HOA News Podcast – HOA Board Member Requirements

HOA News Podcast ~ Homeowners Association News

HOA News - Board Member Requirements As we all know, most HOA Association Board of Directors do a great job, considering their training, time committed and the fact that most will walk into this position with blinders on. There are many responsibilities you will take on, and truthfully, everyone does not have what it takes to do the job, in the manner in which it MUST be done. Yes, they are volunteers and yes they donate their time, but if they are doing it for the wrong reason, everyone loses. The Association, the Members, the PMC that has to deal with their mistakes and so on. While there are many organizations available for online education for Board Members, few seize the opportunity to invest in them. The two that come to my mind are developed by Adamen Inc and CAI. I have taken both courses and I can assure you, both are well worth the money. There are three major parts to becoming an overseer for your Association. While there will become more important duties that will follow, if you as a Board Member skip these first three requirements, you will be lacking in performing your duties, when it comes to looking out for the welfare of your neighbors. The majority of complaints and malcontent, is due to the BOD being uneducated on what their duties are. So, what are the first three things you need to do? Get educated on what your duties will include as well as how you must conduct yourself, when dealing with ANY type of Association Business. As a board member you must realize that even if you despise your neighbor Mr. ICantStandYou, you will be required to set those differences aside, when you fulfill you duties as the "Board Director", regardless if your neighbor is directly involved or not. To offer any less, does an injustice to yourself, your Board as well as your Association and Mr. ICantStandYou. Can you do this? Can you willingly know that this neighbor, is bad mouthing you throughout your community, and then force yourself to threat him with the utmost respect, at the next HOA Meeting and the ones after that? Well, you better, it is your job as well as your responsibility to the other Association Members to be able to take care of the affairs of the Association, in a timely and professional manor. Most of all, in a PROFESSIONAL MANNER. Get educated on what your State Laws mean when it comes to your type of Association. There is a hierarchy when it comes to your Instruments, and believe it or not, your CC&Rs are not on the top of the list. There is nothing worse then sending a mean old nasty violation letter to a Member, only to have them respond back to you within days, showing how it is your CC&Rs that are in violation, not them. This will undermine your authority as a Board Member, as well as make it very easy for other Association Members to "Blow Your Authority Off", if you do this repeatedly. Remember, you are there to serve your community, not rule it with an iron fist. Associations have a number of documents controlling the development as well as the way the Association is to operate. Not all documents are created equal--some have more authority than others. Most documents will be ranked something like this. The further down the list you see your document, the less authority it has. (a) Your States Established Case Law. (b) Your State Law, (unless this law refers back to your governing documents). (c) Your CC&Rs. (d) Your Articles of Incorporation. (e) Your Bylaws. (f) Your Rules & Regulations. (g). Your Amendments or Addendum's. TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW YOUR DOCUMENTS! The third thing you must know, is the last sentence from item number two above. "TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW YOUR DOCUMENTS"! It would be impossible for me to explain to you as the reader or listener, just how upsetting it is to a Homeowner, who is disputing a ruling or asking a question, only to get a response of, "It does not say that in our Bylaws or, to be given untruthful or misleading answers". As a Board Member,