Michele Newman

9 Party Pitfalls You Need to Be Aware of Before Your Next Condo/HOA Social Event

November 15, 2022 by Michele Newman

“It’s a community party, what could go wrong?

According to a recent AssociationHelpNow® livestream audience poll, 60% of participants said they get more compliments than complaints regarding social events they’ve held. However, managers, boards and committee members should be aware of some pitfalls these events present.

We asked a panel of professionals who work with community associations about some of the more common events, and what to watch out for. Here’s what came up: [Read more…] about 9 Party Pitfalls You Need to Be Aware of Before Your Next Condo/HOA Social Event

What You Can Expect from Your Building Inspection Report

August 18, 2022 by Michele Newman

Raymond Dickey of AssociationHelpNow® interviews engineer Joseph Pompeo, PE SECB, F.SEI, F.ASCE from Structural Workshop, LLC.

What is an inspection report?

It addresses the structure and the building envelope — what condition is it in? What has to happen? Is there anything dangerous and what is it going to cost to maintain it going forward.

How often should an inspection report take place?

It really depends on the building — the age of the building and type of construction of the building. Meaning, the construction materials, and how the exterior walls are made. Also, the exposure, whether it’s coastal. So, we typically would like to do an initial investigation and report, then, as part of that report, we can give a timeline. So, a brand-new building with a modern curtain wall system that is not exposed to salt air or wind could probably go five to ten years. But an older concrete building that has spalling and damage and is on the coast, they might need it every six months, or a year. [Read more…] about What You Can Expect from Your Building Inspection Report

Are You Burned Out?

July 28, 2022 by Michele Newman

Managers — Learn How to Get Your Life Back!

The job of community manager is very demanding, requiring the ability to handle many varied tasks and situations simultaneously — all while keeping their communities running smoothly on a daily basis. A manager never knows what can or will come up on any given day — leaks, slip-and-falls, storms, arguing residents and board members — the list goes on and on. It’s also not a clear-cut, nine-to-five type job. Meetings are frequently held in the evenings or on weekends, and many can go on for hours. Managers are also typically on call for any after-hours emergencies that may occur. It’s no wonder that many managers report experiencing stress, and for some, it goes beyond that and becomes burnout.

What is burnout? According to Melissa Ann Russiano, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker and coach who works with individuals in many different fields, it’s cumulative stress that eventually leads to burnout.

Russiano noted that stress is something that we deal with on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. “Burnout is a result of accumulated stress to the point that it impacts you physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. It is an overwhelming heaviness on top of you. But it doesn’t qualify as depression, which is a mental health diagnosis, which is what I think a lot of people fear,” said Russiano.

“The term burnout is something that’s used a lot right now, and there’s a big difference between the three terms, burnout, stress and depression. Is this stress? Is this burnout? Is this depression? That’s something I get in there and assess,” she said. [Read more…] about Are You Burned Out?

Association’s Insurance in Regard to Contractors

May 2, 2022 by Michele Newman

Questions answered by Dawn M. Becker-Durnin, CIRMS

Why should an association care if their contractors have insurance?

Contractors who work on-site and off-site pose risk as far as property damage to association property as well as bodily injury to members and guests. Having an insurance policy would provide funds and defense of the association if the contractor’s work or employee caused such damages.

What does contractual risk transfer mean? [Read more…] about Association’s Insurance in Regard to Contractors

Association Budgets Beware – New Federal Overtime Rules Are Coming

November 26, 2016 by Michele Newman

Feature Story

Association Budgets Beware – New Federal Overtime Rules Are Coming

This past spring, the Obama administration announced new rules which go into effect on December 1st regarding overtime pay for certain employees. I interviewed Heather Paton, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Executive Director of Seabrook Island POA on Johns Island, South Carolina, who pointed out that many associations will need to be aware of the new rules in creating their budgets for 2017 and beyond..

Majority…Two-Thirds…What’s the Confusion Over Association Voting Math?

August 23, 2016 by Michele Newman

Last month we received several questions regarding what constitutes a majority when voting to change an association’s bylaws or the declaration. We were a little surprised by how something that seems so simple, is actually not. As they say, the devil is in the details, especially when it comes to voting on either association bylaw or declaration amendments.