#hoa

Karel Costa-Armas

Sep 1
1 min

Homeowners' Responsibilities to the Community

Homeowners like to know they have RIGHTS in their community…. but are you aware of the owners’ RESPONSIBILITIES? Yes, each owner has a set of responsibilities so that the association’s governance runs smoothly. Rules must be followed, assessments must be paid, respect and courtesy must be in place, etc. As a board member or manager, you may want to share this with your community. #communityassociationmanagement property #communityassociations #realestate #florida #propertyman

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Karel Costa-Armas

Aug 19
2 min

Budget Prep in your Community

Are you getting ready for your association's budget season? Are you skeptical of past practices and willing to be involved in this year's process? The budget preparation process should be transparent and involve those that want to understand how the final budget came about. Do you want to be part of the Finance Committee or simply attend meetings? Does your association have a Finance Committee? Every association can differ greatly and owners would be wise to participate in so

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Karel Costa-Armas

Jul 20
1 min

Committees - Purpose and Structure

Committees... Do you have them? Are they good for your community? In recent years, I have learned to direct Boards better in using their resources. I am better at delegating duties that other "want to" perform and assigning tasks that would otherwise slow me down in getting the results I seek. At an owners' association, Committees can be a fantastic asset for research, funding, activities, and better sense of community involvement. Here's a quick summary on COMMITTEES #commun

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Karel Costa-Armas

Jul 4
1 min

How to Remove a Bad Board Member

How to remove a problematic Board member. This is the most common request I receive. Usually the complaint stems from a director that is rude, arrogant, doesn't share information, and a plethora of other bad traits. can you get rid of them? How do you get rid of them? How did they get into their position? Do they have support from other directors? Does the majority of the membership support their actions? Listen to this 10 minute video and you may get the answers you seek. Re

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Interviewing the Manager Candidate... and other potential employees

Karel Costa-Armas

Apr 22, 2021
3 min

Interviewing the Manager Candidate... and other potential employees

Having the right employee join your association’s team is critical. Experience will tell you that the correct fit for your team is someone that will encourage teamwork and have a generally good attitude. While the staff is mostly selected by the agreed upon subcontractor or the management company, when it comes to hiring the manager, the Board usually gets involved in the selection process. The Board’s participation in interviewing potential employees should proceed only afte

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A Homeowner's Rights and Responsibilities in Their Association

Karel Costa-Armas

Apr 13, 2021
2 min

A Homeowner's Rights and Responsibilities in Their Association

What are homeowners entitled to expect from their association? Just as there are guidelines, laws, and procedures for Board Members, there are also a list of expectations all homeowners in a community association can expect. There are not only Rights, but also Responsibilities for each homeowner. These rights and responsibilities may or may not extend to all residents or guests of the household. For example, everyone including guests, is obligated to follow the rules and regu

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Fire Pits: How HOA & Condo Boards Can Safely Permit this Popular Trend

Karel Costa-Armas

Mar 26, 2021
2 min

Fire Pits: How HOA & Condo Boards Can Safely Permit this Popular Trend

By Laura Otto on CAIonline.org How do homeowners associations foster community when having neighbors over for dinner or using the clubhouse cannot be done safely because of COVID-19? As residents look for safe ways to socialize, some are asking board members to allow propane-operated fire pits for outdoor enjoyment during the fall, spring, and summer seasons. “Fire pits are a hot commodity as they are being advertised by every big box store,” says Alan Goldberg, board preside

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Committees in Homeowner and Condominium Associations

Karel Costa-Armas

Feb 20, 2021
2 min

Committees in Homeowner and Condominium Associations

There are many great benefits to communities when the membership participates proactively in its governance. Committees are groups of such engaged members that form part of the framework for the governance of an association. If your association has an active membership that participates in committees, chances are that these folks are great candidates to be board members in the future. Committee members get to experience the protocols for meetings and become accustomed to prop

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Maintenance, Repairs, and Inspections - Risk Management in Condominium and Homeowner Associations

Karel Costa-Armas

Feb 18, 2021
2 min

Maintenance, Repairs, and Inspections - Risk Management in Condominium and Homeowner Associations

The maintenance of the property is of the utmost importance. Timely repairs can avoid accidents and therefore unnecessary claims. Whether repair work is done in-house by the maintenance staff or contracted to an outside vendor, the level of risk for an item should mandate the speed (priority) at which it is resolved. Therefore, it is good to have your on-site maintenance personnel well equipped to handle what is within their job description. Along the same lines, it is very i

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Inventory of Physical Asset Risks -Property Inspections

Karel Costa-Armas

Feb 13, 2021
2 min

Inventory of Physical Asset Risks -Property Inspections

In continuing the topic of Risk Management, many of the board members, residents, and staff should know the assets on property and the current conditions thereof. Are there areas presenting a potential danger to others? Are sidewalks lifted from growing tree roots? What would a lawsuit stemming from one of these issues cost the association? Will your insurance cover the costs if it were to be discovered action was never taken to remedy a known problem? The association has man

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Risk Management for Condominium and Homeowner Associations

Karel Costa-Armas

Feb 10, 2021
2 min

Risk Management for Condominium and Homeowner Associations

Does your association have a proper risk management plan in place? Do your board members or committees know what to do when they notice a potential liability risk? Purpose of Risk Management Procedures The purpose of a risk management plan is to inventory the existing and potential risks. The risks will differ in the type of risk being analyzed. For example, a physical deficiency risk such as a wet floor, may cause a slip and fall accident. However, in an association there ar

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Trademark Infringement - Using the Association's Name

Karel Costa-Armas

Feb 8, 2021
2 min

Trademark Infringement - Using the Association's Name

Common Interest Communities have a name to protect. Trademark Infringement is the unauthorized use of a trademark or service mark on or in connection with goods and or services in a manner that is likely to cause confusion, deception, or mistake about the source of the goods and or services. With technology having advanced so much and put tremendous resources at one’s fingertips, it is easy for someone to generate posts, groups, social media pages, or profiles that would depi

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COVID-19 Vaccines and HOAs: What You Need to Know

Karel Costa-Armas

Feb 6, 2021
2 min

COVID-19 Vaccines and HOAs: What You Need to Know

As we approach the one-year mark of social distancing and shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine rollouts are taking place across the country. We asked two community association law attorneys to answer frequently asked questions from board members and homeowners association residents: Can we require proof of vaccination from residents? Generally, community associations may not require residents to provide medical information. An association cannot compel a resident

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Karel Costa-Armas

Feb 5, 2021
1 min

Human Resources - HOA employees

Hiring or firing an employee. Associations must protect themselves from a bad hire and from possible discrimination claims or other accusations from fired employees. If the association is in an employment-at-will state, an employee can be terminated for any reason other than discrimination. However, there are myriad sensitive issues that must be addressed, including whether the personnel file properly documents employee infractions or other problems. If the association has an

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