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Home | Debra A. Warren

Debra A. Warren

Cinnabar Consulting
369B Third St. #495
San Rafael, CA 94901
Tel: (415) 453-1281

Debra Warren is a principal of Cinnabar Consulting, a professional services firm that provides businesses with the tools they need to maintain successful organizations. Cinnabar creates and implements comprehensive training solutions, provides team assessment and development, and facilitates effective meetings. They specialize in supporting community association management firms, professional service companies and non-profit organizations.

You can view her full bio at the firm's website.

Debra has contributed her expert opinion and experience to the HOAleader.com articles below.

How to Respond When Owners Propose Amendments to HOA Governing Documents
January 2011
On occasion, owners take matters into their own hands and propose an amendment to their homeowners association's governing documents, sending the proposal to some or all board members and fellow residents. How should you react to that type of initiative on a member's part? Is it a good thing? Can it create problems? Here our experts provide answers. . . . keep reading

How to "Reform" Secretive HOA Managers and Board Members; Discussion Forum Follow-Up
January 2011
Secrecy breeds mistrust. Yet some HOA boards and managers insist on keeping information close. When that happens, owners feel helpless and either get mad or give up, and neither is good for the smooth operation of a homeowners association. . . . keep reading

How to Achieve a Well-Planned Annual Meeting
December 23, 2010
In a new article, we offer six recommendations for ending your history of boring and poorly attended annual meetings. In this edition of the HOAleader.com "Tip of the Week", we offer one of those six tips. Hint: It's all in the planning. . . . keep reading

6 Tips for Planning a Successful HOA Annual Meeting
December 2010
Is your annual meeting just around the corner? Begin planning now because successful meetings don't happen by themselves. . . . keep reading

Need Help? 2 Tips for Recruiting Future HOA Board Members
December 17, 2010
In a new article, we offer 6 tips for recruiting new HOA board members. In this week's tip, we offer 2 of those tips to ease the burden on your board. . . . keep reading

6 Tips for Recruiting Future HOA Leaders
December 2010
One of the main causes of burnout among active HOA board members and volunteers is the fact that they're doing too much. But that's often a necessity, since recruiting future leaders is a perennial challenge. Here, we offer six tips for identifying potential leaders in your condo or homeowners association and techniques you can use woo those residents into becoming involved. . . . keep reading

HOA Holidays: Be Smart When Planning Celebrations
December 2010
December is a great time to bring your community together because it's filled with holidays from several religions. Here we offer suggestions for holiday events for your homeowners association and offer a few tips from our experts to ensure that you don't defeat the purpose of bringing your residents together. . . . keep reading

What to Do When Members Demand HOA Salary Information
December 3, 2010
In this week's tip, we tackle the sensitive question of how to respond when your owners--who are entitled to review association documents--ask what the association pays its staffers. . . . keep reading

Are HOA Members Entitled to Know the Salaries of Association Staff?
December 2010
Salaries are a touchy subject. But then again, your members are entitled to know how your association spends its money. If your members demand to know what the association pays its employees, what's the appropriate response from the board? Do you need to respond at all? Can you give a ballpark? . . . keep reading

Your HOA's Money: Tips for Collecting Interest on Unpaid Fees
June 2010
If your condo or homeowners association board is considering tacking on interest charges when owners are in arrears for assessments, fines, or other fees, be sure you know whether you have the power to do that. Here's the scoop. . . . keep reading

2 Tips for HOA Boards: Get a Handle on Your Homeowners Association Finances
May 28, 2010
This week's tip contains advice that can help your board better understand and control your condo or homeowners association's financial situation. . . . keep reading

HOA Fees: What to Know Before Setting Up Electronic Withdrawal of Association Fees
May 2010
Would the electronic transfer of money due to your condominium or homeowners association enable you to collect more money in a more timely way? Maybe. Here we explain the pros and cons of implementing an automatic withdrawal system and offer tips to keep in mind if you're about to arrange for one. . . . keep reading

HOA Rules: Airing Out Clothesline Disputes
May 2010
With warmer weather, homeowners in more areas of the country may want to air their clean laundry on clotheslines. Can your homeowners association interfere with owners' efforts to air-dry clothes? Here are tips on creating a sensible policy. . . . keep reading

9 Tips for Better HOA Financial Reporting and Management
May 2010
What financial information should the your condo or homeowners association board track, and how? Here are nine tips for creating and understanding the association financial statements that help you monitor and control your association's financial health. . . . keep reading

Parking and HOAs: Avoiding the Terrible Tows
May 21, 2010
This week's tip offers advice for condominium and homeowners association boards considering hiring a towing company to police their parking lots and roadways to haul away parking scofflaws. . . . keep reading

HOAs and Parking: What Your Homeowner Association Board Should Know About Towing
May 2010
Here's what you need to know about creating a towing policy that complies with your local laws and provides owners proper notice before their car gets hauled away. We also provide tips if you're entering into a contract with a towing company. . . . keep reading

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