2010 Feb
2010 February Vol. 8, No.2
Focus on...Board/Owner Relations
Anger Managmenet
For most people, “foaming at the mouth” is just a figure of speech. Attorney Ellen Hirsch de Haan, a managing partner
in the Tampa Bay, Florida office of Becker & Poliakoff PA, has encountered the real thing—and not at an animal shelter, but at a condominium owners’ meeting.
Read More
Civilian Again
For board members, the time spent serving their association and fellow residents
can be among the most strenuous yet rewarding periods in their lives. For
years, they make decisions that affect their community in the present and may
continue to impact them years down the road. It’s a powerful position to hold, one that requires them to acquire a significant
depth of knowledge about the inner workings of their association, amassing an
institutional memory that can be difficult to replace.
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Board Members and Privacy
As the leaders of their community and guardians of their residents' investment
and quality of life, HOA board members have a lot of responsibility, and access
to a great deal of personal—sometimes sensitive—information about their neighbors. Along with this responsibility and access
comes questions about what kind of information can and cannot (as well as what
should and should not) be openly discussed among board members, management, and
non-board shareholders.
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Where the Dollars are
Few things can be as upsetting as discovering that the funds that fuel a
building or association have been mishandled—or worse yet, stolen. For residents, fraud undermines their sense of trust in
the men and women who oversee and manage the place they call home. For managers
and board members, it can breach the trust that exists between each other,
wreaking havoc not only on the bottom line but on the very fiber of the
organization itself. Read More
Board Elections
Every condo development and HOA has a board of directors in charge of governing
the community’s finances, physical maintenance and other day-to-day business. The board is not
just a group that runs the association, however—it is also a group that runs the business. Part of that responsibility is to
keep the community fiscally sound, and to make sure the process of choosing new
leaders is transparent and above reproach.
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Renters in Condos
The current recession has impacted New Jersey's condo and HOA communities in
many profound ways. Boards and managers have been forced to address the
challenge posed by multiple units in arrears, bank foreclosures, and projects
put on indefinite hold.
Read More
Tree Care
Trees and other green landscaping elements are some of your association's most
valuable assets. In addition to providing all-important curb appeal, trees and
shrubs provide privacy, act as windscreens, and prevent soil erosion. Taking
care of your trees and other large plants is just as important as caring for
your paved surfaces, roofing, or any other exterior element.
Read More
Q&A: Papa as Proxy?
We have a small condominium complex of 25 town houses. One home is owned by the son of the resident but the son does not live in the townhome. He has given his father a note allowing him to act on his behalf, as owner of the property. Does this allow the father to serve on committees or be elected to office? Surely, he does not have the financial concerns or common interests of an actual invested homeowner. Read More
Q&A: A Conflict of Interest
“Is it legal for a lawyer that represents a condo to buy a foreclosed unit and then flip it?” Read More
