Requests that go unanswered, records that cannot be found, meetings that happen behind closed doors, an opaque veil of non-communication. Unresponsive boards are the bane of HOA members—they seem to operate behind an iron curtain of inacces…
As a member of board, you've volunteered your time to serve your building or homeowner's association with the best interest of your community in mind. But as every board member knows, even with the best of intentions, your board may…
What would it be like if today's society was governed by laws set forth centuries ago and never updated? While some fundamental rules about not stealing things or hurting people might not change much, others would be in dire need of a facel…
Let's say the guy down the street is a sucker for all things medieval. On weekends, he dresses up in armor and whacks other armored men with clubs. Sometimes he even jousts. You get the idea. Now let's say this same fellow wants his…
Most residents of a condo, co-op or HOA know at least a few of their board members—or at least know their names. Often, the same people serve on the board year after year. But what makes them want to serve? And why don't new people const…
Sue Stevens became president of her Arlington, Texas homeowners association in 2003, one of her first orders of duty was solving a vital security issue to the residents—how to protect their homes, which were highly visible from several m…
For most people, the thought of legal fees and litigation costs are enough to cause heightened anxiety and maybe a heart palpitation or two. Consider that same scenario when it comes to board members in charge of the well-being of an ent…
In most cases, New Jersey's community and homeowner associations largely govern themselves, with little oversight from the state and no standardized procedures or best practices. But recently there has been some movement from the powers …
Homeowners associations are governed by a private board, generally comprised of residents of the condominium. Just because board members are unpaid volunteers, however, does not exempt them from exposure to lawsuits. Indeed, HOA board me…
Any board or manager that arranges for a contractor to come onto their property to do a project or render a service always hopes that the job will be done well, or that the service will be delivered exactly as expected. While the majorit…