What Makes for a Good Set of Meeting Minutes? – Article by Robert M. DeNichilo
Of all the various issues boards deal with, one of the issues that comes up time and again are meeting minutes. What are they? What should be in them? Incorrectly kept minutes can get a board in trouble. They can invalidate proper board actions, lead to claims for defamation or support claims for breach of … Continue reading
Owner Liability for Acts of Tenants – Article by Beth A Grimm
When an owner of a condo or townhome places a tenant, care should be taken to screen carefully. Some owners are desperate to rent their homes and so they do so without regard to careful screening or introducing any situation that might cause a rift between the tenant and their neighbors. Sometimes “bad stuff” just … Continue reading
The Smoker Next Door: Secondhand Smoke + Condominiums = Trouble – Article by David C. Swedelson, Esq., Condo and HOA Attorney
Recent reports indicate that only 12% of California adults smoke cigarettes. The problem is that they all live in condominiums, or so you would think from all the reports of problems we are receiving relating to complaints from the non-smokers who do not want to smell cigarettes. And the issue is not limited to cigarettes; … Continue reading
Roof Rats – Article by Jim Fontaine
What caused the hole in this wood shake roof? Tornado? Hurricane? Vandalism? Satellite Dish Installer? Lightening? Meteor? Gremlins? Block of ice from an airliner’s bathroom (yuk!)? No! Believe it or not, raccoons, opossums and large rodents are usually the culprits. One would think that in urban Southern California this couldn’t be possible, but that is … Continue reading
Water Damage Prevention – Article by Leonard B. Hom
Water damage claims can be very expensive to deal with, cause untold frustrations and have the potential for a living nightmare within your HOA complex. While you cannot prevent every possible situation where water can cause damage; here’s a list of simple steps every association can take to reduce/eliminate many causes of water damage issues. … Continue reading
LIFETIME TILE ROOFS, FACT OR FICTION? – Article by Carl A. Brown, RCI, RRO
The world of roofing is very competitive, causing product manufacturers to seek ways to separate themselves by offering more and more. The latest marketing trend is to advertise “lifetime” tile roofs. These “tile” roof products can be made of a variety of materials including concrete, clay and even steel. They are sold in a variety … Continue reading
BIKES ON BALCONY – IS IT A RIGHT? – Article by Beth A Grimm, P.L.C
Owners in a condo association commonly bristle at one rule or another; however, collectively, enforcement of reasonable rules is generally a good thing. Here are some comments and questions from a reader: “I’m wondering if there is any legal precedent allowing me to store my bike on my 3rd floor balcony. My HOA has so much … Continue reading
Strategies for Condo Enforcement – Article by Ryan Treleavan
Under the Condominium Act, 1998 the Board of Directors has a statutory obligation to enforce the terms of its Declaration, By-laws and Rules. Inevitably, every Condominium Corporation will face instances of non-compliance with a wide range of obligations. Compliance can be achieved through a number of different routes, and the appropriate strategy is highly fact … Continue reading
Can a Board Use “Self Help” to Enforce the Covenants? – Article by By Curtis G. Kimble.
How to obtain compliance when enforcing a violation of the governing documents can be one of the most vexing problems in a homeowners association. One of the chief functions of a homeowners association is enforcement of the covenants and rules governing the community. Even though the individual property owners ordinarily have the power to … Continue reading
Why We STILL Need to Recycle Fluorescent Lamps – Article by Dionne Petitpas
So why do I need to recycle my lamps? Do we really have to? Is there an easy way to do it? These are questions many Board members and HOAs ask when thinking about fluorescent lamp recycling, and it’s understandable. A tough economy is forcing many of us to trim budgets, raising the question of … Continue reading
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