Condo corporations are considered not-for-profit organizations. This means they don’t have extra money lying around to pay for things like significant improvements or repairs. They must work with the revenues that they generate from condo fees.Planning for the future is part of good condo management. Some portion of the fees collected from condo owners must […]

Associations may use fines to curb unwanted, destructive, or dangerous behaviour from continuing within the development. Some associations use them often, while others try to avoid issuing fines. There are pros and cons to using and issuing fines, but monetary penalties won’t be all that effective if they do not align with the offence that […]

Condos and HOAs across North America are having to make some tough decisions about whether they should open shared facilities. After the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak, multi-residential communities were strongly encouraged to shut down all nonessential amenities, including gyms and pools.Now that stay-at-home orders are being lifted and restrictions are being loosened, some associations do have the […]

Summer is fast approaching, but there’s a big cloud of uncertainly looming over outdoor pools, barbeque areas and other common areas. Due to COVID-19, many condos and HOAs are wondering if they will be able to reopen their most popular amenities.   As a safety precaution, every residential community was strongly encouraged to close all […]

Slowly, but surely, things are changing for the better. COVID-19 has had an immense impact on the entire world. In a matter of weeks, we’ve had to cancel major plans, adapt to new ways of working, and find alternative methods to stay in touch with the people we care for while social distancing.     It […]

When a homeowner breaks a bylaw or rule, the association needs to address the issue promptly and professionally. Enforcing the rules can be challenging. If you are a board member or property manager, you may have to deliver some bad news (and possibly fine) to one of your residents, and you must do it in […]

Who would have imagined that May of 2020 would look like this? COVID-19 has forced the entire world to change their behavior to stop the spread. Stay-at-home orders have been issued in virtually every state and province, and people are being asked to keep their distance from anyone who they don’t share a home with. […]

There are over 350,000 homeowner associations in the United States! That equates to roughly 40 million households, or more than 50% of owner-occupied households in America. HOAs are legal entities, and they offer members the protection, maintenance and preservation of their homes and property. However, these members also have a duty to follow the association’s […]

The rules have changed for some American and Canadian condo corporations, at least temporarily, when it comes to e-voting and virtual meetings. Emergency orders have been made to help condos communicate virtually, and maintain some operations that need to be carried out by condo boards.     Ontario On April 24, 2020, the Government of […]

Condo and HOA board members have encountered some very new challenges since the COVID-19 outbreak. Large gatherings have been banned in most states and provinces, and people are being asked to stay home unless they’re going out for a bit of exercise, or to get essential items such as food or medication. While the social […]

It’s not business as usual for any condo community or HOA right now. Some homeowners have been temporarily laid off because of COVID-19. Wages have been drastically reduced for others. People are struggling to make ends meet. Managers and boards may be asking if they can defer or reduce monthly fees to help ease the […]

What’s the best way to reach hundreds of condo residents all at once? This is a question that many property managers and boards struggle with. Condo communities work best when there is a continuous exchange of information, but communicating with hundreds of people can be pretty challenging. Fortunately, there are some useful communication tools that […]

At its simplest, an HOA is a governing structure for a planned community. It takes care of certain items, in exchange for a fee, and maintains the atmosphere and value of the community.An HOA also creates CC&Rs, bylaws, and rules and regulations that homeowners need to abide by. Rules are different for every community, but some common rules address […]

Do you have a system for communicating with your condo community? If not, you may want to take some time to create one. Communication standards are important in any workplace, and condo associations are no different. People who have never had to manage a condo don’t understand how challenging the role can be, and they […]

Do you have an idea of how much paper your condo association used last year? You may have lost track, but you probably sent out thousands of pages to your residents. In an effort to reduce printing costs, and their environmental impact, some property managers have decided to send out electronic documents to homeowners. There […]