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Owner needs advice - how to get himself on condo association board?

Posted on Mon, May 09, 2011 @ 08:09 AM
  
  
  
  
  
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I own a condo in Connecticut where the Board approved an emergency assessment for a lawsuit settlement. The lawsuit was filed by an owner over water damage to his unit only roughly 5 years ago. There are only 3 people on the board, all self appointed, and one of which (the president) no longer lives here. At one point we had tried to vote in a new president but the property management company (who was hired by the presidents brother) refuses to recognize our efforts stating that there were not enough votes as many owners did not show for that meeting. Instead they recognize a person with no votes to act for all of us. Also it seems that if the water damage had been properly handled by going through insurance, then this wouldn't have happened to begin with. On top of that the lack of transparency if startling. This assessment is due in less that a month and it's going to take much longer than that to get any answers. In the mean time the management company will enforce late fees and threaten foreclosures as they have in the past. Anyone with any answers or ideas of how I can get myself on the board to try and prevent further actions such as these, your words will be appreciated. Thank you for reading. Jon

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Comments

One question: Was the water damage caused by another owner or was it attributable to the Condo Assoc?
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 8:42 AM by Dagmar Batts
Read your bylaws and download and read your state condominium Act. Those documents will specify how the board is elected and the requirements attendant to that process.
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 9:06 AM by Scott
You need to read your declarations and by laws to see what kind of power you have. You need to get the owners involved so you can get a quorum to a meeting to vote on replacing the board and property manager.
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 9:06 AM by Leslie
Read your bylaws and decs, plus the state laws. Find out if the officers are term limits or if you need a certain percentage of owner votes to open the board positions up for election. Write to each voting member and explain your position and why you want to be on the board looking out for all your rights. Submit your name as a candidate, letting them and the current board know you would like to be up for a vote of the next annual meeting or appointed to the board to fulfill anyones unfinished term. It may take time and in the mean time, it may be possible to call for a special meeting addressing the current issue with a certain percentage of the owners votes. Check that out as well.
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 11:58 AM by Mary
In addition, if the other owners aren't able to attend meeting, ask them if they would be willing to give you their proxy and vote for them in the future. The Board will give you direction on what you need to do to be sure there proxy is counted as a vote. 
 
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 12:00 PM by Mary
In addition to getting on the board yourself, you need to recruit at least one other person who agrees with you to run for the board. Two would be even better. You need to have a majority of the votes of your three-person board to accomplish anything.  
 
But you need to do something sooner than the next annual meeting (when is it?) Is there anything in your decs through which the owners can protest a special assessment? But even if you did, is there anything that could be done to avoid paying this assessment? It may be that the assessment will have to be paid, but at least if you and some allies can get on the board, you can prevent similar things from happening in the future.
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 12:09 PM by Eleanor Hall
The easiest way to get on a board is to play dumb so officers will think you will go along with anything.
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 1:28 PM by Jean
First, your declaration of condominium, articles of incorporation and your by-laws MUST spell out how the board is formed, how many persons, what the officers duties are and so on. 
Second, in order to have a proper and binding vote on any board matter, there must be a quorum (better than 50% of board members present). 
Third, the owners must election the directors of the board, every member on the board is a director, the board then vote among themselves who the officers are. 
Forth, I'd make an immediate phone call to your States Ombudsman (if you have one) to intervene on behalf of the owners. 
Fifth, I'm in FL and don't have any idea what your State laws are but your whole situation sound completely out of control and your fellow owners better wake up and march along side of you.
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 4:42 PM by cebo
Aside from all the legal things, and reading you must do before you run for the Board, the one thing that will get you some votes is the 'schmoozing'. Get involved in condo activities, go to meetings and talk with others there. Go to any parties, etc., Because Condo and HOA owners are more likely to vote for someone they recognize, know and like - than just a name on the ballot and a resume.... Good luck.
Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011 9:18 PM by KELLI2L
Well, it looks like you got screwed by your management company. I hope you are with a different company by now.  
 
The (hopefully former) management company must have botched the handling of the incident, otherwise your corporation would not have been judged against. Trust me, each corporation is different with respect to who is responsible in certain circumstances, and the one person who SHOULD know (your manager) usually DOESN'T. Sorry to offend other property managers here, but this happens again and again and again and again. 
 
Best luck,
Posted @ Wednesday, May 11, 2011 4:23 AM by Former Manager
First, you have to find out when the next election is and  
what positions will be open. They are: President, V President, Secretary, Treasurer and member at large. 
Second you need to take a proxy to all the owners to sign to elect you. You will need at least a majority on the Board with your view to vote with you.
Posted @ Friday, September 02, 2011 4:36 PM by elaine sullivan
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