As banks, credit card companies, and financial service providers grapple with identify theft, so too must HOAs. Over the last several years, there has been a substantial increase in cyber-related crimes, resulting in increased identity theft and financial fraud. As a result, federal and state governments have been working to enact laws to reduce crime […]
First Step Toward Managing your Association’s Data Breach Liability Risks Is Recognizing Them (MA
You are the president of a condominium board and you don’t appreciate getting a call from a fellow board-member Sunday at midnight. The reason for the call is even less welcome. The board member has lost a laptop containing every essential piece of association related information it would be possible for anyone to have. Names, […]
How Should HOAs Handle Security Cameras?
Security cameras have been an issue for a while, but new technology such as the Ring security system with cameras attached to your doorbell are highlighting the issue. There are two levels to worry about. The first is whether or not you should install cameras in common areas as part of your overall security policy. […]
Security & Privacy Meet in the Hallway
Incorporating technology into our homes is big, big business in the Unites States. Where once we were clapping at our lamps, now we can control virtually everything inside and outside of the home with the sound of our voice or apps on our phones. As part of this growing trend, video doorbells have become immensely […]
Getting Your HOA Out of the Dark Ages
For too many community associations, a familiar scene plays out in HOA offices across America. File cabinets being rummaged through, dusty laptops being dug out, and a frantic search for that one sticky note containing a vital piece of intel. Maybe the true horror won’t set in until somebody dusts off the old stone tablet […]
Start early if you’re looking for a bulk cable provider (FL)
Q: Our bulk cable agreement is expiring in 2021 and we want to begin preparing for the next contract and this may require switching providers. Any recommendations? Read the Q&A………………..
Cybersecurity: Is Your HOA Protected Against Data Breaches?
What do Ashley Madison, Uber, Target, Yahoo, Ebay, Equifax, JP Morgan Chase, and Sony – companies that have incredibly diverse products and expertise – have in common? They have all been victims of data breach! These large breaches, which affected hundreds of millions of customers, have caused cybersecurity to become a common topic of conversation. […]
Condo Boards Can Help the Community and Themselves by Adopting Technology
No one wants to be on a condo board. From running board meetings, keeping track of board members’ responsibilities, to keeping track of violations, being on a condo association board can mean a lot of work added onto someone’s already busy day. But, someone has to do it. And for those people that step up […]
Snap! The local HOA just captured your license plate number (CA)
They’ve tried building fences. Hiring private security guards. Installing closed-circuit cameras around their homes to spot every passing car or suspicious-looking person. And now, homeowners throughout the Bay Area and in other U.S. cities are turning to license plate readers as a next line of defense against property crime. The trend has helped generate a […]
Some luxury condo developers add landing pads for flying cars (FL)
As the development of personal transportation drones advances, landing pads are emerging as the latest must-have amenity at condominiums for the wealthiest buyers. For example, three luxury condos will feature flying-car landing pads in Miami, where the 1 percent would be able to travel by air while the other 99 percent are stuck in the […]
Bringing HOAs into the Future: 5 Ways Technology Can Improve your Community
Emerging technologies like the internet and cell phones have shifted how we function in most aspects of our lives and created heightened expectations towards effectiveness and efficiency. And although the impact of technological advancement can be felt in pretty much every industry, many community associations are reluctant to leverage it to improve the way they […]
Should Communities Use Fake Cameras? The Pros and Cons of Using Dummy Surveillance (FL)
When security is the topic of discussion for a community, dummy cameras are often proposed as a possible solution. Dummy, or fake, cameras are designed to look real in hopes that people will not know the difference. They are often seen as a budget-conscious deterrent that is better than having nothing at all. While there […]
Automation Leads to Smart HOA Communities
With so many Americans living in communities that are managed by HOAs, the need to improve management efficiency and effectiveness is greater than ever, and HOA members expressing a lack of communication or functionality is common. Incorporating automation into your HOA solutions can alleviate this frustration, improve resident-board relations, and add some cost effective measures […]
The world’s first “high-tech eco village” will reinvent suburbs
A half-hour commute from Amsterdam, a piece of farmland is slated to become a new kind of neighborhood. Vertical farms, along with traditional fields and orchards surrounding homes, will supply food to people living there. Food waste will turn into fish feed for on-site aquaculture. Houses will filter rainwater, but won’t have driveways. A “village […]
Pinpointing Leaks With an Infrared Camera (NY)
Every building is vulnerable to moisture getting in, whether it’s from the roof or the facade. Once a leak is discovered, there’s a wide range of ways to attack it. But first you have to find the source. Our specialty is the restoration of buildings, and we use equipment that can show us the condition […]
Wi-Fi issues in condominium associations
Wi-Fi has become a necessity for almost anyone who lives in a condominium association. However, the law is often slow to evolve to new technologies and many master deeds or declarations were drafted before Wi-Fi even existed. As a result, potential legal issues related to Wi-Fi use are rarely addressed in the governing documents of […]
The Dish On Satellite Dish Antennas: Interplay Between Community Association And Federal Communications Commission Regulations
As many people who live in communities operated by a community association know, one of the advantages, or disadvantages depending on who you ask, is that the association typically has the authority to regulate the improvements that are made by residents within the community. This authority will keep the purple house out of your neighborhood […]
HOA Technology: The Top Questions to Ask
When you are choosing a homeowners association management services provider for your community there are several key questions that need to be asked–especially with regards to security of your association data. You want a community management provider who will take the steps necessary to keep your confidential data safe and your association running smoothly. With […]
Co-op Board Embraces Tech, From Robo Parking to Leak Sensors (NY)
Our co-op board has been working overtime to keep up with the Jetsons. It isn’t cheap, but it’ll pay for itself over the long run. We’ve embraced the latest technology – from online application packages to robotic parking in our garage and “smart locks” that allow me to enter the building using my phone. A […]
How IoT is making waste management smarter
The decreasing costs of sensors means the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly moving into new areas of commercial and residential properties. While smart thermostats, intelligent lighting controls and digital water meters are nothing new, the number of connected devices in an average property is projected to increase exponentially in the next five years, bringing […]
Guide to Understanding Satellite Dish Placement in Condos and HOAs
Satellite dishes used to be a major cause for contention – to the point where, in 1996, the FCC adopted the OTARD rule. This was amended to include rental property in 1999. The rule restricts what community associations can do regarding limiting satellite dishes and satellite dish placement. As long as the resident has an […]
Only You Can Prevent Data Breaches (NY)
Does your co-op or condo electronically store personal data of residents, such as Social Security or driver’s license numbers? What about approval packages for new buyers? Do they contain Social Security numbers? If the answer is “yes,” then your board needs to take steps to guard against a data breach. And boards have an obligation […]
Do You Know Where Your Electronic Records Are?
A thousand dollars here, a thousand dollars there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money – as in, $1.35 billion. In the wake of massive data breaches at Equifax, Target and the National Security Agency, that’s how much money jittery Americans are spending annually on cyber insurance, according to the National Association of Insurance […]
Electronic Signatures Can Now Be Used to Amend Restrictive Covenants (MI)
The legislative history of MCL 450.835a demonstrates that Michigan House Bill 5591 (2016) was originally introduced to deal with an extremely large Michigan Homeowners Association that was having difficultly amending its documents. The Lakes of North Association in Northern Michigan that had approximately 4,700 members and was composed of 8,028 lots. The restrictive covenants required […]
Creating an Electronic Communication Policy for Your HOA
Your HOA communicates through several different methods, both when you’re communicating with your members and when you’re communicating with homeowners within the association. In order to successfully govern electronic communication methods like emails and social media posts, it’s important that your HOA develop a strong policy for those methods of communication. Read the article……………..
Artificial Intelligence: Boon or Bust for Property Managers?
This summer, Tesla CEO Elon Musk made headlines when he called artificial intelligence (AI) an existential threat to mankind, predicting that robots will one day do everything better than people, thus taking away their jobs. Building managers, be warned: you might be the first to go. A few weeks ago MetaProp NYC, a real-estate technology […]
Assessing Your Building’s Energy Consumption: How Green Are You?
Most folks know that turning off lights in unoccupied rooms, taking shorter showers, and turning down the thermostat a couple of degrees can help save energy – and by extension, money. However, helping an entire building or association cut costs and reduce its carbon footprint can be a little trickier, which is why many co-op […]
Your Property Manager May Soon Be a Robot
The Jetsons, the titular nuclear family of a popular 1960s cartoon show, lived in Orbit City and had a robot maid named Rosie, a slightly obsolete blue machine that did a lot of the household grunt work and even dispensed some tough love. What seemed like a fantastical gag half a century ago may soon […]
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 […]
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 […]
Emails Are a Legal Minefield for Co-op and Condo Boards (NY)
A recent decision by the state’s highest court drives home a lesson every co-op and condo board member needs to heed: if you use your employer’s computer, tablet, or smart phone to communicate board business, expect zero privacy. While the state Supreme Court had already ruled that employees have no reasonable expectation of privacy in […]
Cable TV, Internet, Phone Services Coax, Fiber Optics and More – There are New Opportunities for Community Associations!
In the past, local telephone companies provided telephone services and local cable companies provided cable television services. That was it. For an association, selecting a service provider was relatively easy since quality choices were few. But in recent years, this scenario has changed dramatically for the benefit of community associations. Regulatory changes, Florida state-wide video […]
Are Smart Homes Becoming A Reality in Florida?
Technology has developed rapidly over the last couple of years. New and improved products with the aim to make daily activities easier for us are constantly hitting the marketplace. New “smart” technology is being incorporated into our everyday lives, so much so that houses are now being made with it. SMART stands for “Self-Monitoring Analysis […]
Is HOA Software Making Your Job Easier
Many years ago when I started my HOA management company, we were using software that was designed for managing rental units. It was great software — adaptable, robust, and fairly cheap. But there were a lot of things that we wanted it to do that it just couldn’t. Back then, options for HOA software were […]
Autonomous Vehicles: Coming to a Condominium or HOA near you!
An autonomous vehicle, also known as a driverless car, self-driving car, or robotic car is a vehicle that senses its environment and operates without human input. On December 9, 2016, Governor Rick Snyder signed 2016 PA 332 into law and amended the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code to make Michigan the first state that allows for […]
Smart condo conundrum: Talk to appliances, or text them?
In today’s so-called smart home, you can dim the lights, order more toothpaste or tell the kids to go to bed simply by talking to a small Wifi-connected speaker, such as Amazon’s (AMZN.O) Echo or Google’s (GOOGL.O) Home. This voice-first market – combining voice with artificial intelligence (AI) – barely existed in 2014. This year, […]
E-mail Intelligence – Does Your Board Possess it?
Today, I am discussing the pros and cons of homeowners’ association (HOA) board members and managers using email for community correspondence, and how to craft a sound email policy for your association. Board members, managers and association residents are no different from everyone else you know inasmuch as they are all heavily reliant upon electronic […]
5 Productivity Apps For HOA & Condo Managers
Welcome to another Evercondo “tech tips” post, where we share some of the best apps and technology solutions out there for helping property managers, board members and residents get more done with less time. We all want to be more productive in life. Fortunately we live in a time when helpful technology is plentiful and […]
Improving condo management with analytics
What is the average response time of managers in getting back to residents’ requests? For condo directors or managers that don’t know the answer, this is a must-read. This article will go over what analytics means in the condo management world, but more importantly, why it matters and how it can benefit management companies and […]
Sensors poised to transform property management
It’s an exciting time to be involved in residential property management. Technology is developing rapidly and permanently altering the residential landscape for managers, staff, and residents. Several companies are invested in developing the next generation of innovative tools for residential property management. Sensor technologies in particular are bound to make huge waves in the future. […]
Use of Technology by Community Associations
Technology makes most of our lives easier, and so it makes sense that community associations would choose to employ certain technological advances in the performance of their obligations. There are many possibilities for the use of technology in community associations. Two of the most common uses are community websites and electronic voting, both of which […]
Surveillance Technology: How Much Does Your Building Really Need?
Gone are the days of windowless rooms filled with bulky recording equipment, multiple flickering screens, and file cabinets full of disks containing endless hours of footage. The state of the art in surveillance equipment today is all about pixels, thumb drives and accessing the ‘the cloud’ from your mobile device. Read the article………..
5 Apps That Makes Life Easier for Condo / HOA Managers
The tech world today is more advanced and sophisticated than ever. There’s a lot that the condo / HOA management industry can benefit from but with so many options out there, where do we even begin? That’s why we will be featuring some of the best apps and technology solutions that can benefit you as […]
Free & Open Source HOA Software
Running a homeowner’s association is no cakewalk. With the diverse number of tasks your team needs to complete, it’s hard to get by without SOME kind of software- be it Excel, Quickbooks or Google Sites. However, if you’re finding that your association has outgrown the mix-and-match free software it’s using, but paid HOA software is […]
Fiber to the Home – Should you have it in your Community?
Many condominium and homeowner associations have bulk cable agreements in Florida. This can be a great benefit to the owners as the association may be able to negotiate a discount of 50% or more off retail rates. However, unlike a typical residential agreement, these bulk agreements typically require a five to ten year commitment. With […]
Technological innovations in condominiums: The future of drones, robotics and software in building envelope inspections
Technology is one of those things that never stops moving, and sometimes it can be daunting to keep up with all the latest advancements out there. If leveraged correctly, though, it can provide great amounts of value to those that take the jump and never look back. Everyone loves technology, but it takes a little […]
Board Members Beware: Condo Associations Are Attractive Targets for Cyber-thieves
Cyber-thefts are becoming more frequent, more sophisticated and more costly. This isn’t news to anyone who surfs the Internet, reads newspapers (I’m told I’m not the only one who still does that) and watches television news. But if you think only the largest financial institutions and giant corporations are at risk, you are badly and […]
Homeowners’ Groups Fill U.S. Last-Mile Broadband Gap
Incumbent telecommunications providers in the U.S. have long been protective of their franchises and footprints in trying to maintain their advantage in last-mile network infrastructure. Municipally owned alternatives, exemplified by networks in Wilson, NC, and Chattanooga, TN, have met with legal roadblocks from incumbent providers seeking to limit alternatives to their own offerings, and legislators […]
Security Cameras and HOA Policy – Prepare before assuming the role as big brother
Security cameras in your HOA can be a handy security tool, but if they’re not managed properly, they can end up being more of a headache (and a liability). Before your HOA installs them, make sure your board drafts a policy to dictate how the cameras will be used and managed Read the article………….