Condo Association Management Blog

Property managers' responsibility to HOA and Condo Association boards

My question is about community property managers. How much guidance must a community property manager give a condo association or HOA board? If the property manager knows that something should or shouldn't be done by the board, does that manager have a duty to speak up. Even if the specific subject is not mentioned in the management contract?

For instance, let's say that the property manager sees that a board member is going to do something risky or something that would violate the governing documents, should or does the manager have a duty to speak out and inform the board member of the situation?  And, along the same lines, if a board member asks for the assistance of a community property manager to violate a governing document provision, does the manager have the duty to refuse to participate in the action?

Change of HOA manager title may change attitudes of members?

I have just started working as an independent manager for an HOA which consists of a little over 150 units. The last manager they had also lived here (and still does).  Conflicts of interest and preferential treatment seems to have left many frustrated. However there is a group of people upset and angry with the HOA board over the older manager resigning. Basically, the entire community is in need of some time to heal and reestablish healthy boundaries.

My question is this: The title "Business Manager" was used and although I understand the importance of placing the HOA operations within the business context, I feel that this community needs to regain their trust for this office and their faith that the office and the board can work together. One small way I would like to move in this direction is to change the position's title. I was thinking along the lines of "Community Manager" however I was really hoping to get some input. I know this may seem small, but I feel that it is an important step in redefining the manager's relationship with the residents. Thanks.

Bad HOA board, even worse property manager; both have to go

I live in a 180 unit HOA in California and my question is what does it take to get rid of your property manager that is never doing there job, and our property is suffering for it. We also have a very inactive board that has members that have been on this board for years and keep getting elected because they have done such bad job of everything no one wants to be on the board with them. 

I was on the board last year they made it hell for me and noting ever got done because they voted against me each time. I am not a board member and will not do it again until this board is gone. I am at witt's end and tried to get help from anywhere on what can we do before our property goes under we have lost some really good owner because they move out can't take it anymore we are gone.

We are getting vendors in from property manager that are not to do business on anyone property.  Everything is a secret from the residents and they fight us all the way.  The HOA board is bad and the property manager is just as bad What can we do?

Conflict with hired CAM also being association board president?

I am an owner of a condominium in Northeast Florida, and I have a question regarding our Community Association's current practices. Our Association's licensed CAM (community association manager) currently receives $80,000+ annually for his management responsibilities, and he is also the President of our Board of Directors. My question; Is there a legal, and or moral, conflict of interest when the Community Association Manager, being compensated for his job responsibilities, is also the President of our Association's Board of Directors? Thank you for your time in advance. Concerned Condo Owner

How can our HOA fire our property manager?

I own a condo in Florida. I first rented, and then I purchased about 4 years ago. My property manager is extremely rude, racist, harasses people and no one in the community likes her. She once yelled at my 9 year old daughter when a family member came from out of town and we did not register them in the office. Now my question is HOW CAN WE GET RID OF OUR PROPERTY MANAGER? what steps can we take as condo owners to stop the abuse from our property manager. Many people have moved out and abandoned their condos because of the property manager. There have been a few people that had complained but I was told that she is related to the president of the association. Please help!!!J65QQQYWC8RH

Is our condo association over-paying our property manager?

I am an owner in a 96-unit condo complex in Florida. Since its inception, our complex has been managed by an on-site property manager. The current manager has been in place for moe than 10 years, and is doing a decent job. But when considering the free lodging furnished to the property manager and his relatives, and a whopping $200,000 annual salary that commands about 25 percent of the overall budget, it creates a bit of discomfort.

Where can I get comparatives as what management should cost for a relatively small complex such as ours? I would also like some information regarding Management Companies vs. on-site employed managers for smaller complexes (those less than 100 units).

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How to evaluate HOA satisfaction with property manager?

I have been asked by the President of the HOA to explore ways in which we can evaluate / assess the current level of satisfaction with the current property management company. Is there a blueprint out there of a general evaluation tool that we might work from? HELP!

8 questions to ask a Property Manager

HOA loans and HOA Insurance

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How to address poor maintenance and upkeep in our condo building?

I live in a condo that is only a few years old. I am quite frustrated because of poor maintenance and little response by the HOA board. The entrance for the units are indoors and the common areas are carpeted. The problem is that most of the owners have dogs and they are taken through the common areas to go outside. It has been noted that on occasion the dogs have had accidents. In addition, there are many issues with owners who leave behind dirt and spills on the carpet.

The HOA board has decided only to steam clean the carpeted area once a year. After talking to some professional carpet cleaners I am told this will eventually ruin the carpet. Our current maintenance company does a very poor job of cleaning and that leaves things in worse shape. I believe the reluctance to clean the carpet is to save money on maintenance but it seems that letting necessary maintenance issues go will cost us more in the long run. In addition, not having carpeted areas cleaned is a concern for people who have allergies and it can be an unhealthy environment.

I have brought my concerns before the HOA board but there is no response. I am considering petitioning home owners to get the opinions of others but I am not sure how to go about the process. Any suggestions or feedback?

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Can condo association "swap out" board for property manager?

We recently (yesterday) had our meeting for the condo association. All three association board members have stepped down. The president announced they found a property management company to possibly go with. She stated they told her that we do not need a board that they will handle everything. I say she is wrong that we do need a board to over see some things. How true is this?

Will a property management company take us on with our so in trouble balance we have in our account. I am so ashamed to even tell you what our balance is. It is less than $3,000.00. People have gone late on the condo association dues in the last 2-3 years with a total of $17,000.00 in the rears. I cannot believe this and I am asking for statements to show this. And this is why I say we still need BOD for our 15 unit condo association.

I so need these answers and I hope someone is out there to help. I acquired another Property Management company on my own and they told me YES you do need a BOD. Please help me as our next meeting is scheduled for May 2, 2010 to vote on this. Some people here live in a closet so I want them to be well aware of what is going to happen if we do not elect a board. Also things need fixing and I doubt if this all gets done before these people vote for management service.

I have a lot of mixed feeling about voting for management, but then again do we really have a choice? We can't even go to a lawyer with the little remains in our account. And I do not know why the rest of us were not informed of this large amount be back due. I am so angry that this happened to us. No condo association meetings in the last 3 years forced me into circulating a petition to get the meeting we just had. PLEASE HELP US or point me in the right direction. Thank you.

Solutions for managing condo association board dynamics

I need some "personal" guidance for my condo association board of directors meetings. We are having trouble balancing communications here on the condo association board. How does one determine what discussions should be held in open forum meeting vs in a email. Where’s that fine line between open meeting requirements and discussing background information?? I tend towards the former.

Contracts, bids, progress on personally selected projects all belong in an open discussion and should not be email around for random comment beforehand. So as a result, unless management emails me something specific and urgent I let it wait till the meeting and actually we hardly talk at all anymore since the management company representative requires at least- reminders to get anything done.

So it got really boggged down in incomplete work and has caused a huge problem that required his boss’s intervention finally. But just when you think one thing is improving I have a 5 person board – 2 who were on a board last where the condo association President emailed everyone several times a day on every little thing - doing management’s work for him such as bid requesting and sending work orders out. I won't do this. So she often asked for 3 votes a day (on what I have no idea). And those BOD members who hated and insisted everything take place in an open meeting now are equally ticked that they have to wait until the meeting to hear what's going on. I was just told here's an example "ask for our input on the cleaning contract" and what changes we want. From my opinion when it's up for renewal management should bring it up at a meeting for discussion not emailed around for a bunch of comments.

Everyone has been given a chance to suggest a quarterly work program, a personal project for research, join a committee for general discussions. But of course they don't do anything but come to the meeting and then complain - even when they clearly didn't even look at the BOD packet ahead of time. So the proper balance in between is now so murky and frustrating.

Nobody's happy with anything and it's spinning out of control fast. Combine that with a huge renovation project that no one on the board of directors is making any effort but me to research and prepare for and a impending deadline set by the contractors that the BOD needs to meet or lose months of work on a bidding process (for the second yr in a row – different board president last time but 2 of the same members).

How does a president find the balance with a group of 5 where everyone has a history and dislikes each other; 2 who are never happy at all in life and are decision adverse; 1 who is a “politician” and always out for himself; and a newbie to the community and board of directors. I’ve led groups and boards and meetings for 20 yrs and this is one of the worst I ever seen for person dynamics and I’m at a loss for a solution and it still better than the former ones. HELP! IDEAS anyone?