To be on a board of directors for a community association is not an easy job. Yes, “job.” Although these are positions filled by volunteer owners, it is a job. Many community associations share this job with the assistance of a professional management company and a Community Association Manager (CAM). In Illinois a CAM must […]
Tag, You’re It – Welcome to the Board of Directors
Congratulations! You’ve been elected as a member of your community association’s board of directors. Now what? Serving as a member of an association’s board of directors puts you in a powerful seat while also conferring a great deal of shared responsibility. Don’t let this scare you! With some preparation and teamwork your term as a […]
Hide & Seek – Finding the Right Experts for Your Association
When looking for the right experts for your community association there are many places that you will have to search, much like the game of Hide & Seek you might have played as a child. To help avoid wasting time and energy, the Association should develop a strategy to help find the professionals that are […]
Rental Applications: Can rejecting a tenant based criminal background lead to a HUD complaint?
If an association has the right to deny rental applications and it does so based on an applicant’s criminal background, the association should review whether its policies, procedures and practices may lead to claims of discrimination. The Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) prohibits discrimination in the rental of dwellings based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, […]
Commentary: Lawns are most irrigated crop
When you think about irrigated crops, what likely comes to mind is corn, soy, and other agricultural crops. But the largest irrigated crop in the United States is not one that ends up on our dinner plate. It’s our lawns. Yes, lawns use four times more irrigation than corn crops in the United States. Read […]
HOA Homefront: Don’t make them guess – Is your HOA architectural application process complete?
A fundamental HOA purpose is to preserve the association’s architectural theme, typically protected by rules administered by an architectural committee or the board. If a homeowner wants to change the entry door color, the style of windows or install a skylight, how does the owner know if the request is worth the effort? And how […]
What Can an HOA Board Do About Barking Dog Complaints?
So you moved into a beautiful new luxury homeowners association. Your home is on a quiet street in an established neighborhood. Every evening you sit on your newly purchased adirondack chairs in your shady backyard, sipping on a bottle of wine — while your roommate is lapping his water from an old beat up water […]
The Resurrection of Civility – Take Back Your Community Association Board
In June, I addressed the Death of Civility – Why Community Association Board Members Serve – in part one of this series. I left you with a dysfunctional collection of community association board members, and the promise of a next installment. Well, here you are – specific, time-tested suggestions for bringing all the directors back […]
Solar Panels: Let the Sunshine In But Only After Approval (CO)
Colorado law prohibits associations from adopting rules or regulations that effectively prohibit the installation of solar panels on homeowners’ properties, but associations are allowed to adopt reasonable rules governing such installation, which can be based on aesthetic considerations and to prohibit solar panels on common areas. Such rules must also not significantly increase the cost […]
It’s all about the Planning! – Tips to getting an Association Loan
The key to obtaining an association loan is to be prepared and follow best practices. The planning that is done two, and even three years before the association actually needs the loan, is critical to getting a loan approved by a bank. This is not to say that there will be unexpected maintenance and repairs […]
Insights into Reactive and Predictive Maintenance Programs
Maintenance and repairs are important activities with respect to the ongoing success of an HOA. There’s no reason reactive and predictive maintenance programs should seem mysterious. In fact, gaining insight into the differences between them is fairly simple. Read on for a few tips about the three general approaches to HOA maintenance. Read the article……………..
5 Ways to Build Transparency as Condo Laws Tighten Financial Disclosure Requirements
Transparency in operations is key for condominium associations to build trust and ensure accountability amongst community management. Did you know that an association’s financial health and management of association finances is often a deciding factor for potential condo owners to buy or shy away from buying? Potential owners will want to know if the association […]
5 Tips For Hiring A Good HOA Community Manager
Choosing a community manager is one of the most important decisions that a HOA and condo board will make. Talk about pressure! You need to be careful in your selection because the people who work on your community’s management team—especially those on-site—will affect quality of life for residents. So it’s important to make a smart […]
Appreciating Volunteers in your HOA Community
Most HOAs we work with rely on the help of volunteers to keep their community running smoothly, and while a job well down is something to be proud of, a little recognition goes a long way. Since volunteers can save an HOA serious amounts of money, treating them well and offering recognition will encourage them […]
5 Tips about How HOA’s Determine HOA Assessment Rates
There is a lot about the question how are HOA assessment HOA rates determined that you may not know; indeed, here are five tips that everyone should keep in mind regarding this topic. Read the article………………
Five Paths to Reducing Your HOAs Carbon Footprint
It’s one thing to want to reduce your carbon footprint in an HOA, but how do you actually go about doing that? Here are five pathways that might help. Read the article………………
Three Templates Every HOA Should Have!
Sending out violation letters, entering invoices, issuing work orders, attending meetings, following up on action items – managers and board members have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. When it comes to completing these tasks, efficiency and organization are paramount. Using HOA templates can be a great way […]
Don’t Pick The Wrong Fights For An Aging Parent
One of the biggest challenges baby boomers face is managing the lives of their aging parents. It can not only be time consuming and costly, but it can also create a fine line to walk when going to bat for them. On a couple different occasions, I have come across situations where an adult son […]
Email Security as a Board Concern: Two Views Once That Sensitive Info Gets Out There, You Can’t Take It Back
As we’ve recently seen in the news–from the Democratic National Committee email leaks about Bernie Sanders from last year’s presidential election, to the latest in the Trump-Russia brouhaha–emails aren’t always the safest and securest method of communication. And once that sensitive information gets out there, you can’t take it back. So what does that mean […]
Enforcing Mechanic’s Liens Against Condos in Maryland & DC
This article discusses the unit owner notice and party inclusion requirements necessary for establishing and enforcing a mechanics’ liens against a condominium in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Read the article……………
Association Committees
Committees can be a productive tool for condominium and homeowners associations. Committees, such as budget committees or architectural control committees, can promote increased participation by owners, benefit from unique owner expertise, and help reduce the workload imposed on volunteer board members. However, to properly benefit from the use of committees, it is essential that they […]
Consider This Before You Hire An HOA Attorney
Just look at any HOA forum and you can see that HOAs face a wide range of issues. Some are pretty common, while others are simply dumbfounding. While reading and participating in these online forums, I often see questions that should be directed to HOA attorneys. The responses to these questions will often encourage them […]
What Boards Should Know About Finances: Keeping Your Community in the Black
Money, money, money. The world runs on it. And your building’s well-being depends on it. The issue is not just having funds, but managing them. Handling the finances for an entire building or association is a major responsibility, and boards—even those made up with seasoned members—need to stay on top of their community’s performance. That […]
Hiring—and Paying—Contractors: Who Holds the Purse Strings?
Co-op, condo and HOA living represents a unique social arrangement; it’s a paid-for membership club and a home at the same time. Many people enter into this arrangement without a complete understanding of the responsibilities of membership. Others, fully aware of their community responsibility, volunteer to help guide, shepherd and monitor the health and welfare […]
Inadequate Reserves: The Risks of Not Keeping Up
There are few feelings worse than encountering an unexpected expense and finding the piggy bank empty. That is why reserve funds and reserve studies are such important elements in the financial well-being of co-ops, condos and homeowners associations. It pays to keep a close eye on those numbers and adhere to the planning available through […]
When Express Maintenance Obligations In A Declaration Of Condominium Are Not So Clear (FL)
For example, let’s examine the replacement of the unit’s windows. Pursuant to the maintenance obligations in the declaration of condominium, the unit owner is responsible to maintain, repair, and replace all parts of the unit and the fixtures and equipment of the unit, including windows. However, the declaration of condominium also prohibits the unit owner […]
7 Risks of Being a Self-Managed Homeowners Association
Many HOA boards think they have it all together and can easily manage the homeowners association on their own. But can they really? While there are various factors involved when it comes to whether or not a homeowners association can successfully be self-managed – such as how involved the board members are, the size of […]
Top 50 Questions for Your CAM Knowledge Base
Creating a powerful, search engine-like knowledge base answers relevant questions for your community residents requires investment in time and resources. Therefore, we present a guide that will give your community association management company a head-start in creating a knowledge base to keep your residents informed of policies and procedures. By keeping residents informed and engaged, […]
Is a Loan Right for Your Community?
At a time when many condominiums are old enough to require major repairs or renovations, community associations can be overwhelmed by the cost. The word is definitely out that a community association loan may be a viable option for many communities. In contrast to a lump sum special assessment, the ability to pay a loan […]
Why the HOA Must Approve Architectural Control Requests
The role of the Architectural Control Committee for your homeowners association, or HOA, is to ensure that the community’s property values are preserved. Without an architectural control committee your neighbor could easily paint his home bright blue with pink shutters that would be visible from space. Violation of your community’s architectural standards creates litigation issues […]
Smoking Complaints-The Saga Continues
Given the municipal smoking ban in public places(1) and the proven harm of secondhand and third hand smoke, many Boards continue to be besieged with complaints from residents of transmission of smoke into their homes. These complaints can range from annoyance with smoke odors to complaints that smoke transmission is life-threatening and renders a home […]
A Quick Guide to Encouraging HOA Volunteerism
Sometimes people who buy a home in an HOA neighborhood may not be used to the core concepts of an HOA. In most places, you take care of your property and keep to yourself. Maybe you get to know one or two neighbors and share cookouts, but if not, that’s okay too. The idea of […]
Negligent Security Claims: Reducing Liability for Associations (FL)
In recent years, Condominium and Homeowner’s Associations have become a target for negligent security lawsuits and claims. Typically, a resident or guest of an Association is a victim of a violent crime and the crime victim later sues the Association. While we discussed this previously, we wanted to provide an update after speaking with Henderson […]
7 Tips to Create a Powerful Knowledge Base for Your Residential Community
Have you received phone calls to your office from residents constantly asking about the community’s guest policies? Or, how to obtain another parking sticker? Reading long, traditional documents may be too difficult or time-consuming compared to the ease of calling the management company. What if you were to gather all the questions and add answers […]
Your HOA and Home Repair Scams
As the weather starts to draw people outside to plant flowers and make improvements, dodgy contractors and other types of business start targeting homeowners with scams and rip offs. A scammer will usually use some sort of fear tactic, suggesting that the problems are much worse and need to be dealt with immediately. Some may […]
HOA Homefront: What to do when you get a notice for a board hearing
A notice of a disciplinary hearing is not the best kind of mail to open, but in common interest communities that is how associations compel owners to be good neighbors. How one responds to a hearing notice can greatly affect the outcome. Consider the following pointers toward a more productive presentation at the hearing, and […]
Board Members, What HOA Insurance Does Your Community Have in Place?
Serving as an HOA member of the Board is an important job. The homeowners in the HOA count on you to do what’s best for the homeowners and the association in general. Not all board members bring the same background and experience to the job but most people today have at least a passing acquaintance […]
Killer Weed in the Common Area? (CA)
Community Associations increasingly face issues with medical marijuana. It is a confusing area because federal and state laws conflict and social mores are in constant flux—especially when it comes to marijuana. Long gone are the days when the high school health teacher could show “Reefer Madness” and his students would accept that marijuana use leads […]
Funding Your Future: Predicting & Budgeting Your Association’s Repairs & Improvements
All community associations require routine maintenance, repairs, and replacement over time to ensure they remain in good condition. The task of ensuring the Association retains sufficient funding to pay for this maintenance, repair and replacement work falls squarely on the shoulders of the Board of Directors. Balancing the Association’s financial and maintenance needs is a […]
Security Cameras in Michigan Condominium Projects
Whether inside a grocery store, at a gas station or even in your neighborhood, security cameras are everywhere in modern society. As technology evolves and cheaper and better cameras come onto the market each year, Michigan condominiums are experiencing an increase in surveillance and/or security camera usage. Security cameras raise significant legal questions that impact […]
Summer Safety
The summer season is a ready welcome every June given our Midwest winters. However, with the warmer temperatures are considerations your communities may face during this time of year. Here are some reminders for issues most common to the summer months. Read the article…………….
HO-6 Insurance: Understanding Condo Insurance
Condo owners have very specific property insurance needs. While condo owners have dominion over their individual unit, homeowners associations are usually responsible for the exterior of the building as well as lawn and landscaping features. Likewise, there is an incredible amount of variance in the governing laws of different homeowners associations that frequently affect the […]
How to Win a Fight With Your Condo Association or HOA – Without Going Broke
More than 68 million Americans live in community associations, according to the Community Associations Institute, meaning 1 in 5 of us is required to follow the rules and regulations of a condo, cooperative or homeowners association. According to a 2016 CAI survey, 65 percent of residents find living in an association positive, with another 22 […]
Guiding Principles for Enforcement Hearings
Since our enforcement hearing presentation at WSCAI’s Made for Managers Day a couple of weeks ago, we have been getting a lot of feedback on the variety of procedures employed for community association enforcement hearings, generally with the question “is it okay to do it this way?” First, a big thanks to all of you […]
How Effective is Your HOA Security?
When you think of HOA security you usually think of Gated communities, security guards, and surveillance cameras. If you follow the news you might think of “neighborhood watch gone wrong” or “unarmed grandfather killed by security guard” The fact is every community experiences crime of one kind or another – whether it be vandalism, burglaries, […]
Why Your Community Must Plan for Emergency Communication and Training
Whether you live in a high-rise condominium in Chicago, a homeowners association (HOA) in Houston or an active adult community in Las Vegas, emergencies can happen. Do you think your residents would know where to go or whom to contact in an emergency situation? Does your onsite staff know what to do to protect residents […]
Pre-Planning for an HOA Disaster Response: Roles and Responsibilities
Disaster planning is critical for anyone–but it’s doubly significant for HOAs and others in positions of authority. If a natural disaster strikes in your area, are you prepared to respond? Knowing the roles and responsibilities your HOA has in times of disaster will help everyone respond more efficiently, restoring order to your neighborhood sooner. Read […]
What to Do When an HOA Board Member is Breaking the Rules
The ultimate goal in a homeowners association is for everyone to be respectful and live together peacefully. However, it’s hard to accomplish both of these goals when you have members breaking the rules – especially if it’s a board member. It’s the responsibility of an HOA board to protect, maintain, and enhance the Association through […]