HOA Management Blog
Most people who live in a homeowner’s association know that there are certain rules to follow. There are many reasons why people might ask why we have HOA rules. You may have chosen to live in an HOA because the rules there make you feel safer and increase property values. You may have just agreed to the rules because you found your ideal home at the time and the rules came with the neighborhood. You may also be on the opposite end of the spectrum and be wondering why we even bother having HOA rules when no one in the association seems to follow them – or enforce them.
As an HOA Board member you know that HOA rules serve a valid purpose – usually. While you understand the importance of enforcing your HOA rules and regulations, it would be hard to follow through on the following with a straight face.
For the eighth time in 15 years, Americans living in homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives say they’re overwhelmingly satisfied in their communities. They are expressing strong satisfaction with the HOA board members who govern their homeowners associations and the community managers who provide professional support.
Approximately four in 10 homes in suburban America are occupied by people who rent. Even though people who rent in the HOA have no vote on homeowners association matters, they are an important part of your community. Today's renters may be tomorrow's owners - or even board members! If the unit you own is occupied by a renter here are a few tips that will help you and your renters live harmoniously in the homeowners association.
A homeowners association provides a great neighborhood for people to be active, especially as the warm weather sets in and they can be outdoors for much of the day. It’s important to set bike safety rules so homeowners are as protected as possible while riding their bikes in the neighborhood.
As homes in your homeowners association begin to thaw from the cold months, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your home for spring and summer! The steps you take now can help avoid costly maintenance and repairs later.
Homeowner associations, like most organizations, have adopted information technology for everything from accounting and bookkeeping to email and other forms of communication such as preparation of documents and presentations, etc. However, HOA board members and their management staff must recognize and address the inherent risks in modern electronic technology, especially data breaches & server hacks that compromise information the HOA is responsible for keeping private.
More often than not, a Board may come to the conclusion they no longer need the help of a manager because its members are arrogant, there’s “bad blood,” or it just doesn’t want to pay for the services any longer. A Board may decide it would like to change managers, change to a different management company, or it just doesn’t need the services of a manager at all any longer.
Sometimes an HOA manager gets the short end of the stick, but it’s part of the job and a small price to pay to help an HOA board effectively manage its homeowners association. The manager is usually seen in one of three ways but there are steps board members can take to help the community see the manager in a whole new light.
The Board of Directors for most condominium associations in California have felt very comfortable in the past letting owners know that they could not install solar on the common area roof. The roof is a common area after all and its maintenance and replacement are the responsibility of the homeowners association.
