Dealing With

The rules for overtime pay are again under the microscope. Proposed rules introduced during Obama administration created quite an uproar among employers — not surprisingly, considered that they were expected to make more than 4 million salaried workers newly eligible for overtime. A federal district court judge halted those rules days before they were due…

This week, we take a look at the results of survey of almost 650 HOA members, drilling down into the details to learn how much they think their HOAs help, or hinder, them. One of the keys to effective community association management is meeting and beating member expectations — so it sure would help to…

“E-payments” first came on the scene about 25 years ago or so, and it’s estimated that more than half of U.S. bills are paid online these days. Consumers use online payments to pay for everything from mortgage, credit card, and car payments to utilities and monthly subscriptions. This is Part 1 of a 2-part series.…

Dealing with disruptive residents ranks high on the list of thorny problems community associations—and their management companies—can encounter. You’ve probably heard your fair share of complaints about people violating parking rules or failing to clean up after their pets, but you’ve hopefully never dealt with anything close to the multi-year reign of terror conducted by…

One of the keys to effective management is meeting and beating community association member expectations — so it sure would help to know what your members think about their associations. The website insurancequotes.com has provided a valuable peek into the minds of HOA members with their results of their recent “Honest About HOAs” survey. The…

The guiding principle regarding action, or lack thereof, is clear in most community associations: The majority rules. Sometimes, though, fired-up owners who disagree with the majority decide take matters into their own hands. That’s what happened in a Wisconsin case involving a dispute over ownership of a sewage system that was an association’s common element.…

Although in many parts of the country, planned community and condominium residents are battling snow and freezing temperatures, spring and summer—with warm weather and opportunities to get active—will be here soon enough. And some communities experience soaring heat year round, like those in association-prevalent states such as Florida. Many members invite guests into the community and host seasonal parties or activities in warm weather. You may even provide association-sponsored summer fun.

Winter weather can make community managers’ jobs more challenging if they’re managing associations that are located in cold-weather climates. You’ll typically field an influx of heating complaints. Often, these complaints are unfounded or result from easily correctable problems. Provide too much heat, however, and you’re just wasting fuel and money. The best bet is to address heating complaints right away, while also controlling your heating costs.

While serving on the board of a community association is a volunteer position, board members can get very invested in it. It’s not uncommon to hear about board members who overstep boundaries. That’s why it’s important to be able to gently—or in some cases, more firmly—remind a member who’s taking over duties that aren’t part of her position about the board members’ official duties and why it’s important for everyone to play his or her role.

The financial health of an association depends in large part on monthly payments from members. Those payments are integral because they pay for the services and amenities the members expect and are entitled to. Unfortunately, whether it’s because of financial difficulties or a dispute, sometimes you’ll encounter a member who doesn’t make his monthly payment of assessments. While it seems like just one member failing to contribute is a minor issue, in reality, he harms the entire community.