HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - March 6, 2026
Published: Fri, 03/06/26
Updated: Thu, 03/12/26
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HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - March 6, 2026
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An HOAleader.com reader is working to create internal documents to evaluate vendors and wants to know if they can do that work without those pesky owners interfering.
In this week's tip, our experts share best practices for meeting to create internal policy documents and to assess the performance of your vendors and employees.
Matthew Zifrony, who advises homeowners and condo associations at Tripp Scott, a Ft. Lauderdale law firm, and who has also served as the president of a 3,000-home association, begins his analysis of this issue by explaining Florida law on meetings, since that's where our reader is based.
“I don't know what the reader means by executive session,” he states. “There are board meetings and nonboard meetings. If a quorum of board members is present and they're discussing board business, it's a board meeting. If there are fewer than a quorum of board members meeting, it wouldn't be a board meeting, and they can meet whenever they want.
“There are certain exceptions when a board meeting doesn't have to be public, like when the board is discussing things like employees or they're meeting with their lawyer,” says Zifrony. “But none of those exceptions seem to apply here.
“To me, this reader's question is getting caught up in the technicality of executive session versus a regular board meeting,” he says. “I can't really tell what the reader is really asking.
“If you have a five-member board and two want to get together to put these documents together for discussion by the entire board, two of five isn't a quorum, and they can do that,” says Zifrony. “I used to be president of my HOA, and many times as president, a vendor would call me with a problem and the manager would be on the call, too. Or maybe the treasurer was on the phone with me. That's not a problem. That's not a board meeting.”
But let's start by sharing a fun fact. Your board meetings may not even be required to be open to members at all. It's rare, but it happens. Find out more—plus why you'd want owners to see what you're doing in this situation—in our new article: https://www.hoaleader.com/members/5264.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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Creating Condo/HOA Policies and Procedures: Is It OK to Do That Behind the Scenes?
An HOAleader.com reader asks: “I’d like to schedule an executive meeting to discuss current suppliers and employees’ performance. Currently, we don’t have procedures or performance review forms for suppliers or employees. At the executive meeting, I’d like to propose procedures and performance review forms for both..
Click here to read the full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Creating-Condo-HOA-Policies-Procedures-It-OK-Do-That-Behind-Scenes.cfm
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Is It OK for Condo Board to Get a Loan With Open Terms on the Down Low? [HOAleader.com Video]
In this week’s tip, we answer questions about loans in response to questions raised by an HOAleader.com reader who lives in a condo...
Click here to read the full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/It-OK-for-Condo-Board-Get-Loan-With-Open-Terms-on-Down-Low-HOAleader-Video.cfm
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Lessons about Loans and Lines of Credit from Florida: Financing Necessary Maintenance Without Bankrupting Owners
Florida lawmakers have heard earfuls from owners angry over skyrocketing fees condos and HOAs are imposing to comply with inspection rules implemented after the Champlain Towers collapse. The question is whether their solution of passing a law to allow condos and to get lines of credit and loans is a smart answer...
Click here to read the full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Lessons-about-Loans-Lines-Credit-from-Florida-Financing-Necessary-Maintenance-Without-Bankrupting-Owners.cfm
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HOA Board Isn’t Following Its Bylaws for Elections; Are All Prior Elections Invalid?
An HOAleader.com reader asks: “Our bylaws state the directors at the first election of the HOA will serve as follows: One will serve three years, one for two years, and one for one year. After that, one director will be elected every year for a three-year term...
Click here to read the full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/HOA-Board-Isnt-Following-Its-Bylaws-for-Elections-Are-All-Prior-Elections-Invalid.cfm
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HOAleader.com Reader Has Tons of Questions About Quiet Disclosure of Condo Loan [HOAleader.com Video]
If you’re getting a loan for your community, is it common to leave the terms fudgy until after you have final terms from a contractor? And can you get a loan without notifying owners or getting their input? And what’s with the association assets-as-collateral requirement?
Click here to read the full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/HOAleader-Reader-Has-Tons-Questions-About-Quiet-Disclosure-Condo-Loan-HOAleader-Video.cfm
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Members can download the report here:
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