The Importance of Notifying Your Association on Title Changes
By: Helsing Admin Most changes of ownership happen through escrow. These transfers require by law that a “demand” be provided by the association. The association is typically provided with a copy of the grant deed and at least the first month’s assessments from the title company upon close of escrow. The association then changes its […]
HOA Dues: The Cost of Being Delinquent
By: Helsing Admin Question: I did not pay my HOA dues for a few months due to financial difficulties. Now I owe thousands of dollars to a collection agency, or at least they claim I do. This seems very unfair. The collection costs now exceed the past-due HOA dues. While I am not familiar with […]
HOA Landscaping Maintenance: The Association Ruined My Vines!
By: Helsing Admin A reader writes: There is some common area landscaping outside my home that I have been taking care of. Quite frankly I don’t like the job the landscaper is doing, I like gardening, and I think the job I am doing increases the value of my property. Last week, the association’s landscaper […]
Setting Standards and Expectations (Part 1) – The Board’s Primary Duty
…and the fundamental foundation for a properly functioning organization. By Helsing Admin It is the Board’s job to establish HOA policies that set standards for the association. Often, Boards are not sure what that means, and unfortunately, this very critical responsibility that forms the foundation for a well-functioning association is missing. Without this basis, there […]
HOA Reserve Fund Questions
By: Helsing Admin Question: I have 2 questions about the HOA budgets. Q1. Does any California law determine the amount of the HOA reserve fund? Q2. When the board says that we are “under-budget 20%”, what is it? California law does not dictate the amount of money that an association should have in its HOA […]
Proper HOA Board Minutes
By: Helsing Admin Question: Our secretary takes long and complex minutes. She likes to quote everything everyone says, and in doing so she also editorializes and reflects her own bias. This seems wrong. Can you give us any guidance? HOA board minutes should reflect actions taken and should not attempt to reflect discussions, opinions, or […]
Preventive Maintenance and Maintenance Manuals
By: Helsing Admin A well-thought-out preventive maintenance program is going to save an association significant money over the long haul. Components and equipment not properly maintained wear out prematurely and in the long run cost the Association far more money than it would have cost had they been maintained properly. Unfortunately, many associations do not […]
Policy Governance – Part VII
Principle 10 By: Helsing Admin [NOTE: This article is Part VI in a series where each article builds on the previous articles. We recommend you start with Part I first.] Principle 10 – Performance Assessment HOA board duties include evaluating the manager’s performance against stated criteria In order to effectively evaluate the manager’s performance, the […]
Policy Governance – Part VI
Principles 8-9 By: Helsing Admin [NOTE: This article is Part VI in a series where each article builds on the previous articles. We recommend you start with Part I first.] Principle 8 – Policy Specificity: Arrange Policies by Size When creating policies, the board begins by determining the broadest values first, then proceeding to the […]
