5 Reasons to Serve on Your HOA Board in 2023

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1. Help Keep High Community Standards

A primary duty as a board member is to uphold the standards within the development of the community. This is done by looking out for the best interest of the community in every area. Keeping high standards will keep property values steady, and even increase the value of the community.

When you volunteer to serve on the HOA board, you have an opportunity to have input and vote on issues that involve community regulations and standards.

When you serve on the HOA board, you can be more involved in your community’s endeavors to protect the investment of all residents.

2. Opportunity to Help Community Members

Most people like helping their neighbors in any way they can. If you like serving and helping your community members, then volunteer to serve on your HOA board. As a volunteer, you will be making decisions that will help others. There are those who do not want to participate, but those who are willing to volunteer can have a voice for others, share their concerns, and bring them to the board. As a member of the board, you may be instrumental in bringing on new volunteers and show the positive aspects of the HOA to residents.

3. Opportunity to Help Solve Problems Within Your Community

As a volunteer on the HOA board, you’ll no doubt become known in the community. Neighbors will confide in you with complaints and issues they feel are important.

It’s important to remain professional in these situations. This will give you an opportunity to be a part of solving community problems. A volunteer board member can bring awareness to problems that exist unbeknown to the board.

4. Opportunity to Grow New Skills

A great reason to serve on your HOA’s board is that you will grow a vast number of new skills. You will learn leadership skills, gain teamwork and team building experience, and experience how the board operations work behind the scenes. Your communication skills and ability to make decisions will prove to be a valuable asset. Formal meeting management may be a benefit to you. If you stay on the board, you may have the opportunity to be elected to a higher leadership position.

5. Take Part in Making New Rules and Change Existing Rules

By serving on your HOA board, you have an opportunity to create change in your community. As you learn how decision making is handled, you may have opportunities to vote on rules and suggest new rules to be voted on. There may be opportunities to make suggestions on new policies, to implement and help lead a committee to carry these policies out.

If you have been thinking about getting involved in your community, volunteering on your homeowner’s association board is a great place to start. Contact your HOA office and ask how you can get involved.

5 New Years Resolutions for HOA Managers

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As the New Year begins, HOA managers and boards should start thinking about what 2023 has in store. Here are some important resolutions that are essential for a well running homeowners association.

1. Recruit Board Members

Each HOA manager needs to focus on recruiting and finding people who are interested in community affairs. One way to approach them is with an invitation to join an HOA board. Another good idea is to put a notice in the newsletter that they are accepting new members. Also, ask current board members to accept new people.

2. Planning Committee

Events are an integral part of an active community. Put together a committee that will create events that all residents will participate in. Set up an advanced schedule for the year. Propose a budget for yearly events and plan promoting the events.

3. Community Safety

Plan and implement safety measures in the community. Once a year, preferably at the beginning of the year. Conduct a safety check on all community lights, door locks, pool lights, fencing and community signage. Make sure all safety measures have been taken to keep residents safe.

4. Community Maintenance

Make sure all pool equipment, playground equipment, tennis court and all recreational amenities are functioning properly. Make necessary repairs to the common buildings, grounds and areas. Make a new year plan and budget for lawn maintenance, seasonal planting and curb appeal for the community.

5. Review and Update Governing Documents

As part of the HOA New Year’s resolutions, a board should consider reviewing and amending old documents. Doing so will allow these documents to reflect the times and environment today, as outdated documents can put associations in a bind. As new technologies continue to emerge, HOA boards will likely need to do this every year to avoid getting left behind the times. Refresh yourself on the procedures for holding annual meetings and Board elections, the types of architectural changes that are allowed, and the procedure for getting changes approved by the Board or the architectural control committee. Also, it can be a good idea to consider whether the rules governing the use of common areas need updating.

Even the simplest New Year resolutions can keep you on track and make being an association Board member a more enjoyable experience. Why not try one or more of these resolutions to make 2023 a positive and successful year for you and your Board?

Is Your Association Required to Confront the Bully?

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These days, it seems like there’s no such thing as a minor disagreement. Normally, owner-to-owner disagreements between neighbors in a homeowners’ association or condominium association fall outside of the association’s authority or jurisdiction, but not necessarily when the disagreement reveals a more-sinister motive: discrimination.

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For additional information on community associations' responsibility to address discrimination issues, Click Here.

SAFETY REMINDERS FOR RESIDENTS TO KEEP IN MIND THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

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While everyone wants to enjoy the holiday season in their community, it is important to make sure everyone stays safe during this enjoyable time. Here are 4 safety reminders that will help everyone in the community stay safe.

1. Outdoor Yard Ornaments

During holidays and even birthdays, gaining in popularity are gigantic yard signs, blowup novelties, special effects, and more. With all of these comes risks. If you are going to use ornamental yard decor, ensure that it is within your property boundaries and does not go on to sidewalks, driveways, or common areas.

Glass ornaments can be attractive to young children and can break easily. Stepping or crawling on the glass is a problem, but some ornaments also contain lead, mercury, or methylene chloride, which can poison children if they touch, taste, or swallow them.

2. Disrupting Noises

Ensure your yard decor or outdoor festivities and parties are not loud and disturbing the solace of your neighbors. Don't use outdoor decor that makes noise or has flashing lights that can disturb your neighbors.

Make sure you are informed about your association’s noise rules. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to file general grievances about the level of noise they hear coming from a neighbor’s home. This might be loud music or noisy parties that go late into the night.

3. Electrical Items Outdoors.

While holiday lighting does contribute to the splendor of the season, it is crucial that outdoor light safety be of the utmost concern for the protection of you and your community.

Make sure you plug in all outdoor electrical decorations into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). This safety outlet is designed to cut the power if electricity comes into contact with water, which is common outside. Also make sure your outdoor lights are labeled “waterproof” if you live in a wet area.

Don't run your extension cords through window or door cracks. The cord could become pinched, which can ruin the insulation around the wires and lead to a dangerous shock.

4. Parking Problems

Another problem during the holiday season are parties that result in parking problems. This problem can be exasperated because many visitors are spending the holidays with families, resulting in more parking congestion. This congestion can also endanger children in the community.

Parking problems like these can result in community disputes and complaints. This usually results in enforcing HOA parking rules, which are a set of policies that regulates where residents and guests leave their vehicles. These rules are part of the HOAs governing documents such as the CC&Rs.

These are some safety concerns to keep in mind this holiday season. Check your HOA rules to be incompliance with lighting, parking and animated decorations.

Evicted Tenant Operated Illegal Airbnb out of Charlotte Condo

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It took the condo’s new owner, Natalie Siburt, running into a would-be guest dropping off luggage outside her home, to kick off a battle with Airbnb to get the listing removed, the Charlotte Observer reported.

https://therealdeal.com/2022/10/29/you-might-have-the-wrong-address-evicted-tenant-operated-illegal-airbnb-out-of-charlotte-condo/

Recently begun enforcement of 15-year-old law creates headaches for some homeowners

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Unbeknownst to ordinary homeowners, everyone connected to the water supply, if they have an irrigation system, has to have one installed or get it tested annually if they do,” she said on condition of anonymity as her board hadn’t OK’ed spilling the tea.

https://journalnow.com/news/local/recently-begun-enforcement-of-15-year-old-law-creates-headaches-for-some-homeowners/article_5308298c-554b-11ed-9548-739250a4913e.html

Condo Repairs: Federal bill provides access to financing for building rehabilitation loans

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Federal legislation was introduced to provide condominium associations access to insured building rehabilitation loans—a move that would help board members make critical structural and safety-based condo repairs.