Tool Category: Other Model Tools

The following memo emphasizes the point that association employees should refer the victim of an accident, crime, or other incident to you and tells them what not to say to the victim in that event. Distribute the memo to your employees, and periodically remind them about it when you review community procedures with them.

You can adapt the following clause for the management contracts used by your management company. Its provisions effectively prevent manager burnout and help you retain good employees by setting limits on the number and duration of meetings a manager must attend. Show this clause to your attorney before adapting it for your own use.

If you can’t write your own service contracts, your association should at least write its own termination clause to insert into the contractor’s form contract. Ask the association’s attorney about adapting this type of termination right to include in every signed service contract. This clause lets you get out of the contract on seven days’…

Using a pre-employment statement to certify the accuracy of a prospective employee’s application can help protect the community association you manage from claims that it wasn’t careful enough during the hiring process. Before starting your pre-employment screening process, get the job applicant to sign this pre-employment statement that should be a part of, or attached…

Using the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques of mediation and arbitration can help your association avoid costly litigation and the unpleasantness of going to court when there are association-related conflicts with a construction contractor. Ask your association’s attorney about adapting this language to draft a provision for contracts that can be used to require mediation…

The following Model Amendment—which can amend either your association’s bylaws or declaration—sets a policy enabling the board to compel members to take proper care of “high-risk components” in their units. Check with your attorney before using this amendment in your community, to make sure that you’re complying with state law and your governing documents in…

Recycling Program: Green Valley Community Association has an active recycling program that all residents are strongly encouraged to participate in. Recycling protects the environment, helps keep our community clean and attractive, and reduces our disposal costs.

The following bylaw bans the smoking of cigarettes, cigars, and pipes in common areas and, if you choose to extend the ban in your community, within members’ units as well. The bylaw is effective because it makes members responsible for the smoking of their guests, provides for a fine to enforce the policy, and says…

Adapt the five key details in this model view protection bylaw for your own. It can help make your terms enforceable when and if there is a dispute. Show this bylaw to your attorney before using it.

Ask your association’s attorney about tailoring this clause so you can amend your governing documents if your community doesn’t have a “no-fault” provision. It requires an owner of a condo unit from which a problem originates to pay for all damages to his unit, other units, and the common elements caused by the incident.