Cold and wet conditions not only make an Association miserable, they can also create damage to the homes and buildings within the community. Some winterizing can wait, but some can't! 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.
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Your HOA is being sued, what do you do? You know that being faced with a lawsuit is a serious matter and absolutely should not be ignored. That being said, there are some important actions you need to take as an HOA board member to avoid setting the homeowners association up for failure and getting yourself in a mess you can’t clean up.
When living in a homeowners association residents are expected to pay assessments that are used to make the community a nice place to live. These fees contribute to utility and vendor bills, maintenance, short term and long term projects, and upkeep of amenities such as the pool.
To enhance something means “to increase or improve in value, quality, desirability, or attractiveness.” In a homeowners association the property can be physically enhanced or maintained, but enhancing can also refer to building community among the HOA board and members of the Association.
When a new HOA board is transitioning into managing the association, having solid foundations for the new members is important to the association’s success. The first step in a successful HOA board’s transition process is to set expectations, particularly if you have many board members (along with their experience) leaving the board. To do so, a comprehensive transition plan document should be in place. If there isn’t one, meet with current and new board members to document a plan. It’s a worthwhile investment, because the document can be used for future HOA board transitions.
Finding members in your homeowners association who want to volunteer on the HOA board can be hard – finding a member to step up and become the board president is even harder. So, what do you do when the current president passes away, you don’t have a lot people in your community involved with the board, and your current board members are concerned that hiring an HOA manager will only cause the company to take over the Association?
The last time you attended the HOA board meeting for your homeowners association the current board asked you and everyone present to consider volunteering for the board. These are the thoughts that went through your mind:
An HOA functions like a mini-city, collecting funds, managing finances, maintaining facilities and adopting and enforcing rules. An elected board of directors oversees these activities. Board members have fiduciary responsibilities, defined in law and HOA documents. All these activities and responsibilities apply to an HOA whether it has 1,000 units or only 25.
HOAs are complex, requiring professional expertise to manage properly. The question is, does your Board need an HOA manager to do this? Before assuming that members of the board can manage all of the HOA’s affairs, let’s look at what’s involved in more detail.
Pop quiz! Do you understand your HOA fees? If you’re an informed member of your homeowners association, you should pass with flying colors. If you fail, well then, you need to plan a study session to brush up on your HOA knowledge.
It’s inevitable – someday you’re going to be faced with a project in your homeowners association that has to get done with the funds that just aren’t there. Since money doesn't grow on trees, what’s an HOA board member to do? It can be a tough spot to be in, but depending on what the project is and how much money you need, you do have options. Remember, it’s the board’s responsibility to protect, maintain and enhance the Association.
