HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - December 18, 2020
Published: Fri, 12/18/20
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Political Protests: Coming Soon to Your Condo/HOA?
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In week's tip, we ask if there's anything you can do if your community becomes a hot spot for what seem to be never-ending protests.
Perhaps you've seen the photos of the St. Louis couple outside their home in a gated community pointing guns at protesters?
Whether the couple was legally entitled to take the actions they did that day isn't the topic of this article.
Instead, we're tackling a twist on the topic of demonstrators taking the streets these days. Protests are unlikely to go away even though the election is over. And there's a growing trend of protestors showing up at private homes to protest what public officials are doing on the job. Protestors have also shown up at homes of people who aren't public figures—they're private citizens who've angered enough activists to draw a crowd.
We also won't debate the propriety of those issues in this article.
What we will cover is what you can do—if anything—if your community becomes enveloped in a public protest. Can you do anything to control protests on your grounds?
The experts we've consulted say their clients have never had protests spill into their community—yet. "We've been lucky so far," notes Jennifer Horan, a shareholder in the Naples, Fla., office of Becker & Poliakoff, who has represented condos and HOAs for more than 15 years. "I can say that it's happened in none of our communities, but I've heard of other communities around the state where it's happened."
Ditto for Joan Lewis-Heard, a senior associate at SwedelsonGottlieb in Los Angeles, who at any given time represents hundreds of condos and HOAs throughout California. "We haven't seen this," she states.
Nor has Elina Gilbert, a shareholder at Altitude Community Law in Lakewood, Colo., who has specialized in community association law for 20 years. "Have I see this in communities I advise?" she asks. "I haven't."
Our experts say the first question is to determine who can legally use your streets. We'll explain, and address the different issues that can arise in gated communities, in our new article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/4244.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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The 9 Most Pressing Issues for Condo/HOA Boards In the New Year
Watch this information-filled webinar and you'll learn the steps you should take now to prepare for a successful 2021. You'll also hear the trends our experts are tracking for their clients--including what you need to know to ensure you're ahead of them, rather than reacting to them after a challenge arises.
Click here for the webinar:
https://www.hoaleader.com/products/9-issues-for-condo-hoa-boards-new-year-b.cfm
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COVID Vaccines Are on the Way: Can Your Association Require Them?
Though COVID-19 vaccines have just started to arrive in the United States and won't be widely available for some time, the most vulnerable Americans and health care workers are beginning to receive them. Your board members, like many other business leaders, are probably now wondering whether your condo or HOA association can, and should, require anybody to be vaccinated, whether that's your residents, guests to your facilities, or service providers.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/COVID-Vaccines-Are-on-Way-Can-Your-Association-Require-Them.cfm
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Condo Battles Over BLM Letters Owner Calls Art: Worth the Fight?
We discuss the issue of how far you can and should go to regulate what homeowners hang in their home that's visible from the outside. The issue is trending because of the rise of Black Lives Matters and other movement signs not tied to any political candidate or election. Even now that the election is but a distant memory, you might still face sign challenges. That's why a new twist in Florida is worth discussing.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Elections-Over-Whew-But-Condo-HOA-Sign-Issues-Arent-Going-Away.cfm
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When Doing Good Can Go Bad: HOA Gives Back to the Community
A Hawaii HOA board reportedly distributed 750 boxes with fresh produce from a local farm to members of the community. Nice! Now, let's ask two hypothetical questions: 1) If an HOA paid for boxes of produce to give to residents and nonresidents of the HOA, would that be a valid HOA expense? 2) If an HOA received boxes donated by a farm and distributed them to residents and nonresidents of the community, is there any reason that shouldn't happen?
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/When-Doing-Good-Can-Go-Bad-HOA-Gives-Back-Community.cfm
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Chicago Condo Mulls $500 Mask Fine; Should You Follow Suit?
The Plaza on DeWitt, a 407-unit condo in Chicago's tony Streeterville, reportedly considered a rule requiring all residents and visitors two years old and up to wear masks in common areas. The kicker? Violators would get hit with a $500 fine, an amount that would double for each subsequent violation, according to WGN News.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Chicago-Condo-Mulls-500-Mask-Fine-Should-You-Follow-Suit.cfm
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