Tag: Meetings

Cumulative voting for board elections isn’t common, but community associations that do use it should take the time to evaluate whether it’s the right path to continue to follow. On its face, it might seem fairly democratic. In reality, it can give place too much power in some voters’ hands — including voters who don’t…

With spring weather taking hold in most parts of the country, community association managers can expect the blossoming of questions and concerns from owners about landscaping. Even with associations that already have board-approved landscaping plans in place, managers might have owners demanding already-scheduled maintenance, planting in common areas without permission, or micromanaging the gardening crew.…

One of the keys to effective management is meeting and beating community association member expectations — so it sure would help to know what your members think about their associations. The website insurancequotes.com has provided a valuable peek into the minds of HOA members with their results of their recent “Honest About HOAs” survey. The…

To keep their community associations running smoothly, managers deal with issues that run the gamut from day-to-day administrative tasks and overseeing other staff members so they fulfill their roles, to working with the board on major issues like finances or capital improvement projects, to name just a few functions. Because the manager’s role involves handling so many tasks, there’s a big risk for burnout.

Like any other business or organization, community associations must file taxes with the government. And tax liability is a huge issue that associations need to be aware of. Improper reporting can land the association in hot water and cost thousands in fines, penalties, and late fees. This is especially tricky when it comes to your employees. April—the month in which federal and state taxes must be filed—is around the corner.

Like any other business or organization, community associations must file taxes with the government. And tax liability is a huge issue that associations need to be aware of. Improper reporting can land the association in hot water and cost thousands in fines, penalties, and late fees. With the New Year just here, April—the month in which federal and state taxes must be filed—might seem far off. But properly doing necessary paperwork and consulting with the association’s accountant can take time. So planning ahead is key.

While serving on the board of a community association is a volunteer position, board members can get very invested in it. It’s not uncommon to hear about board members who overstep boundaries. That’s why it’s important to be able to gently—or in some cases, more firmly—remind a member who’s taking over duties that aren’t part of her position about the board members’ official duties and why it’s important for everyone to play his or her role.

Association life continues to thrive across the country, as seen in the 2018 Homeowner Satisfaction Survey, conducted by Zogby Analytics for the Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR). This is great news for community association managers for the seventh time in 13 years. Once again, Americans living in homeowners associations (HOAs) and condominiums say they’re satisfied in their communities. According to, the majority of survey respondents say their association’s rules protect and enhance their property values.

There’s good news for community association managers across the country: For the seventh time in 13 years, Americans living in homeowners associations (HOAs) and condominiums say they’re satisfied in their communities. According to the 2018 Homeowner Satisfaction Survey, conducted by Zogby Analytics for the Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR), the majority of survey respondents say their association’s rules protect and enhance their property values.

There’s always turnover for community association boards. A board member might move, retire, want to travel, or become too busy for some reason to fulfill her responsibilities. When a board member gives up her position, the association has the sometimes difficult task of replacing the outgoing member. There are certain qualities that some people have that make them more suitable for the role than others. Experience, of course, helps too. After all, the more a new board member knows, the more she’ll be able to contribute to the association in a meaningful way.