by Victoria Cohen | Feb 17, 2016 |
Many people ask the question, “What is the responsibility of the meeting recorder or secretary to record the homeowner concerns, comments, recommendations, etc. into the meeting minutes?” The answer is simple. Nothing that the homeowner says should be placed into the Board Meeting Minutes. In fact, no comments from the Board members are placed into the Board Meeting Minutes either! Read More...
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by John Richards | Feb 12, 2016 |
Even thought the most logical decision may be to close the amenity, the moment you do, many will argue “ …I bought here because of the pool (or whatever amenity is at issue).” The fact is, they’re right! The ultimate goal of a Homeowners or Condominium Owners Association is to maintain a beautiful and safe community. In order to achieve that goal, the board may ask if they can “close” or “abandon” an original amenity such as the pool, clubhouse, hot tub, weight room, or tennis court. It may appear that no one is using it, or that the cost of upkeep is too high. Sometimes the most logical solution is to permanently close the amenity or replace it with something that is far less costly to maintain. Read More...
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by Meredith Pond | Feb 2, 2016
Today, there are roughly 57 million Americans living in managed communities, or HOAs. Of those 57 million, every single one of them has a certain set of expectations about what that should mean. While most homeowners would reasonably expect things like grounds maintenance, snow removal, and maybe some nice amenities, that's not really the point. Residents have some deeper needs, and as an HOA, you have a responsibility to meet them the best way you know how. Read More...
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by Scott Hirschi | Jan 27, 2016 |
Most insurance companies have a Loss Control Team that inspects communities periodically to assess potential threats. After the inspection they send a report to the board or manager with requirements and recommendations. One of the most common, and difficult items that come up in these inspections, are the BBQ grills on the decks or too close to the buildings. Not only does our Loss Control team see this as a significant fire danger, but local fire codes and quite possibly your own CC&Rs forbid Grills on decks. A FEMA report from 2010 estimated that on average there are 10 deaths, 100 injuries, and $37 million in property loss each year as a result of grill fires. Read More...
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by Harvey Radin | Jan 19, 2016
Editors and reporters know a good thing when they see it. Just about anything involving HOAs is bound to be controversial.But there is a little something HOA volunteers and property managers can do to become more aware of potentially nasty issues and to hopefully keep them from hitting the fan. They can take some time to think about issues, and ask themselves a simple question: What if this or that happens? After identifying what might hit the fan, HOA leaders can think about how they would handle questions and determine when they may need to call in the cavalry, a property manager or HOA attorney, for their insights and expertise. Read More...
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by Burke Nielsen | Jan 12, 2016 |
If you manage communities you probably recognize the underfunded community a mile away. You know the one — it's never had a reserve study, the shingles should have been replaced five years ago, there are a dozen pothole patches in the parking lot, and homeowner are upset claiming, “the HOA does nothing”. If you're a new board member this story may be a new one, and now, you and your fellow board members are faced with the difficult task of deciding what to do. Read More...
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