HOA Management Blog
Have you noticed that a reminder to owners in your Association is needed to tidy up their outdoor spaces? Does your homeowners association have items stored on patios and balconies that really shouldn't be there? Your Association is not alone!
The kids are back in school, the air is cooler, the leaves are falling – fall must be here. But, before you can enjoy those pumpkin spice lattes, you need to make sure that you're prepared for the wetter months ahead. Is your homeowners association ready?
Do the homes in your homeowners association have fireplaces? One of winter’s great pleasures is relaxing in front of a warm, cozy fire. For most months of the year the fireplace stands idle, and these long periods of disuse can lead to hazardous conditions when members light their first fire of the season.
It’s the responsibility of the HOA board to protect, maintain and enhance the Association. This comes in all shapes and sizes – from compliance with the Davis-Stirling Act to the type of grass members can have in their yard. In the current drought that California is experiencing, the latter may come into play more often as the homeowners association finds new ways to conserve water.
Finding a contractor who will perform quality work at a reasonable price can be a daunting task for any HOA board. It’s always a good idea to use contractor caution and ask for references, contact the Better Business Bureau and your state licensing bureau to see if there are complaints against a prospective contractor. In addition, the following warning signs can alert you to unscrupulous, disorganized, inexperienced or financially troubled contractors who may deliver broken promises, bad work and blown budgets rather than professional results.
There is always work to be done, especially in a homeowners association. It’s crucial that an HOA Board plan for general, ongoing maintenance and upkeep. This is important in order to keep the Association a safe place to live and keep it an appealing place to live. Members don’t want to live in a run-down neighborhood and potential buyers won’t give an Association a second look if it’s unkempt, dirty or in disrepair.
Cold and wet conditions cannot only make an Association miserable, but they can also create damage to the homes and buildings within the community. Some winterizing can wait, but some cannot! An HOA board can help residents out by making a list of what needs to be done, and tackle the time-sensitive tasks first. Here is a simple checklist for your homeowners association to stay on top of the winter season.
There is no way to sugar-coat a special assessment. Receiving a notice that you owe more money to your homeowners association can not only put a damper on your day but also a dent in your wallet, both of which the board is sympathetic to. In a perfect world, there would never be a need for special assessments—or any other type of assessments for that matter—but sadly; they are sometimes a necessary evil.
You live in a homeowners association and one of your favorite features in your home is the enclosed patio. It’s where you go every morning to sit and enjoy your cup of coffee before beginning the day. As you take a sip, today you notice the peeling paint, cracked concrete, and dying plants. The patio really could use an update. You decide to submit your maintenance request for some new paint, a trellis, small irrigation system, and definitely new concrete at the next HOA board meeting.
One of the benefits of living in a homeowners association is having access to common areas and certain maintenance responsibilities covered for you as part of the HOA fees you pay to live in the Association. Do homeowners in your Association know the maintenance items they’re responsible for and the items the Association is responsible for?
