Neighborhood Link Resource Guide

Association Resources

• A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A COMMUNITY MANAGER What a Community Manager does, with a list of Do's and Don'ts
• A GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS 4 steps for creating an effective presentation
• A GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS A list of agenda items and suggestions for having a successful annual meeting
• ACHIEVING QUORUM How to ensure you have enough homeowners present (or voting by proxy) to reach quorum at your board meeting
• AN EFFECTIVE MEETING AGENDA Using a Meeting Agenda to keep meetings on track and to the point
• ARCHITECTURAL APPROVAL PROCESS The functions and how to procees of an architectural control or review committee for an association.
• ARCHITECTURAL POLICIES: Guidelines for establishing an architectural policy for homeowner and neighborhood associations.
• ARE YOU READY FOR NEXT YEAR? Things to include when doing yearly planning for your association
• ASSESSMENTS, DUES, AND FEES -- OH MY! How to figure the amount of assessment necessary to run the association/hoa.
• ASSOCIATION FORECLOSURE: NO SMALL CHORE! What happens once a property is owned by the Association due to foreclosure
• ASSOCIATION RECORDS: WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE MEMBERS Help knowing which association records are to be public and which can be private
• BOARD MEETINGS FOR EVERY SITUATION Board Meeting types and their uses.
• BOARD MEMBER ROLES The roles of an Association Board member include being a leader, a policy maker, an enforcer, an arbitrator and a strategic planner
• BOARD OF DIRECTORS: WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT DO THEY DO? Rights and responsibilities of Association Board members
• BOARD VS. MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS Types of board/management conflicts and how to avoid them.
• BUDGET PREPARATION TIPS Things to take into account when preparing the association's budget.
• BUDGETING WHYS AND WHEREFORES What goes into a good association budget.
• CC&R'S - ISN'T THAT A 60'S ROCK BAND? Understanding governing documents (Covenants, conditions and restrictions).
• CATS AND DOGS... A MANAGER'S TALE An association manager talks about pet issues and pet stories for HOAs
• CLOSING OUT YOUR YEAR END FINANCIAL STATEMENTS What to consider when closing out the year's books
• COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATION DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PERIOD During the developement period, an effective communications system is needed and is comprised of several components.
• CONDO ASSOCIATION INSURANCE - WHO COVERS WHAT? Looking at Condominium Association Master Insurance Policies - who covers what?
• CONDO MAINTENANCE - WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT? A description of how to determine who is responsible for what on a condominium property.
• CONDOMINIUM - A TYPE OF OWNERSHIP A discussion of what constitutes condominium owership and its importance
• CREATING ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES How to create a committee to do its job effectively.
• CREATING ASSOCIATION RULES Thoughts on creating reasonable and enforceable association rules
• CREATING A NEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION Six steps for creating a new association and some preconceptions
• DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE THE PRACTICAL WAY Ideas for dealing with difficult people.
• DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT Association
• DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. . . Deferring the common area maintenance of an owners association can have negative and lasting effects upon a community.
• DEVELOPER/HOMEOWNER TRANSITION: A GUIDE TO SUCCESS Association
• DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST A discussion of conflicts of interest, potential and actual, and and how to handle them.
• DISPUTE RESOLUTION Challenges in resolving disputes between the Association and home owner
• DISPUTE RESOLUTION: GIVE MEDIATION A CHANCE Compared to a lawsuit, mediation is swift, confidential, fair and low cost.
• DOES YOUR BOARD HAVE THE CORRECT NUMBER OF DIRECTORS? The importance of having the correct number of Directors on the board and ways to ensure compliance
• EFFECTIVE HOA COMMUNICATIONS Tips to help the HOA communicate effectively with its members.
• EMPLOYEE OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR? Determining employee or independent contractor status with IRS criteria
• ESTABLISHING ASSOCIATION RULES Things you should know before adopting new rules for your Association.
• ESTABLISHING A LANDSCAPE LIAISON How to establish a landscape liaison person for your association.
• FCC SATELLITE AND ANTENNA REGULATIONS How the OTARD Rule affects Community Association regulations for satellite dishes and antennas
• FEDERAL LAWS DO APPLY TO HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS A summary of the Federal laws which apply to HOAs including Equal Employment Opportunity, Fair Housing, and FCC regulations
• FINANCIAL REPORTING: KEY TO SOUND DECISION-MAKING Using accounting principals to provide financail reports and information to the HOA
• GLOSSARY OF TERMS Glossary of terms used in homeowner association documents
• HAVE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MEETING EVERY TIME How parliamentary procedure can solve common dissatisfactions with association meetings
• HOLDING SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS Tips on planning and having a successful association meeting.
• IT'S BUDGET TIME! Checklist to help prepare an HOA budget
• IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO COVER YOUR ASSETS Looking at how to provide funding for replacement of physical assets
• MAKING THE MOST OF ANNUAL MEETING The different aspects of planning and holding a succesful annual meeting for an association.
• MAKING THE CONNECTION WITH YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT Making the Connection with Your Local Government
• MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FOR SMALL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS Challenges for a small association in finding a management firm.
• MANAGEMENT AND HOMEOWNER COMMUNICATION How Homeowners and Management can communicate effectively about property issues
• MEETING MANNERS MATTER Common sense manners to remember for association meetings.
• MOTIVATING AND RECRUITING MEMBERS Ways to motivate and recruit members for the Association
• NEW OWNERS - PUTTING YOUR ASSOCIATION'S BEST FOOT FORWARD Creating a positive impression of the association for new owners
• ORGANIZATION: THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT Ways to organize Association files so information is at your fingertips
• PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE What to consider in long-term planning for the Association
• PLANNING FOR DISASTER How to be prepared for a disaster in your Association
• PUBLIC RELATIONS: WHAT CAN YOUR ASSOCIATION DO? Using the Media to improve your association's image
• QUESTIONNAIRES: TAKING THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY How to create a questionnaire and what questions to ask.
• RESERVE STUDIES Overseeing how reserve funds should be set up and managed for an HOA
• REVIEW VS. AUDIT Association
• RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE How insurance policies can help with risk management
• ROOF REPLACEMENTS: NO MARGIN FOR ERROR Various factors a community association needs to consider when replacing roofs.
• RULES ENFORCEMENT PROCESS Suggestions on policies and procedures for enforcing a Homeowner Association's Covenants and Deed Restrictions
• SELECTING A POOL MANAGEMENT COMPANY The selection of a certified and well trained pool management company is your first line of defense.
• SELECTING A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT (CPA) Tips for choosing a CPA and a sample RFP to engage one
• SELECTING AND CONTRACTING SERVICE PROVIDERS What to consider when selecting a service provider and creating the contract with the Association
• TAKING MINUTES WHOSE JOB IS IT AND WHY? Essentials for recording the Minutes at Association meetings.
• TALKING TO THE PRESS Tips for a positive relationship with the Press
• TEAM BUILDING FOR ASSOCIATIONS How the Association can work as a team
• THE ART AND VALUE OF COMMUNICATIONS IN ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT Tips to ensure effective communication between Managemnt, Board Members, and Homeowners
• THE ASSOCIATION CALENDAR: GUIDE TO IMPORTANT DATES Using a yearly calendar to promote continuity and compliance with HOA regulations
• THE CASE FOR RESERVES: A CAUTIONARY TALE Case study regarding the importance of funding reserves no matter the age of the association
• THE DEVELOPER CONTROLLED COMMUNITY The various aspects and differences between managing a developer-controlled community versus a homeowner-controlled community
• THE GREAT DEBATE: SHOULD WE RESERVE FOR SIDING? Siding upkeep and whether it should be part of the Capital Reserve Fund
• THE IMPORTANCE OF RESERVE PLANNING AND FUNDING Why Reserve Funding is crucial
• THE UNHAPPY CO-OWNER How Condo Boards should handle unhappy members
• TRANSITION INSPECTIONS: WHAT ARE THE ENGINEERS LOOKING AT? Tips for the inspection process when the HOA is transitioning from Developer to Homeowners
• TRANSITION TIME IS AT HAND! Reflections from a Community Manager on the transition between a Developer run association to Homeowner control
• UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY IS KEY TO HOA COMMUNICATION Achieving effective communication between homeowners, HOA board, and the property management company
• UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: INTERNAL CONTROLS Internal controls checklist to insure financial transactions are executed with the proper authority
• UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: THE BALANCE SHEET Association
• WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION? How the HOA can protect property values and maintain standards
• WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY? The qualities an association should look for in a management company
• WHY HAVE A PROFESSIONAL RESERVE STUDY? Reasons to have your association's reserve study done professionally
• WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE? Reasons why HOA's are required to carry Workers Comp Insurance