The Secretary of State recently announced that they have added password protection for business owners and filers to safeguard against identity theft. When association’s file their annual reports online, filers now have the option to create their own password. Read More...

As we are in the middle of annual meeting season for many communities, it may be helpful to review the budgeting process that you are required to follow.  Budgeting is the process of reviewing your association’s anticipated income and establishing planned expenditures for the upcoming year.  The Read More...

A North Carolina homeowners association recently discovered it is not immune from theft despite its efforts to minimize the risk of embezzlement. The Parkwood Homeowners Association lost between $150,000 and $200,000 over a 2 ½ year period when it discovered its office administrator was using debi Read More...

Have you ever wondered when an association legally comes into existence?  Is it when the first home is built, or is it when the development plan is approved by the County?  The correct answer is neither.  According to Section 201 of CCIOA, a common interest community legally comes into existence Read More...

It appears the fall-out of condominium communities losing or not renewing their FHA certifications is now beginning to hit associations. We are starting to experience a notable increase in calls from managers, board members, mortgagees, brokers, and owners in the past month concerned and/or upset a Read More...

If your community is still under declarant control, you should be aware that CCIOA prescribes a time frame within which the declarant must turn over control of the board to the community owners. Pursuant to Section 303(5)(a) of CCIOA, a declarant is required to turn over control of the board to owne Read More...

You are on the Board of Directors of your association, which has just decided to increase assessments for the first time in years. Owners are up in arms and an owner requests the e-mail addresses of all other owners to, you suspect, stir the pot further. Read More...

Community associations are turning to social media as another way to provide information, enhance neighborhood connections and build community in general. In his recent blog post, Side Streets blogger Bill Vogrin explores two communities that used Facebook in an attempt to promote their neighborhoo Read More...

Prior to beginning construction projects, most boards understand the importance of consulting with engineers, architects and other experts. These consultations help to define the project and shape any bids so that the final product conforms to what the board envisioned. Very few boards think to draf Read More...

The Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (a/k/a CCIOA) was adopted to govern common interest communities in Colorado.  But what exactly is a “common interest community” and how do you know if your association fits into this category? Section 103 of CCIOA provides definitions of various terms Read More...