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Sometimes owners strike out on their own and file lawsuits they think their associations should be filing—but does that mean the association has to reimburse them for their legal costs? 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…

With spring weather taking hold in most parts of the country, community association managers can expect the blossoming of questions and concerns from owners about landscaping. Even with associations that already have board-approved landscaping plans in place, managers might have owners demanding already-scheduled maintenance, planting in common areas without permission, or micromanaging the gardening crew.…

“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.…

To keep their community associations running smoothly, managers deal with issues that run the gamut from day-to-day administrative tasks and overseeing other staff members so they fulfill their roles, to working with the board on major issues like finances or capital improvement projects, to name just a few functions. Because the manager’s role involves handling so many tasks, there’s a big risk for burnout.

You and your staff should have a risk management strategy set up that covers all of the issues that could lead to liability for the association you manage. One of the big ticket items in terms of liability that your strategy should address is safety hazards in the community. That’s because safety hazards can result in, at best, minor accidents and, at worst, personal injury lawsuits. Here’s how to take reasonable care in a high-risk area.

Managing an association involves day-to-day tasks that, while they should be done meticulously, are also not typically the impetus for lawsuits. Although you might be used to dealing with small issues that aren’t the subject of litigation, don’t be cavalier about bigger decisions, like how to let go of an employee who just isn’t working out.

Associations, whether large or small, depend heavily on money to operate. Every aspect of keeping a community safe and running smoothly has a cost associated with it. Too often, associations make the news for negative financial reasons—fraud, bankruptcy, or other shortfalls that disrupt the community. However, an association that’s being run effectively combined with a strong local economy could have more money than expected. That’s great news for the association, but it creates the question of how that budgetary surplus should be used.