HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - March 13, 2020
Published: Fri, 03/13/20
=================================================================
8 Suggestions for Addressing Coronavirus in Your Condo/HOA
=================================================================
If you're like your fellow readers of www.HOAleader.com, you're starting to have concerns about how today's health crisis—COVID-19, commonly called the coronavirus—will affect your community. In this week's tip, we give you critical information to help you confidently approach the challenges it raises for community associations.
Because condos are dense population centers and HOAs often have common facilities at which residents gather, it's important for you as a board member to understand whether and how to respond to the coronavirus risk.
Perhaps because her state, California, is among those with the highest number of reported cases to date, and perhaps because it's one of a few states that have declared a state of emergency, Joan Lewis-Heard says she's beginning to be contacted by her board-member clients about the virus.
"We are getting some questions," reports the senior associate at SwedelsonGottlieb in Los Angeles who specializes in community association law.
In Pennsylvania, Edward Hoffman Jr. says so far, the number of clients contacting him is minimal. "I've had one client so far who has brought it up," states the founder of Barrow Hoffman, a law firm based in Warminster, Pa., who has represented community associations for more than 15 years. "And it was just: What should we do about safeguards and things like that?"
For Zuly Maribona, LCAM, a vice president at KW Property Management who leads the company's Region 2 office headquartered in Bonita Springs, Fla., there haven't been as many questions from clients as she expected. But she attributes that to her company's proactive approach.
"We've led the communication, and our clients have thanked us for being proactive," she asserts. "If they had questions, I think we've answered them in advance. Our hope is to keep the information flowing."
So are there things you should be doing in your community? Here's the first of eight suggestions from our experts for effectively assessing and responding to the coronavirus risk:
1. Don't take on responsibility you don't have. "There's no duty for the association itself to do anything," reports Lewis-Heard. "And it doesn't want to take on the duty of being responsible to do anything."
Christopher J. Shields, a partner at Pavese Law Firm in Ft. Myers, Fla., who has represented associations for decades, shares that concern. "I think everybody's watching the news and being informed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and I think associations probably should do little, if anything," he says. "Any time anybody assumes a duty and they perform it negligently, they become a deep pocket. But boards should encourage members to become informed, to take care of themselves, and to follow the CDC guidelines."
That's what Maribona's company has done. "We've sent global communications to our team, and they're sending those to boards and residents, with information from reputable sources on how to prepare yourselves at home," she says. "It's not about panic but about taking reasonable precautions like sanitizing your home and washing your hands."
Read all eight suggestions in our new article: https://www.hoaleader.com/public/4076.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
=================================================================
Upcoming Event
The Challenges of Growing Legalization of Marijuana: What HOA and Condo Association Boards Need to Know
An Exclusive HOAleader.com Webinar
With Practical Tips for Condo and HOA Boards
Thursday, March 26, 2020
2:00 p.m. Eastern
Learn more or register now:
https://www.hoaleader.com/products/hoa-challenges-marijuana-legalization-a.cfm
Members save $30!
=================================================================
Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
=================================================================
6 Tips to Ease Your Condo/HOA Enforcement Burden
What's the hardest part of your board-member job? We'd guess that enforcing the governing documents with people you want to live harmoniously with is right near the top.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/6-Tips-Ease-Your-CondoHOA-Enforcement-Burden.cfm
=================================================================
Do Condo/HOA Governing Documents Typically Cover Lighting?
An HOAleader.com reader asks, "We're looking for an example of a lighting covenant that covers safety and light pollution that protects all and is objective and enforceable." Our question is: Do governing documents typically get into that level of detail? If so, what should a lighting covenant say?
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Do-Condo-HOA-Governing-Documents-Typically-Cover-Lighting.cfm
=================================================================
Condo/HOA Board Interim Positions, Explained
An HOAleader.com reader asks, "We have a seven-member board, but both the president and vice president resigned, so we've been working with five members only. Our elections are coming up in three months.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Condo-HOA-Board-Interim-Positions-Explained.cfm
=================================================================
Wait, What? Recalled Condo/HOA Board Member Wants to Run Again
Well, this is interesting. An HOAleader.com reader asks, "When a board of directors are recalled, can they run again in the next election? What can be done to keep a recalled board member from running in the next election? Can a recalled board be kept from ever running as a board member?"
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Wait-What-Recalled-CondoHOA-Board-Member-Wants-Run-Again.cfm
================================================================
HUD Crackdown? Condo/HOA Boards May Benefit from New Service/Assistance Animal Rules
On Jan. 29, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued new guidelines that appear to tighten the screws on people making questionable requests for a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal. A new Illinois law has a similar intent.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/HUD-Crackdown-CondoHOA-Boards-May-Benefit-from-New-ServiceAssistance-Animal-Rules.cfm
=================================================================
Get your own copy!
Subscribe to the HOAleader.com Tip of the Week at:
https://www.hoaleader.com/public/department49.cfm
=================================================================
Please feel free to forward the *entire text* of this email to others.
Copyright 2020, Plain-English Media, LLC
(866) 641-4548
https://www.hoaleader.com