Departments

Facts: Two condominium association members discovered physical damage to their unit. One of the two thermostats within the unit malfunctioned and failed to register a temperature beyond 55 degrees. This caused the heat to run constantly at a high temperature for approximately one month. The continuous heat resulted in cracks in the dry wall, damage to the ceilings and woodwork, and damage to the furniture and floors. The second thermostat, located upstairs, was damaged by the consistently high temperatures in the unit.

For many homeowners who buy in a planned community, the rules and requirements in the association’s CC&Rs and bylaws keep the neighborhood clean, well maintained, and aesthetically pleasing, so worrying about a neighbor’s unsightly modifications to his home shouldn’t even be on the radar.

It's easy to use interior landscaping to do more than just improve the aesthetic of your community’s common areas. Interior landscaping improves indoor air quality (IAQ) and can even lower your energy costs. Plants filter air by absorbing pollutants and they produce oxygen—which is especially helpful in sealed, energy-efficient buildings that have less exchange of fresh outdoor air for stale indoor air.

Summer is here and like many associations, yours might want to celebrate with and create goodwill among members. But before sponsoring an athletic event like a basketball game at your community, read your liability policy to see if athletic events are covered and speak to your insurance broker also. Why? Insurers often exclude injuries resulting from athletic events from an association’s liability coverage, which could leave the community open to liability for any injuries that occur during the game.

Last year proved to be an exciting year for a push to reform and revamp many association laws and policies. And advocacy for key association issues continues going strong. The major organization behind furthering an association-favorable agenda is the Community Associations Institute (CAI), with its Federal Legislative Action Committee (FedLAC) and Government Affairs Department. The FedLAC advocated on behalf of community associations and CAI members before the U.S. Congress, federal regulatory agencies, state legislatures, and the courts.

Q: The association I manage prohibits the installation of HAM radio towers and antennae. I’ve read about the movement to allow members in planned communities to install this equipment despite these rules. Why—and when—could members be able to simply disregard the architectural rules and guidelines? Could this damage the association?

Facts: A condominium member owed nearly $8,000 in delinquencies and attorney’s fees. After he refused to pay, the association’s management company and attorney sued him on behalf of the association. A trial court ruled in favor of the association. The member appealed.

Decision: A Missouri appeals court upheld the trial court’s decision.

Facts: A condominium member fell and injured herself on ice and snow on the sidewalk outside of her building. She sued the association and management company for negligence. They asked the trial court for a judgment in their favor without a trial. They prevailed, and the member appealed.

Decision: An Illinois appeals court upheld the trial court’s decision.

Many members decide to buy into an association because much of the work that goes into typical homeownership is taken care of by the association manager and board, which can save time, effort, and money for members. Membership dues and assessments are used to keep up the community—from amenities to security measures to home improvements, like new roofs. So expect requests from time to time by members who want to know exactly where their money is going—and that it’s being used effectively and for what the association's budget states.

Internet access is now a must-have for most people, including the members in your community. But as ubiquitous as the Internet is these days, some communities still require members to arrange for and pay for Internet access in their own units. If your association has decided that it wants to provide wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi) to the entire community, you’ll have to find a way to pay for it, most likely by adding the cost to the monthly assessment.