Condo Q&A

Condo association owners promised a popular vote

Written by stephen polinsky | Wed, Jan 9, 2013 @ 01:59 PM
We live in a 62 condo association. Our bylaws specify that each unit of the Association is to have one vote in Condo affairs. From 1999 until 2009 we voted to approve the proposed next year's budget and monthly assessment. Then in 2010 the Chairman informed the association that there was no need to vote on budgets--and that earlier years' votes were only "courtesy" votes. And we need not vote on the annual assessments either. Now the proposed budgets are not even given to us at our annual meeting. but we are given it to us two weeks before the new fiscal year. Two years ago we were told that the monthly assessments were to be raised from $160 to $190. Two years later it was raised another $20. It seems contrary to the "one vote per condo unit" when 5 members of the association (on the Board) can decide the question without the vote of the rest of us. Who gives final approval and has the decisive decision : the Board or the Association? The board does a reasonably good job of management, but our promised "one vote each" has been taken away. Is there some way to impress on them that we also want input into money spent. structures erected on the "common elements" etc.?