Although members on an association’s board of directors are volunteers, their roles in the operation of the community are important. Mistakes by board members can lead to liability for the association. But sometimes, especially if they are roped into serving on the board, members don’t understand the functions of their positions and the best way to carry out their responsibilities.

Q: Our community allows pets, as long as they’re 25 pounds or less. A resident requests a reasonable accommodation to keep his large dog as an assistance animal and submits documentation to show that he has a disability and that the dog provides emotional support to alleviate the symptoms of his disability. Although his dog is larger than allowed under our pet policy, could we face a discrimination claim if we deny his request to keep it?

Although members on an association’s board of directors are volunteers, their roles in the operation of the community are important. Mistakes by board members can lead to liability for the association. But sometimes, especially if they are roped into serving on the board, members don’t understand the functions of their positions and the best way to carry out their responsibilities.

If your association has decided that it has the funds to upgrade current amenities or add new ones, you should find out what’s most important to members before determining where the money should be spent. In a community with families, a playground or playroom might be important to members. A swimming pool might be a welcome addition to a community in a warm-weather environment. Age-restricted community members might want a better club room where they can socialize or spend time with their extended family during visits.

The trend towards buying vintage items or “upcycling”—that is, using old items for a new purpose—has made garage sales popular again. Garage sales can benefit the association and members in several ways, so consider hosting one. It’s a great way to give members a chance to meet one another and to promote community spirit. But it also serves a practical purpose: It enables members who are running out of space in their homes or condo units to earn some money while clearing out items they no longer want.

Q: The board of the association I manage has been conducting meetings that aren’t very effective and are unnecessarily long. The president has served on the board for several years and has become frustrated with the situation. How can I help her to streamline meetings and get control over the board members who drag out the agenda?

Facts: Fifty-five units in a Missouri condominium complex went into foreclosure. Delinquent assessments and fines were due on all of the units. A corporation bought the units. It paid the assessments and fees that had accrued after the foreclosure and its purchase, but not before. The association later claimed that it had an assessment lien on all 55 units, because of the pre-purchase outstanding amounts.

Facts: A condominium building’s board of directors voted to install a chairlift in one of the two stairwells to make the building more handicap accessible. A unit owner objected to the installation and voiced her concerns to the board. However, it applied for a building permit from the city’s building commissioner and hired a company to install the chairlift.

Whether you manage a planned community or a condominium building, issues with the board can take up your time and create frustration among owners who just want things to run smoothly. One of those issues could be assembling a board to begin with. In some scenarios, owners may be clamoring to serve on the board. That’s good news: It indicates that members of the community are invested in and want to be involved in the successful operation of the association.

Members sometimes build improvements on common areas or limited common areas without first getting the association’s consent, because they mistakenly believe the area belongs to them. This can lead to an unpleasant dispute between a member and the association, especially when the association tells the member to remove the improvement.