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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.
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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.
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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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Governance Questions and Answers
Every community at some point has questions about governance of their association. The question may come from an elected volunteer, a homeowner, or a renter.
Typical questions range from: "How often must my community association Board of Directors meet?" to "Which meetings of my Board of Directors are open to all homeowners?"
We have compiled a list of 21 commonly asked questions and have placed them into a simple chart for easy reference.
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CAI Unveils 'Community Association Fundamentals'
"Associations ensure that the collective rights and interests of homeowners are respected and preserved." That is the first and perhaps most intrinsic of 10 principles in Community Association Fundamentals, a new primer developed by Community Associations Institute (CAI) to help homeowners, prospective home buyers, realtors and others better understand the basic nature of common-interest communities.
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Records Retention
Association records are extremely important in detailing the history of an association’s activities and documenting all decisions made by the board. The numerous types of records within an association’s files make it impossible to anticipate every situation that may arise. However, the following general list may be used as a guide for establishing the minimum number of years to retain records.
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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
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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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