ASSOCIATIONHELPNOW
by Sherri Hall
By Sherri Hall
Oftentimes, associations find themselves faced with the task of imposing a special assessment to take care of an emergency item that wasn’t budgeted for in the reserve fund. But what if the reserve fund did have enough to cover the cost of the unexpected repairs because it just so happened to be overfunded? How can an association even find itself in such a position with an excess reserve fund?
By Alyssa Gautieri
As a property manager, you notice that the balconies in a few of your units are beginning to show signs of water damage. Meanwhile the stucco is beginning to crack along the exterior of a few different units. Neither problem seems to be widespread or urgent at this time, but you’re concerned that similar construction defects may cause future damage to other units. How can you control the issue before it gets out of hand? [Read more…] about Understanding Construction Defects Related to Stucco, EIFS, and Brick
By Alyssa Gautieri
In a 200-unit association, several unit owners have failed to pay their assessment fees within the last few months. What are some actions that associations can take in order to collect the debts?
by Sherri Hall
By Sherri Hall
Here’s a familiar scenario, not new by any means, but none the less an issue managers deal with frequently. The association you’ve been the manager for during past two years has had the same landscaping company since you came on board. The current board members have been in their positions before you became the manager at the community. However, there are a few new board members who have been complaining about several issues with the landscape maintenance in the community. The longer serving board members have become very friendly with the landscaper – and it has been noticed the landscaping crews take time trimming the shrubs in those board members beds, which is not part of the contract. Meanwhile, the newer board members have also noticed leaves go uncollected in parts of the community, some brown spots are appearing on common area lawns go untreated, weeds are not attended to in as timely a fashion as they should, all which are part of the current landscaping contract. As a manager, how should this issue be handled? Is recommending putting the landscaping contract out for bid the best solution? Will the longer standing board members hold it against the manager if they recommend leaving a beloved vendor who is not acting within their contract? What is a manager to do? We spoke with Denise Becker, PCAM, Regional Manager with Corner Property Management, to gain some insight on the subject.
[Read more…] about How, When and Why a Manager Should Recommend a New Vendor
By Alyssa Gautieri
You’re on the board of your condominium and a unit owner has filed a civil lawsuit against the association. The attorney representing the association is working with the board in handling its defense. But, now you’ve received a deposition subpoena. What should you do?
[Read more…] about What to Do if You’re Called for a Deposition
by AHN Staff
When making decisions, association boards are at risk of upsetting their residents; but, what happens if the court becomes involved? In this case, the business judgment rule may be your best tool as an association. So, what is the business judgment rule and how can it be used?
by AHN Staff
By: Jessica Vail & William Payne, PE
Doors difficult to open. Strange smells in corridors and lobbies. Inconsistent temperature regulation. These are all very common issues in high-rise buildings which are usually due to poor ventilation and building pressurization. It is in the best interest of the building and its tenants to have a Professional Engineer conduct a property condition assessment to find the root of the problems and make professional recommendations to alleviate the ongoing issues.
by Sherri Hall
Sherri Hall
Trees are an invaluable resource, not only to our planet as a whole, but also to our community associations. They produce oxygen, give us shade and provide beauty to our properties, and therefore, it’s important to care for them properly.
[Read more…] about CARING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY’S TREES: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
by Sherri Hall
By Sherri Hall
Among the responsibilities of condominium and community associations is the obligation to maintain accurate records. Accordingly, the taking and keeping of minutes of board meetings is extremely important to the proper operation of an association. But what is the proper way to do so and what information must be included? We spoke to Attorney Stefan Richter of Clemons Richter & Reiss in Doylestown, Pennsylvania for an expert opinion on the subject of meeting minutes.
By Michelle Tomko
In a perfect world, associations are not supposed to be landlords. But things happen. People lose their jobs, owners pass away leaving their units in limbo, and global events such as the Great Recession can even impact the financial well-being of owners. These types of events can all cause properties in an association to be abandoned. When this happens, what is an association to do? Often the right move is for the association to request a receivership.
[Read more…] about When the Association Becomes Landlord — Understanding Rent Receiverships