Community Associations Network E-Newsletter

HI: Condo bills signed A new law creates a general excise tax exemption for wages and other money paid to the managers of condos, timeshares and hotels. Act 239 was one of four condo-related bills signed into law Monday by Gov. Linda Lingle

CO: Owners ordered to vow HOA support or face suit On June 16, a group of residents held a special meeting to oust the board. The HOA’s attorney declared the meeting invalid. Now, the HOA board is trying to crush the revolt by demanding all owners (there are 115 lots) sign a document declaring the old board to be the true board. Those who don’t sign will be sued by the HOA board and assessed attorney fees.

FL: Cat's emotional support protects woman's civil rights The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law in Washington, D.C. notes that "emotional support animals have been proven extremely effective at ameliorating the symptoms of disabilities such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder by providing therapeutic nurture and support." These animals do not have to be specially trained.

FL: Stakes are high in association elections While election complaints involve fewer than one percent of the 20,000 community associations statewide, they are a hot-button issue for the state Condo Ombudsman's Office, which is deluged with complaints in January and February, the peak condo election times, says assistant condo ombudsman Bill Raphan.

NC: Better read the fine print In North Carolina alone, the number of homeowners associations has grown from 3,000 two decades ago to more than 15,000 today, according to the Homeowner Associations of North Carolina. In the Triangle, the number has soared over the same period from 481 to 2,915.

FL: After long fight, Pembroke Pines condo receives $8 million insurance check For 18 months, the patched roofs leaked at the Park Place condo complex while the board of directors tried to get its insurance company to fix the damage caused by Hurricane Wilma.

AZ: Veteran, 91, going strong, makes neighborhood 'look decent' Flores said that before Kopta joined the HOA, the neighborhood suffered from crime, broken lamps, car theft, parking problems and blight. "When Earl became president, things really started to change," Flores said. "He may be 91, but he has the mind of a 30-year-old." Flores describes Kopta as a determined leader and catalyst for change at Fountain Shadows.

OH: Dog's residence in doubt Jazzman's faults? The lawsuit cites four: He exceeds the complex's 35-pound weight limit for dogs. He mauled a neighbor's smaller dog. He conducts his business where he's not supposed to. And he runs loose sometimes. "It's a big dog and it mauled another dog," said the association's attorney Rex Wolfgang.

CO: At Ski Ranches, a subdivision divided This is your neighborhood, the Ski Ranches, an idyllic subdivision riven by boiling rhetoric, complaints about spending and charges that the homeowners’ board has been illegally seated. Welcome home.

FL: Condo development seeks funds to repair lakefront Independence Bay residents recently took out a $700,000 letter of credit out of the roughly $3 million needed to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Wilma to 3,200 feet of shoreline fronting their homes.

CO: After internal drama, a new chapter for King's Deer HOA It’s a lesson for the 150 or so area HOAs about the dangers of casually doing business and not being open to questions and complaints from residents.

NC: Friends & neighbors From the beginning, STPOA has also worked to better the lot of all residents of Sunset Beach, backing such issues as bringing the Food Lion and the CVS to the town. In addition, the group's members work together and as individuals as volunteers and contributors to a number of local causes.

FL: More condo residents getting trapped in elevators as buildings age The elevator at Connie Ross' condo stopped working for the third time in two months. Each time, it took a week to repair.

TX: Homeowner associations flex their muscle   Asa Henry's backyard playground is a kid's delight -- it's at least 10 feet high, with two slides, a fort, swings, ladders. A sign declares it "the private castle" of his two children. It also got him sued.

NJ: Hear crime next door? What to do Do you call, or are you too scared of being found out? To avoid recognition, do you instead call the landlord or management company? These are the unique dilemmas of apartment and condo, or co-op, dwellers whose close proximity to their neighbors lets them hear things they ordinarily wouldn't, and makes them feel very uncomfortable about getting involved.

MI: Condo owner's site may lead to lawsuit   Cunningham changed the name of the site from "Lake Park Village" to "LPV Sentinel" and posted a disclaimer on the home page. Cunningham, who has lived in his condo with wife Helen for 13 years, said he's simply exercising his right to free speech.

NV: Synthetic turf is all the rage to save water   Bad "lawn day" jokes aside, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2001 that several Las Vegas homeowners' associations, including Siena and Red Rock, have adopted "unofficial policies" against ersatz lawns. While those associations could not be reached for comment, representatives of several other local associations explained that synthetic lawns are allowed, but with restrictions.

CA: Deputies investigating gunfire in Mission Viejo   Garcia, the security guard, told police he had the car towed because it was in violation of the homeowners association's rules, said Lt. Stephen Bernardi, chief of police services for Mission Viejo. Five to seven men approached the security guard and told him to return the car or they would beat him up, Garcia told police.

AZ: Community calm after storm   Bell Esprit, near 41st Street and Bell Road, took a big hit last year when a microburst storm ravaged the 362-home neighborhood causing close to $90,000 in damages to its three retention areas, which are also used as community parks, according to Iran Niedorf, Bell Esprit Homeowners Association president.

CA: HOA meetings to be videotaped   The open board meetings of the CZ Master Association in Coto de Caza will be a lot more open. At their June 14 meeting, the board of directors of the association voted, 3-2, to have their open meetings videotaped and posted on the association's website

FL: A senior attacked as she left her residence last summer is suing condo She had to be hospitalized and is seeking more than $15,000 in damages because she contends Wood Park was responsible for keeping the area in a reasonably safe condition and that it failed to provide adequate measures to insure her safety.

Swimming Pool Maintenance & Operations – Basics to Build Upon

You are a community manager and your community has a swimming pool. You have absolutely no experience overseeing the pool operations. You ask yourself, “what is most important: Safety, Water Balance, Meeting Local Health code.” All items are vital and interrelated. How are you to proceed to maintain this bathing tub? Let's start with the basics – The association hires a professional pool service to perform the majority of the tasks, yet you still need to have general knowledge. Read More

Communication is the Backbone of Property Management

Homeowner association boards of directors and homeowners within the association depend on how well a management company corresponds, interacts and responds to them. Poor communication often leads to misinterpretation and even the perception of being neglected. Ultimately, this can affect the actions made by the board, the trust the board has in the management company’s abilities and the ability to meet the association’s expectations or address issues that arise on a day-to-day basis.
Read More (PDF)