Month: February 2017

Identifying and Rectifying Association Overspending

Finances are a huge consideration for community association boards and managers. It takes money—and sometimes lots of it—to keep a community or condominium building up to high standards and running smoothly. If you manage an association or serve on your association’s board of directors, you already know that almost everything you do depends to some degree on whether you have a budget that you can work with realistically.

Take Five Steps to Rid Community of Graffiti

Unfortunately, since the presidential election, there have been several incidences of graffiti in community associations that have been featured on the news. The messages refer to some of the politically charged campaign sentiments. Besides being unsightly, graffiti leads to other problems. It annoys members, diminishes curb appeal, lowers the quality of life at your community, and invites additional crime. But a community that’s clean, well maintained, and free of graffiti sends the message that the association enforces its rules.

Rein in Association Expenditures to Keep Costs Low, Members Happy

Finances are a huge consideration for community association boards and managers. It takes money—and sometimes lots of it—to keep a community or condominium building up to high standards and running smoothly. If you manage an association or serve on your association’s board of directors, you already know that almost everything you do depends to some degree on whether you have a budget that you can work with realistically.

Protect Association from Document Discovery Pitfalls

Legal problems for associations have evolved along with technology that while helpful, can also hurt board members and managers. With the help of technology, you might be able to conduct business more efficiently, but you also need to understand that a lawsuit will potentially require handing over electronically stored information (ESI)—such as email, documents, voice messages, and digital images.

Shielding Board Members from Individual Liability

Q: A weather disaster has severely damaged many of the homes in the planned community I manage. The local government is determining whether the community should be demolished. Several board members want to do this, but homeowners are protesting. The board members are worried that if they take action, they’ll be held legally responsible. What are the chances of this, and are there any recent cases that address this issue?

Study: HOA Satisfaction Lower Than Expected

The Coalition for Community Housing Policy in the Public Interests most recent national survey has uncovered higher dissatisfaction with associations from their members. A whopping 81 percent of community association residents cited a lack of transparency and poor communication as the top concerns among those who live in planned communities and condominiums.

Court Didn’t Find Pervasive Pattern of Discrimination

Facts: A woman moved into a condominium with her mother, who was handicapped, to help with her daily activities. The woman asked the condominium association to provide an unobstructed path between the member’s front door and driveway.