HOA Governance

HOAleader.com provides practical advice on homeowner and condominium association management, laws, rules, insurance, finances, reserves, dues, liens, assessments, dispute resolution, and more.
Home \| Browse by Topic \| Discussion Forum \| Tell a Friend \| Text Size \| Search \| Member Log-in

Home | HOA Governance

HOA Governance

Subtopics: Boards of Directors, Board Meetings, CC&Rs, Committees, Elections, Governing Documents, HOA Bylaws, Outside Management

Back to main Topics page

Should You Study How Your Homeowners Association Stacks Up to Nearby HOAs?
January 2012
An owner reports online that her homeowner association commissioned a study to see how it compared to nearby HOAs in terms of amenities, services, costs, and market value. Should your HOA commission such a study? Where do you find a vendor to conduct such a survey? And are the results of such a study open to owners' review, or can you keep them confidential? Here are some answers. . . . keep reading

What's an HOA Board to Do When It's Been Getting It Wrong?
January 2012
Our experts say it's common for condo and homeowners association boards to misinterpret, fail to read, or to just plain ignore their governing documents. Here, HOA experts explain the errors they find boards making and how boards can correct the error of their ways. . . . keep reading

Kick Off 2012: Learn from Other HOAs' Best Moves in 2011
January 8, 2012
In this week's tip, we give you a jump on smart homeowner association management in 2012 by revealing some of the best moves HOA boards made in 2011. . . . keep reading

Start 2012 Right: Review the Best Moves HOA Boards Made in 2011
January 2012
What better way to ring in the new year than to improve the operation of your HOA with ideas from your peers and the experts who advise them? . . . keep reading

HOAs: HUD's Keeping an Eye on You
December 9, 2011
In this week's tip, we give you fair warning that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is actively pursuing HOAs for fair housing violations. . . . keep reading

Is HUD Stepping Up Fair Housing Enforcement Against HOAs?
December 2011
On Oct. 18, 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it was charging a Philadelphia condominium association with violating the Fair Housing Act for refusing to revise its "no pets" policy as a reasonable accommodation for condominium residents with disabilities who required assistance animals. . . . keep reading

Owners Rent? There's a Fee for That!
December 2, 2011
In this week's tip, we explain a recent California case that gives the go-ahead for HOAs to impose a general rental fee on owners who lease out their property. . . . keep reading

HOA Fees on Rentals: Can Your HOA Impose a Fee Just Because Owners Rent Their Unit?
December 2011
Sure, you can probably require owners who rent their units to pay a security deposit to your HOA to cover the tenant's potential damage of HOA facilities. You can probably also charge move-in and move-out fees. But can you slap a general fee on owners who rent out their units just because? . . . keep reading

Text, Twitter, and Facebook: How Should Your HOA Use Them?
December 2011
How should your homeowners or condo association be using social media to improve your communications with owners? Here are some tips, including five communication dos and don'ts. . . . keep reading

5 Social Media Tips for HOAs
December 2011
How can your homeowner association best use social media? Here are five dos and don'ts. . . . keep reading

Is Your HOA Manager Taking Over?
November 18, 2011
This week's tip will help you determine whether your manager is too intrusive, not intrusive enough, or behaving just right at your HOA meetings. . . . keep reading

Should Managers Attend--and Participate In--HOA Meetings?
November 2011
On September 4, two community association lawyers contended in a Los Angeles Times column: "Management employees, like any other vendor, do not belong at association board meetings. Although they may be invited to attend, they should not be taking minutes or offering suggestions on the conduct or content of the meetings." . . . keep reading

Bidding Out HOA Work? RFPs Make the Job Easier and Save Money
November 11, 2011
In this week's tip, we lend a hand to an HOAleader.com reader. He says he's sent a request for proposal to six homeowner association management companies to rebid his HOA's current contract, and he'd like to know the process his board should follow in reviewing the bids and awarding the contract. . . . keep reading

How to Create an HOA RFP and Evaluate Responses
November 2011
An HOAleader.com reader has asked for some help. He says he's sent a request for proposal (RFP) to six homeowners association management companies to rebid his HOA's current contract, and he'd like to know the process his board should follow in reviewing the bids and awarding the contract. Here, our experts provide some guidance. . . . keep reading

What's "Encroachment" When it Comes to HOA Common Areas?
October 2011
A HOAleader.com reader reports that another board member has planted a garden that encroaches 15 feet into the association's common areas. His governing documents state that the limited common area extends three feet around the perimeter of each home, and home owners are allowed to plant within that area. It also says owners can plant in the common area at their own expense with permission. . . . keep reading

What If a Fellow HOA Board Member or Candidate Seems Shady?
October 14, 2011
This week's tip is a must if you've got a sneaking suspicion that a candidate for your board isn't what she seems. Or maybe your HOA is considering adopting rules governing who can and can't be on the board. . . . keep reading

More Headlines

View past articles »

HOA Finances:
Best Practices for Getting Your Homeowners Association through Difficult Economic Times

Download now »

Free Search for HOA Management Companies

Advertising Information

Communications

Dispute Resolution

Facilities & Maintenance

Financial Matters

HOA Elections

HOA Governance

HOA Insurance

HOA Reserves

HOA Rules

Human Resources

Legal Compliance

Security

HOA Glossary

Complete Topic List

Recent Forum Posts

· Proper Use of Capital Reserve Fund

· Are highrise Texas Condominiums HOA's included

· Reserve Investment on Tax Filing Status

· Foreclosure and bankruptcy....

· COVENANTS COVER WHAT D&O INSURANCE COVERS

· California Arbitration

· New Board Coincides with Fiscal Year?

· Results from NOT following the rules

· Nominating Committe Chair is President of HOA

· election manipulation laws

· Fees for amenity that dues cover?

· Committee Charter Template

· Declarant Resigned from the Association

· Reimburse Volunteers for material purchased

· Board of Directors Meetings

Here's what our readers are saying ...

"Your news and ideas have been a Godsend and so helpful, you can't imagine... Thanks for everything."

Saundra Ragona
Quail Ridge Owners' Association

"We really appreciate your publication. It's as if you had a spy at our meetings and over hear our gripes :). Keep up the good work."

Cynthia Ramnarace
Palmer's Landing HOA

"This is a great service."

Mark R. Benson
CAM, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
Past Chairman of the Florida Community Association Living Study Council
Past Member of the Regulatory Council of Community Association Managers
Past Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Council on Condominiums County Court Mediator

"I am a newly elect President of a small (10 units) HOA / Condo, and I am learning the business almost from scratch ... Thanks for your very valuable information."

Volodymyr (Vlad) Boryshpolov
1102 Avenue X HOA

"Thanks for all your great HOA tips! I am a new Board Secretary—your site is truly worth signing up for!"

Kathie Norris
Whispering Pines West HOA