Condo Association Management Blog

I cant see how this will be anonymous if you list it in the local newspaper. In my opinion, it will be nothing more than another association with disgruntled members. It's enough to have to listen to the association where you live, let alone listening to 100 more...it'd do my head in! Try to fix what is broken or at least put a band aid over it so you can live in peace. It isnt worth the aggro.

Yes aerdiCicco is right issues are best resolved amicably. Unfortunately many Boards act autocratically and consider that in advising members of their decisions they have a sound communication procedure in place, overlooking the fact for that communications to be effective they must be two-way. 
A number of members of my HOA, of 2600 owners, addressed this by setting up thier own Owners Forum. Whilst this was initiallyresisted by the Board it has proved to be a success and the Board are now considering incorporating a forum into the Club's web site. 
I'm not sure that it is a good idea to launch a combined web-site i.e. airing one Associations problems in public. 
Good luck 

I am the president of a HOA in southern NH. I would be for a site, that would allow the positive posting of problems and the solutions, that were applied to solve them.  
 
This wealth of information that would become available would be an asset to associations whose board members choose to use it. The collective experience tends to make one wiser.  
 

Isn't that what we're doing here, using a forum to exchange ideas and post ideas? Think that's the point of this blog.

Last month, 7 owners in my development felt the same as you. So, we started monthly "owners" meetings; we've had 2 so far. We're digging into the docs and then the expenses and 3 of us are running for the Board. At the very least our inept Board will know we're watching and we're active.

I'm not sure what the problem is with your board, but you should at least give them the benefit of the doubt. They may have a difficult time interpreting the Articles of Incorporation, CC&R's and the states laws pertaining to condo law. I serve on our board here in Nevada, and to be truthful, I am not an attorney, we can't afford an attorney for everything that pops up, so we do the best we can on our board in resolving the various issues that come up with little if any help from the Ombudsmans Office who seem to be very reluctant to get involved in anything when we call in for advice. So, in short, don't be so hasty to criticize your board. They might be doing the best they can. Remember this is a non paid thankless job and cuddos to those that take it on. I find myself wondering why you still aren't serving on your Board if you have these concerns.

Having served as the treaurer of several HOAs, I have learned that one of the most effective ways to silence dissenters is to ask them to get involved. The board does not have to address every problem personally; they can ask other homeowners for assistance. If someone is unhappy with the cost of landscaping, ask them to chair your building's landscaping committee. Let them find one or two other concerned owners to solicit bids and inspect your contractor's work. Owners should either be involved or be silent. Now, if your board operates as a dictatorship and does not permit involvement, that is a different matter altogther. 
 
 
 
Since owners tend to be concerned about spending pattersn more than any other issue, a "best practice" I recommend is to form an audit committee just like a publicly traded company does. I have asked three owners who are not board members to form an audit committee. They, not the board and not the management company, will select the CPA firm that performs our annual review, and the CPA firm will report their findings directly to the committee, and not the board or management company. This enhances transparency, and my experience has been that nothing reduces complaints better than transparency.

I just need to add my two cents if I may. I work for a property management company and I love my job and the knowledge I gain every day. I am always taking courses to improve my knowledge and to be better able to serve the community I work for. I am amazed at the amount of people who purchase in these communities and never read their bylaws. Yes, sometimes there are Board Members with private agenda, but many times someone runs for the Board because they truly belief they can make a difference. I am many times amazed at what people will say. Read your documents, know your rules, send everything in writing or via email so you always have a copy. If you like your landscaping is high, remember what it cost when you lived in a single family home and multiply that by the number of units in your development. Most importanly... Talk to people, ask questions, don't YELL and accuse. 
 
 
 
Have a great day. Not sure where everyone lives but, I am Praying for NO SNOW. It is going to kill budgets for next year.

Do owners meetings have to be approved or just posted for interested owners?

owners meetings do not need to be approved. we were just folks who gravitated towards one another, having the same issues/complaints for years.

There are groups like you describe. They can be helpful in bringing together officers of condos and HOA's who share ideas,methods, and describe problems, It's also useful as a method of increasing the notice of public officials to the needs of Condos--when there are 25 or 50 HOA's represented at one meeting, that could have 1000's of members,you can be sure that public officials will attend your meetings. I belong to one such organization in Florida, and I can tell you that every one of our monthly meetings is attended by one or two officials. We know them, they know us, and they want to keep us voting for them.

To the person who wants to start a support group for condo owners, please see my blog and send me an E-mail at bonnierain@aol.com. Would love a chance to discuss the idea with you and a friend who is also in condo purgatory.