January 23, 2009

I often browse the websites and blogs of HOAs. Recently I read a blog post by a board president that described a problem. They didn't have enough members to meet the quorum necessary for the board's actions to be valid.

This week's tip is about how to communicate with homeowners if you find yourself in this situation.

The first thing to do is explain to all the owners what happens when an association lacks the volunteers necessary for a quorum.

Eventually, the association may end up in receivership, overseen by a person hired to collect the assessments, operate the association's necessary functions (like utilities), and pay the bills. Receivers typically don't work to build a community or even administer the funds collected in the best interest of the community or in a manner that enhances and preserves property values.

To combat this, Sima L. Kirsch, a principal at the Law Office of Sima L. Kirsch P.C. in Chicago, advises, "Put together a letter to all owners explaining how the law operates."

"The letter should say, 'We need three officers to operate the board. If we can't do that, we'll go into receivership. If you don't want to have somebody else control our building, you need to step up.' Or go door-to-door explaining the situation."

For more discussion about how to improve your chances for recruiting board members, see our recent article. Go to article »

You can also see our previous Tip of the Week on .