HOA Management Blog
How well a homeowners association functions is directly related to how well HOA board members fulfill their roles on the board. If each person understands the responsibilities of their position, and executes well, then the Association will run like a well-oiled machine.
It’s the responsibility of the HOA board to protect the homeowner’s association community. When it comes to keeping the community safe, a Board is responsible for safety issues, general well-being of the members of the Association, and prevention.
If your HOA board has hired a manager for the first time, there are a number of things it can anticipate the management company will ask for. The Board can prepare for the manager in advance by gathering specific documents and records pertaining to your homeowners association. Then, the HOA board itself can be proactive for the Association by communicating with homeowners and starting the relationship with the manager with an open mind.
As a member of your HOA board you have a big responsibility to enhance, maintain and protect your homeowners association. You also have the legal authority to carry out your role, but where do you get this authority?
You have many responsibilities as an HOA board member that require you to make decisions and take action. Some of the most important decisions the Board of a homeowners association has to make are financial decisions. It’s challenging to try and remember what funds from the operating budget covers and what funds from the reserve budget will pay for.
Identity theft can happen to anyone, anywhere, and is a problem any time of the year. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) offers the following tips to help consumers protect themselves.
The success of a homeowners association is based on the members and Board working together. If the community is not taken care of, it will catch up with Association, affect property values, decrease the quality of living, and create a disharmonious environment. If there is a disconnect between the Board and homeowners it takes action by both parties to create a relationship of open communication. Is your Board guilty of one of the 5 reasons below that creates a division with homeowners?
In many areas, flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster—and it can happen in your homeowners association. Just one inch of water in a home can cost thousands of dollars in cleanup and replacement costs, including drywall, baseboards, floor coverings and furniture. You may think you are covered, but many insurance policies do not cover flooding.
Can’t we all just get along? In a perfect world, yes, but in a homeowners association or any neighborhood for that matter, people are going to do things that either drive you crazy or are just outright rude. But you don’t have to be that neighbor. Instead, make it a point to be a good neighbor when a maintenance or repair issue comes up. There are two sides to this. One is having an open mind when a neighbor comes to you. The second is knowing some proper etiquette when you have to approach a neighbor. One common issue that can lead to disputes is fencing.
The Scenario
You’ve been the treasurer of your homeowners association for 8 years, and have continually warned your fellow HOA board members that without saving for reserves they’ll be headed for real trouble - and now that day has come. You’ve been elected as Board President and face two large special assessments back to back within the next two years. There’s no way around them. The pavilion, signs, tennis courts and other assets are all shabby and outdated and on the verge of becoming hazards. These projects must be done for safety reasons. Not to mention they make the Association look like an uninviting place to live.
The purpose and protocol for executive sessions in a homeowners association are often misunderstood by both homeowners and board members. HOA Board members may call an executive session to discuss important matters and make crucial decisions involving privileged and private information. Below are some frequently asked questions that you might have about executive sessions that will help to increase your knowledge and fulfill your duty to be informed as a member of the Board.
There is often a member of the HOA board who doesn’t recognize that the Association needs help beyond what the Board can do on its own. Sometimes the hard part is convincing other members of the board to invest the time and resources available to hire a manager and how it will benefit the Association in the long run. So, what will help make your case when making the suggestion to hire a management company? That’s the easy part because we’ve spelled it out for you below.
