With the winter season behind us, many associations are now turning their attention to the summer season and annual member meetings.  However, as usual, many of the owners have headed for the flatlands and are no where to be seen.  The question for the board is how to best permit absentee owners t Read More...

With more and more developers going bankrupt and pulling out of partially constructed residential projects, we are seeing more and more instances of common area tracts, or tracts that are intended to become common areas in the future, being encumbered by tax liens where the developer owner has faile Read More...

The art of contract negotiation is often overlooked when associations are contemplating hiring a contractor to provide a particular service or perform certain work.  At the beginning of the relationship, everyone is on their best behavior and thinking that all will go according to plan.  Often, bo Read More...

Surveys have found that speaking in public is one of many people’s top fears.  Perhaps that’s one reason why, when preparing for homeowner meetings, the president usually spends most of his or her time anticipating how best to handle difficult issues, and comparatively little time preparing for Read More...

Come meet Ashley Nichols and other professionals from CAI and learn about legal matters related to collections, foreclosures and maximizing assessment receipts, Board Member Responsibilities, Reserve Studies, and more. Registration is required.  For more information and register online click here. Read More...

The battle between smokers and non-smokers may be reaching a tipping point in community associations.  More boards are introducing declaration amendments prohibiting smoking completely – in individual units as well as in the common areas of their communities.  And those amendments are attracting Read More...

You’ve, no doubt, heard the term “conflict of interest” flung around quite a bit in the HOA industry.  But what does this term really mean?  Did you know that CCIOA, with the help of the Revised Nonprofit Corporations Act (“Nonprofit Act”), specifically defines this term and provides gui Read More...

Let’s say you’re presiding over a hotly contested election, where two (or more) “sides” don’t trust each other.  How can you ensure that, once the election is over it’s really over?  In other words, what’s the best way to avoid fights over the validity of the vote count? Parliamenta Read More...

In our Generative Thinking By Boards article we explored how board members could collaborate with association managers to generate creative, insightful and thoughtful decisions as leaders in their communities. This month we will focus on Strategic Thinking by boards.                  Read More...

It’s your annual meeting.  You’ve called the meeting to order, officer reports have been given, and now you’re about to hold the election.  All of a sudden a homeowner stands up and says, “I don’t think we have a quorum.”  As the meeting chair, what should you do now?Parliamentary Tip Read More...