by Steve Spanier | April 28, 2021 Homeowners associations are representative democracies where powers are delegated to elected officials (the board of directors) and limited powers are reserved to the membership. In this governing model, the answer to a simple question can serve as a board member’s North Star: What is best for the community? EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKING If board...
by Kiara Candelaria | April 22, 2021 Effective community association governance has many moving parts, and it’s crucial that board members adhere to a set of ethical standards that can help them fulfill their volunteer duties with the community’s best interests in mind. While not meant to address every potential ethical dilemma, CAI’s Model Code of Ethics for Community...
by Tom Skiba | April 16, 2021 If you’re like me, you don’t always need a calendar to remind yourself of important events. Engrained in my memory are my son’s birthday and my wedding anniversary. Some of us recall where we were when President Kennedy was shot, when the space shuttle Challenger was lost, or where we were on 9/11. And now, for many of us, we remember exactly where we...
by Phoebe E. Neseth, Esq. and C.Scott Canady | April 8, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic created unforeseen advocacy priorities for the community association housing model. One of the leading legislative efforts during the pandemic has been providing businesses and other entities with limited liability protections from COVID-19-related claims, which allows them to reopen safely without fear of...
by Dawn Bauman, CAE | April 1, 2021 One of the challenging factors of the COVID-19 pandemic is the economic impact on individual residents in community associations. As homeowners become unable to fulfill their financial obligation of paying assessments, they will require direct access to resources that can provide relief. The American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress and signed into...
by C. Scott Canady | March 25,2021 On January 20, President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing all federal agencies to advance equity. What is equity, and how will the executive order impact community associations? President Biden’s executive order defines equity as “the consistent and systemic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including...
By Ella Cox | April 1, 2021 Community associations successfully adapted to unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking legal advice on holding meetings virtually, introducing new protocols for reopening amenities, and requiring face coverings in common areas even as more people are vaccinated. Association leaders are now considering...