Residents (FL)
On the heels of Mental Health Awareness month and with full restrictions yet to be lifted during the COVID-19 pandemic, stress-related incidents and escalating tensions within community associations are on the rise. Mental health issues have been exponentially compounded by the fact that social distancing is still enforced and many people who suffer from mental […]
What HOAs Need to Know About Mental Health
Should an association make accommodations for people with neurological issues like early onset dementia, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum, whether they tell you or the association observes it? What special accommodations or exceptions are available under the Fair Housing Act? Read the article……………………………..
Dealing with Vexatious Litigants in Community Association Matters
Vexatious litigants bother, embarrass and/or cause legal expenses to the defendant and can be a costly problem in today’s legal system. Vexatious litigation is becoming more common in the realm of community associations and quite often these litigants represent themselves when they file lawsuits against their own association or contest decisions made by the Board […]
Top Ten Ways to Encourage Homeowner Engagement in Your Community Association
Increasing homeowner engagement is an important component of building a strong community. More homeowner involvement gives HOA board members a broader perspective on issues facing the community. As your association gets more homeowner participation, the board may be able to lighten its workload or get more done by delegating tasks to volunteer committees. You may […]
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………………………….