Community Association Governance

In California, associations that can’t get a popular CC&R amendment passed because of supermajority voting requirements have another option — they can ask a court to amend the voting requirement to make it less onerous. A common question in such situations is whether an association must show voter apathy before a court can act. In…

California law lets an association turn to the courts to change the percentage of votes required to amend its CC&Rs, a helpful provision when communities have trouble reaching a super-majority. Opponents may claim that an association has to prove “voter apathy” to go this route, but a state court of appeals has made clear that…

This week, we’ve got some practical tips on how associations, their current boards, and their management companies can effectively recruit new members for the board of directors. Board recruitment has long been a challenge, and many associations find it harder than ever to find fresh, qualified, and willing replacements. “It’s an especially huge issue in…

Board recruitment is a challenge many community associations face, and, for some, the problem is only getting worse. Long-standing board members are aging out or simply want to step back, but no one seems willing to fill their shoes. “It’s an especially huge issue in smaller associations, where a group of dedicated people serve for…

The ready availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) significantly improves the odds that the victims of sudden cardiac arrest will survive, so it might seem like a no-brainer for community associations — especially those with aging populations — to install the devices. Although more associations are doing so, it’s important to understand some of the…

A recent survey conducted by the Foundation for Community Association Research found almost half of the community association respondents didn’t have policies and procedures in place to safely collect and store homeowners’ personal data. This week, we’ll explore why that’s a problem. It’s true that associations often operate on the more low-tech side of things,…

A recent survey conducted by the Foundation for Community Association Research found that almost half of the community association respondents didn’t have policies and procedures in place to safely collect and store homeowners’ personal data. That’s a problem. It’s true that associations often operate on the more low-tech side of things, but that doesn’t mean…

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…