HOA Management Blog
As an HOA board member you probably know what a reserve study is and the importance of doing one. If you don’t, take a couple of minutes to read this blog to familiarize yourself with frequently asked questions about doing a reserve study in your homeowners association.
Unclear or unenforced parking rules can wreak complete havoc in your HOA community. Many reasons contribute to this: Communities built with poor planning for parking, poor signage or lack of clarity on parking rules, owners NOT using their garage as their primary parking spot as stated in the Governing Documents, owner having more vehicles than allowed, owners storing vehicles in the community and in doing so losing a valuable parking spot.
Whether your homeowners’ association (HOA) is large with a correspondingly large budget, or small with limited financial resources, there are ways to get outside help. Regardless, your board of directors will face the same challenges and responsibilities every board faces. Getting an expert to consult can help the board navigate those challenges. Often, large HOAs can afford a full-time HOA Manager, in smaller HOAs you may not have the budget for that, but you can still afford consulting services to set you on the right path.
HOA management firms like The Hignell Companies can assist a board of directors in preparing for those challenges and responsibilities. These firms provide professional knowledge and expertise in a wide variety of areas, such as:
Almost every homeowners association in the country feels the highs and lows of the housing market. Drawing on our years of experience consulting and managing HOAs, here are a few common misconceptions about what contributes to the rise and fall of HOA property values.
Homeowner associations are sometimes faced with special circumstances that arise even when they’ve done an excellent job of planning for replacement costs. Large-scale repairs, emergency situations, or capital improvement projects may occur that put their reserves dangerously low. Special HOA assessments, in addition to monthly HOA fees, could then be the best option.
There are a lot of property managers out there. They have different backgrounds, styles and strengths. It is important for the board of directors of your homeowner’s association to look for a management company that will best serve your community. Do they have the expertise that your association needs?
You wouldn’t dream of inviting an unverified contractor into your home to make repairs...let alone the homes under your care as a member of the HOA board. The results of a third-party contractor’s work will ultimately affect tens to hundreds of fellow homeowners.
Make the process easier and more effective for your HOA board by following a well-planned checklist. That way everyone’s on the same page from start to finish. Here are 10 tips your HOA board can use to hire a third-party contractor.
Does providing security measures, such as cameras, security guards or security companies, make the association liable for security breaches that cause harm to others? Is there a price for your safety? Many homeowner’s associations hire private security patrol or contract with the city they live in.
Having security or patrols present in a community can help promote a sense of safety and a common feeling of unity. We all have families, loved ones and priceless possessions to protect. To what extent is the association responsible for providing HOA security?
More precisely, does an HOA’s Board of Directors have authority to make important decisions for the community without seeking input from their homeowners – either informal consultation, a survey or a formal vote?
The short answer to the question is “Yes.” The HOA board is established to oversee the governance of the association on behalf of the homeowners/members. While HOAs are quasi-governmental in nature, they are not pure democracies in which members vote on every issue. The long answer to the question is more complicated.
Homeowner Associations with common area buildings and structures are required to stay up to code and should schedule their local fire inspector to assess buildings on an annual basis. One item on that inspection will be an assessment of the HOA smoke detectors. One major safety concern to consider is carbon monoxide, or CO. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can be particularly dangerous because it is colorless and odorless. Headache, nausea, dizziness and even permanent brain damage or death can occur. Hundreds of people die each year from accidental CO poisoning, many of them while using portable generators during severe weather.
