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A recent ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court seems to significantly curtail the ability of associations in the state to amend their governing documents (Kalway v. Calabria Ranch HOA, LLC). And the impact of the ruling could be felt beyond Arizona’s borders. “This decision really calls into question the ability of HOAs in Arizona to…

Another election season is upon us, and that means political signs and flags are starting to pop up. Such displays can lead to some thorny situations for community associations. An association in North Carolina provides a good example of one risk. Local news outlets recently reported than an owner was notified that his Black Lives…

The Washington Supreme Court has ruled that an HOA’s governing documents grant the board broad discretion in setting assessments. The court also ruled that the board’s decision on assessments was entitled to substantial deference — but not because of the business judgment rule. “This is a major win for associations in Washington state and may…

As the effects of climate change become harder to ignore, more community associations are ready to move past debating the pros and cons of converting to sustainable landscaping and finally start the ball rolling. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for every association. Multiple factors come into play, including geographic location and the owners’ appetite for change.…

In the first part of this two-part article, we explained how associations ready to convert to sustainable landscaping can determine the degree of change their communities can stomach, as well as some of the initial issues to consider once that determination is made. In this second part, we’ll look at some of the ways that…

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Assembling and maintaining a strong team has always been an integral part of running a successful and profitable community association management company. But, with a tight labor market, that can pose a seemingly insurmountable challenge.

“There’s a big shortage of managers right now,” says Ken Bertolucci, president of NS Management in Skokie, Ill. “Part of it is that the business is booming; another is the lack of young people entering community association management.”

Fortunately, there are steps you can take — regardless of the state of the job market — to cost-effectively recruit and retain the employees you need to keep your clients happen and expand your book of business.

In this special report, we explain how you can retool your approach to hiring and take advantage of a generous tax break to offset some of the high costs of recruiting. We’ll also discuss some of the most important lessons for new managers and how management firms can help prevent burnout among their employees. And, finally, we’ll explore the potential risks of relying too much on independent contractors.

We hope this report helps spark some new ideas for recruiting and retaining the best talent so your company can succeed in this challenging post-COVID environment.

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States across the country are passing legislation that forbids community associations from banning residential solar panels and charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in most circumstances. What do so-called solar access and right-to-charge laws mean for your clients? We talked to some experts in states that have such laws in place to find out. Solar…

Owner record requests can prove a hassle for managers and their clients, but courts clearly favor greater access to less — let alone the denial of access. An association in Michigan learned this lesson the hard way when confronted with requests that even the state Supreme Court described as “longwinded” and “often difficult to follow”…

If you and your clients have become hesitant to deny any request for an accommodation, a federal district court has just sent a message that denials made after a thoughtful and careful process may get more support than you’d have expected. Brenda and David Norman had lived in their home in Rancho del Lago at least six…