2007 Oct
2007 Oct Vol. 5, No. 10
Focus on...Association Operations
The Benefits of Being on a Board
The drawbacks of being on a board are legion. For one thing, it's a lot of work. Hours and hours and hours of work, of poring over spreadsheets, of talking to property managers and vendors and residents and tenants when you could be watching the game. And what compensation do you get for all your blood, sweat and tears? Not a penny. Up front, that's a lousy trade—labor and emotional investment for free. Read More
The Down-Low on D&O
Members of co-op, condo and HOA boards often give a great deal of their personal time to make decisions in the best interest of their association, cooperative or condo community. These volunteers are charged with protecting the community they live in, as well as their own and fellow residents' investments. But as hard as they work, board members are human, of course—and it's almost inevitable that they will make mistakes from time to time. Read More
Defusing Disagreements
All too often, a disagreement between neighbors, or between a board and a resident, goes from minor to heated to nasty—and then turns litigious. Our culture seems all too ready to sue at the drop of a hat, but lawsuits are not only expensive and time-consuming; they can poison the atmosphere of previously harmonious association communities. One way to avoid the swamp of litigation is to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to solve differences between parties. Read More
Knowing Your Governing Documents
Whenever an HOA resident has a burning question about policy, rules or procedure in their association community, chances are the answer doesn't lie in some obscure legal document or under lock and key somewhere in the depths of the association's management office. Chances are it's right there in the association's governing documents—but what are those exactly, and who has access to them? Read More
Rambo at the Reigns
The homeowners association is, in theory if not always in practice, democracy in action. Once elected via popular vote by the members of the association, the board members—again, in theory, if not always in practice—represent the organization as a whole. As representatives, they make their own interests subordinate to those of the community. Read More
Maintaining Communication with Residents
When Bob Madison, a unit owner on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, tried to contact a board member to talk to them about an ongoing problem he had in the building, he was told "board members don't give out their e-mail addresses." He was told the same thing when he asked about their phone numbers. He was forced to contact the building manager for board matters, and then wait for a response. Read More
A Helping Hand for HOAs
Running a successful co-op or condo—whether you're a shareholder or a manager—requires a lot of outside help. There are landscapers to contract, attorneys to query, owners to deal with and hundreds of other tasks each day that require informed decision-making and input from other sources. When faced with the challenge of meeting all the needs of your housing organization, it certainly would be nice to have a host of resources in just one place. Read More
Solar Powering Your Building
Sobering studies have recently been published by organizations like the International Energy Association and the National Petroleum Council suggesting that the planet's supply of traditional energy sources may not meet demand by as soon as 2015. That alone is alarming enough—but add the fact that utility rates are continuing their rapid ascent to record levels, and it would seem an emergency is on the way. Read More
Q&A: Policing the Board
Who checks up on the board? Does the board police themselves from within, or is it the managing agent that checks up on their actions? If the board makes a mistake, will the shareholders be notified? In what way is a board accountable to the shareholders? Read More
Q&A: New Management Troubles
In years past, condo unit owners were given copies of the minutes of the annual meeting. A new management company was engaged and this practice stopped. Now, when I have requested the minutes of the annual meeting, I have been told that these minutes are not given out to unit owners anymore. Additionally, I was told that I could go to the management office and “view” them. I believe that I, a unit owner, am entitled to a copy of the minutes of the annual meeting. Every owner, I believe, should have copies of these minutes, as before. Is there a law governing this? Read More
