ASSOCIATIONHELPNOW
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
by Sherri Hall
By Sherri Hall
Property managers are used to walking around their communities and having residents come up to them with questions, complaints, suggestions and more on a regular basis. However, managers get to go home at the end of the day. For board members, though, home is the community. Oftentimes, board members are faced with these interactions with residents during their “off” time.
[Read more…] about Ways to Control the Stress of Being on the Board – From a Manager’s Perspective
by Sherri Hall
By Sherri Hall
Imagine walking along the grounds of your community when you notice what appears to be a small rabbit hole. You look ahead and see a few more similar holes. Filling them with dirt doesn’t seem to help. In fact, they just keep coming back and getting larger and larger. That’s when you realize, you might just have a sinkhole issue on your hands. But how can you know for sure? And, what should you do about it?
[Read more…] about Found a Sinkhole in Your Community? Here’s What You Need to Know
By Michelle Tomko
With summer well behind us and winter around the bend, people may start to feel like bugs and other pests are a thing of the past — a warm weather problem. Although, they’re not out in the open, doesn’t mean they’re not, well, snug as a bug in a rug in your home.
By Alyssa Gautieri
This issue seems to come up every year. What can an association do about over-the-top holiday decorations, and the ones that seem to stay up all year?
[Read more…] about Best Practices for Rules About Holiday Decorations