Category: Association Operations

Given recent headlines, condominium, cooperative and homeowner associations could be forgiven for thinking they need to put an armed guard and razor wire around the petty cash box. A wave of fraud appears to be hitting properties from …

Management of a condominium community is much like the democratic government of a small town. The budget process is remarkably similar, whether it’s fees or taxes being collected, and, as in local government, financial management is a t…

Tighter lending requirements for Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed condo mortgages have put financial and administrative pressure on HOAs all over the country at a time when many are ill prepared for any new challenges. …

As annual and quarterly budgets come up for review, HOAs across the state are looking to cut costs anywhere and everywhere they can. But how much more “fat” can be trimmed from budgets that already look stripped to the bone? Happily, th…

All for one and one for all. We always knew that buying a unit in a condominium project meant that the value of our property depended in good part on the likeminded conscientiousness of our neighbors. Where owners live, vote and fund th…

 In addition to depressing home prices, the current housing crisis has put a  tremendous strain on the sixty million Americans who live in shared ownership  communities (SOC) such as condominiums, co-ops and HOAs. While these shared  owner…

 Two decades ago, a couple of East Coast landscape designers thought it would be  a great idea to share ideas and to network with others in the profession. Today, the organization they launched—the Association of Professional Landscape Des…

 For community associations facing a world of economic uncertainty, the old  notion of “strength in numbers” has perhaps never felt more relevant. Because when it comes to tough problems,  the associations that are able to work together an…

 Being on a committee is not always an easy task. In fact, sometimes it can be  downright frustrating. A three-month commitment can stretch into six months;  meetings can go on forever; committee members may drift off topic; and  precious,…

 Tennis courts, event spaces and private swimming pools are practically standard  issue when it comes to suburban homeowners associations and condominium  communities. While the residents who enjoy these amenities as part of their  ownersh…