Seminar Series
Kentucky Legal Roundtable
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Oriental Wok, 317 Buttermilk Pike, Ft Mitchell
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Come join us in welcoming our distinguished panel of legal experts who will be on hand to answer your questions. This is our MOST POPULAR seminar our first focused on Kentucky so be sure and register early.

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2008 Community Awards Nominations

It’s that time of year again. Time to submit a neighborhood you know for a 2008 Community Award. The Ohio Valley Chapter of CAI launched this recognition program in 2006 to recognize community associations that incorporate CAI principles to make their communities the best they can be.

Awards are given for community Newsletters, Websites, Welcome Packages and Community Beautification. CAI membership is required to nominate a community for these awards and nominations must be received by September 15th. Award winners will be notified by November 15th and awards will be presented at the Ohio Valley Community Associations Institute December luncheon.

To submit a community for recognition in any one of these areas, simply mail in your completed Application Form along with any supporting documentation to PO Box 697, Miamitown OH 45041-0697.

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2009 Community Trade Show

Be sure and mark your calendars for the 2009 Community Trade Show coming February 25, 2009 to the Sharonville Convention Center.  Last year's Expo was a huge success and we expect next year's show to be even better.  This is a terrific opportunity for homeowners and Homeowner Association Boards to meet and speak to vendors from across the area.

Check back as we will be posting additional information as it becomes available.  If you are a service provider and wish to showcase your product or services, please contact Jackie Rosenstengel, Chapter Executive Director, at (513) 353-3810.

Monthly Association Fees –
Are They Comparable?
Walt Williamsen, PCAM, Past President of CAI-CT

A frequently asked question by owners and officials of community associations is “how do our fees compare to other condominiums of our size?” Based on my experiences as a cost accountant, association manager, and consultant for associations and management companies – my answer is that fees are not comparable in any meaningful way.

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Deferred Maintenance:
Procrastinators Beware!
Association Time's Staff Writer

Deferring the common area maintenance of an owners’ association, though sometimes necessary, can have negative and lasting effects upon a community. Deferrals are occasionally a financial necessity. That is, if you don’t have the cash on hand, certain expenditures must wait. Postponement of necessary maintenance projects may also be seen as a “money-saving” technique. Deferral, in some instances, might be the sheer product of oversight. Whatever the ultimate cause of not performing routine maintenance, the outcome will often be a net cost considerably higher than having completed the work in a timely fashion.

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Benefits of Joining

The value of a CAI membership continues to become invaluable. The level of services and expertise you receive is second to none!

The Ohio Valley Chapter offers benefits to all members, whether you are an individual homeowner, a community manager, or a professional selling to and servicing the industry.

Benefits

What Should You Expect from Your Management Company?

One of the first things to recognize is that the Managing Agent for your Association is most typically not a Contractor. There are distinct legal differences between Agents and Contractors which impact the relationship and the expectations between the Board and its management firm. Unlike a Contractor, an Agent has a fiduciary responsibility to do that which is in the best interest of the Association.

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Homeowners' Associations

Why do so many people choose to buy a home in a homeowners association in spite of all the adverse publicity? The majority of homes purchased in the last few years were in homeowners associations. There have to be good reasons why so many people are choosing to live under the jurisdiction of homeowners associations. To help us understand this phenomenon lets examine some of these reasons.

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Rules Development & Enforcement
By Joseph D. Douglass, Esquire

Rules development and enforcement are critically important areas for associations. In developing and enforcing rules a board must be diligent, careful and resolute. The following are a few important "rules for rules" which every board should keep in mind:

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Consensus Building for
Community Associations

Community association board members and managers are responsible for carrying out business that protects literally millions of dollars worth of real estate. Daily problems arise that range in magnitude and importance, but all require sound business judgment to resolve. Many times what is also required is the cooperation or consensus of association residents comprised of different interests, values and personalities! Their cooperation can mean the difference between solving a problem on paper and actually solving it.

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Residents with Emotional or Medical Problems
By Joseph D. Douglass, Esquire

Very often, community associations are confronted with the issue of a resident with emotional or medical problems that impair the resident's judgment and ability to function. These problems vary, from substance abuse to Alzheimer's Disease to psychosis. In addressing these issues, an association board must be clear on the limits to its authority and power, but should be aware of practical approaches to the problem.

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Annual Golf Outing
Monday, August 25, 2008
Oasis Golf Club
902 Loveland-Miamiville Rd., Loveland, Ohio

Planning for our most popular social and networking event is currently underway. Get ready for fun at the 2008 CAI Golf Scramble. Last year's event was a huge success and this year's event is shaping up to be even better. As in previous years, golf will be followed by an awards dinner.

If you are interested in sponsoring or otherwise participating in this event please contact:

• Ken Roeding, Chairperson
  (859) 426-4548
• Jackie Rosenstengel, Chapter Executive Director
  (513) 353-3810

Play is limited to the first 132 paid players, so be sure to complete your registration not to ensure a spot.

Outing Sponsorship
Become A Sponsor
Golf Outing Flyer
Online Registration

One Man's Trash is
Another Man's Treasure

Every community has basic maintenance, neighbor or parking challenges, however every now and then a community is faced with a situation that is not easily remedied with a text book answer or a fresh coat of paint. Sometimes a little creativity is needed to rectify the challenges that come before us.

As a community manager for two years, I have handled difficult situations that rely on
my expertise and creativity. I believe that the key to an association’s success in handling situations is to look at it as an opportunity, rather than a problem.

Last year, I joined a charming association of a 114-unit condominium community in
Southern California. During the initial walk through of the community, I discovered a
room full of paint cans. On the top floor, of one of the residential buildings, sat
approximately 200 containers filled with left over or forgotten paint.

More than 1,800 gallons of paint had been left unattended for three years in a room with little ventilation and no air conditioning. Not knowing if the paint cans were properly sealed, mixed with harmful chemicals or were releasing fumes into the air, I determined that the paint posed a health risk to the residents living in the building. It had to be removed.

Recognizing its potentially harmful impact to the residents in the building, the homeowner association was eager to get rid of the paint. Together, we researched and made several calls to hazardous dumps sites, city officials and paint manufacturers to find the best method of disposal. We learned that because of the quantity of paint, conventional disposal methods would be too costly or time consuming for the
association. It would take more than 100 trips to the local hazardous waste dump, which would only accept 15 gallon per day, or an enormous cost to the association to hiring an outside organization to remove the paint.

Running out of options, we decided to find a way to use the paint for its original purpose.

With one phone call to Habitat for Humanity we soon realized this was an opportunity to
put the paint to good use. There was no need to waste paint when it could be given to a charitable organization that accepts materials to build homes for the homeless and low- income families.

After three months of unrealistic options, Habitat for Humanity picked up and hauled off the paint in one, two-hour trip. Today, the 1,800 gallons of paint are being used to help beautify the homes for those in need.

By thinking outside the box, we were able to tap into an opportunity to help others and alleviate the hazard to the community.

Sue Evans is a community manager at Professional Community Management of
California, Inc. in Lake Forest, Calif.

Being Reasonable

Most community associations seek to enforce their rules while still maintaining a harmonious community that the residents view as a desirable place to live. At times though, these goals seem to be contradictory. Strictly enforcing the rules can result in controversy. Recent events, such as attempts to enforce association restrictions against flying flags, have generated significant media attention and, as a result, attention from state and local legislatures. The use of common sense and flexibility allows the association to enforce the essential purpose of a particular rule while not dragging the Association into controversy that divides the community.

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Interior Water Damage:
A Disaster You Can Prevent

Of all residential construction, the community association is, by far, the most susceptible to water damage. Reliable estimates tell us that 65% of the property damage to community associations is internal water damage caused by the discharge of water from pipes, hoses, plumbing fixtures and appliances that fail suddenly. Inexpensive solutions could prevent most of this damage.

Washing Machines
Water Heaters

Understanding Condo Insurance

Condominium living is carefree, right? Well, sometimes it is, but do not assume that your monthly community fee takes care of everything – especially insurance.

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Management Challenges for Small Community Associations

As community associations have evolved over the years, one thing has become evident -- smaller associations do not have the same opportunities to attract professional management services as do larger associations. The reason for this is simple economics - it is less profitable for a professional management firm to provide service to a smaller association.

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The Costs of Management

When an association retains a management firm to administer their community they pay a monthly or annual fee for those services. The question here is how does the management company arrive at that number? What goes into determining how much it will cost them to manage your association?

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Self Management

In most community associations the question of whether or not to self-manage or hire management professionals arises every so often. How often these debates take place usually depends on the overall satisfaction with the type of management currently in place as well as the availability and willingness of volunteers to serve. The management topic may come up during budget deliberations or it may surface if board members are feeling dissatisfied with the type of management at a particular time. Once the management issue is on the table, board members may look at the budget line item for management and take the position that “this can’t be that difficult, so why can’t we do it ourselves?” On the flip side is the situation where “nobody wants to do this anymore.”

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Increasing Attendance at Community Events

Many associations are looking for ways to create a sense of community among residents. One of the best ways to do that is through community events and social activities. Such events can create a positive feeling of community, help neighbors to meet each other, and lead to new volunteers for the association. Sometimes, however, getting a member to attend a social engagement can be as difficult as getting them to turn in their proxies. How can you increase attendance? Consider the following five tips for your next community event. With a little effort, you may go from wondering if people will attend to determining if you have enough room.

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