Some homeowners associations experience a high volume of graffiti within their neighborhoods. The association should be monitoring these incidents and should immediately remove graffiti from common areas when this happens. Members are encouraged to do the same with their property, as well as taking steps to deter vandals in the neighborhood.
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The presidential race is in full-swing and everyone is gearing up for campaign season. While some people prefer to keep their opinions to themselves, others want you to know exactly who they’re voting for and why. How does all this come into play when you live in a homeowner’s association?
First, it’s inappropriate for the HOA board to act politically. In other words, the Board as an entity should not declare a “side” so to speak. That being said, it can support both sides of the political spectrum by doing the following.
When an HOA board is hiring or evaluating an HOA management company it’s important to look at the big picture. The skill set that your homeowner’s association is looking for or may need will differ from others, but in general an HOA manager should possess leadership skills, communication skills, administration skills, and also be backed by a company who offers support in these areas.
The HOA board is responsible for protecting, maintaining, and enhancing the Association, but this is difficult to do on its own. Board members willingly volunteer their time and resources to make sure their community is a pleasant place to call home. If it’s not run effectively, then it won’t be a pleasant place at all.
Since HOA board members are volunteers, they don’t always have the time or expertise to make sure the Association is being run properly. This is where an HOA management company comes in.
Community associations have a lot in common with municipal governments. As members of a governing body -- and typically also members of the homeowner’s association -- HOA board members should meet regularly to discuss and vote on important community issues, like paying the Association’s bills, funding reserves and contracting with vendors to keep community amenities in good repair. The Board makes decisions about these and other important topics using a democratic process.
There is some basic information about homeowners associations that anyone considering buying a home should know about. If you’re considering buying a home and you learn its part of a homeowners association, you’ll want to make sure you know what to expect when being part of an HOA community. Each Association community is unique, but they all have similarities such as requiring membership dues, following the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), and a board of directors that governs the Association. You can get answers from some common questions you may have – and that should you know – about homeowners associations in the article excerpt below.
A common question homeowners in an HOA ask is, "What Does the HOA maintain in our Community?” Usually, this comes with a bit of anger behind the question. Unless the CC&Rs provide otherwise, the homeowners association is responsible for repairing, replacing, or maintaining the common areas, while owners are responsible for maintaining their separate interests and any exclusive use common area.
If you’re a member of an HOA board, you probably know that having insurance for your homeowners association is a necessity to protect the HOA and its members. But do you know what type of insurance you need to have or what the Association is responsible for and what the individual homeowner is responsible for? It can be a confusing topic to understand, especially if you have outdated CC&Rs – or haven’t even read your CC&Rs.
Have you ever driven through a neighborhood and notice how run down it looks with unkempt yards, peeling paint on structures, and bumpy roads? It's unappealing to potential buyers and frustrating for homeowners.
The risks of not having enough HOA reserve funds for your community are as serious as the risks of not having enough emergency savings for your family. Imagine needing to pay for college tuition increases or costly medical expenses without having enough money set aside to do so. Now imagine fellow homeowners having their family budgets crushed by emergency assessments because there aren't enough HOA reserve funds for repairs. They’ll likely call you as a board member to complain!
Why not avoid these situations altogether? Having HOA reserve funds readily available “just in case” offers you and your fellow homeowners financial peace of mind.
