What’s the difference between a proxy and a ballot? Question:  I am on the board of directors for my homeowners’ association, and our annual meeting is coming up. There seems to be confusion among our board members and homeowners regarding the difference between a proxy and a ballot, and how the voting process works for owners who cannot attend the meeting to cast their vote. Answer:  A lot of homeowners’ associations (HOAs) hold their annual meetings in the first quarter of …

In Defense of HOAs This column was written by my colleague Donna Dimaggio Berger. Donna is a Shareholder in the Florida law firm of Becker & Poliakoff and is the author of the popular Community Association Law blog which can be found at www.communityassociationlawblog.com.  I want to express my gratitude to Donna for allowing me to share this column with our readers.  In this column, Donna makes some astute observations about the benefits that HOAs provide HOAs certainly have their share …

Going out on the limb with neighbors and overhanging trees This column was written by Bill Hamel. Question:  My neighbor’s trees and overhanging limbs are shading out part of my yard where I would like to grow grass and other plants that need sun.  What are my options? Answer:  Generally, you have the right to cut overhanging limbs and roots at the property line, but there are some important exceptions. Here are the basic rules you will need to follow: …

Navigating the Homeowners Portal for Board Members Board members have different access abilities to the homeowners portal to assist with management of the association. This webinar details how board members access and view key sections of the association website to get the overall information needed to run the association.  These sections include: Board ACC Review – review and comment and determine approval decision for changes made to a homeowners’ property – landscaping, outbuildings, additions, etc. Board Aging Report – …

Role of Board Secretary The Board secretary is responsible for maintaining the association’s meeting minutes and official records. They are also responsible for providing proper notice of meetings, as well as distributing documents, such as official records, agendas and meeting minutes, on a timely basis to association members. Watch the full webinar for further details on the specific duties of the board Secretary. Summary of webinar: Keeps and maintains records of all meetings – board meetings, annual meeting, and …

Navigating the Homeowners Portal We provide a personalized homeowners portal for all of our communities! While it is simple to use, instructions are always nice to have. Watch the full webinar for all of the details on navigating the homeowner association portal. Secure login so the homeowner can view all the details of their private account. Name and account number on site verify login is correct Side menu options: ACC requests – provides the ability to submit a request …

The Role of Board President & Vice-President The Board president leads the Board and is responsible for overseeing and handling a number of duties. In order to succeed in this role, the Board president must be knowledgeable about the community’s governing documents and have the ability to run an effective meeting.  The Board president serves as the authority on all association rules and governing documents and appoints committees as dictated by the community’s bylaws.  The Board vice president shares …

Preparing the Association Budget 101 Adopting the budget is a crucial initiative for the Board of Directors. A budget is created to ensure that finances are properly accounted for and to serve as the basis for homeowner assessments. During this webinar, we walk board members through the entire process of preparing the budget. Summary of the full webinar: Reviews the 3 parts of a budget: Funds needed for daily operation Funds needed for reserves Funds for additions or enhancements Walks …

Being on the Board 101 Communities cannot function without a group of dedicated homeowners that are willing to become a board member and help run the association by serving on its homeowners’ association (HOA) board of directors. It might seem scary to join the board if you don’t know what a board member actually does, or what will be expected of you. This article will help you understand what’s commonly involved with serving on an HOA board. Watch our …

Role of Board Treasuer The Board Treasurer has a wide range of responsibilities relating to the association’s finances. As with most board positions, the treasurer position is time-consuming and is one of the more critical and most scrutinized positions. While it’s dependent on the size of the community, the treasurer should be prepared to deal with a large-scale budget and complicated reserve funds. For smaller communities, the treasuer might have it a bit easier with creating or updating a …