HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - September 11, 2009
Published: Fri, 09/11/09
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Have You Made This Common Mistake with HOA or Condo Elections?
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This week's tip comes from a new article that outlines 6 common
mistakes boards make when running their elections--and how you
can avoid them.
Today we'll cover one of the 6 mistakes: failing to plan by
sending out proxies.
"A big mistake is that folks forget to send out proxy forms
before the meeting," says Amy H. Bray, a partner at Andersen,
Tate & Carr PC in Lawrenceville, Ga., who represents condo and
homeowners associations. "Then they find themselves at the
meeting unable to proceed because they don't have enough
attendance and don't have extra proxies, so they can't elect a
board. They have to start knocking on doors."
To avoid this mistake, Amy recommends sending out proxy forms
with the notice of the meeting. "If you happen to see your
neighbors before the meeting," she suggests, "follow up about
the meeting and ask, 'Why don't you sign the proxy for the
meeting now?'" She also suggests printing extra proxies to
bring to the meeting so that if you do have to knock on doors,
you have forms ready for owners to sign.
Include as much information in proxies as possible. "When I
prepare a proxy, I'll usually put down the slate of officers
who are running and also provide space for write-in candidates,"
says Robert Galvin, a partner at Davis, Malm & D'Agostine PC
in Boston who specializes in representing condos and co-ops.
"It's also important to say in the proxy that you can vote for
only so many people, and if you vote for more, the proxy is
invalid," he says.
"We'll also usually identify whom the proxy will be, but we'll
also state in the proxy that if owners want to appoint someone
else, they just have to cross out the name we've included and
write in anybody they want as long as that proxy actually
attends the meeting."
To read the full article outlining 6 HOA and condo election
mistakes, and how you can avoid them, visit:
http://www.hoaleader.com/members/326.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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In November 2008, a California appellate court held invalid an
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Here's what you need to know about that case even if your
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Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/333.cfm >
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< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/332.cfm >
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turns the property over to an independent board, the new board is
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Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/331.cfm >
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Your HOA Board Has Been Defamed; Should You Sue?
For this week's tip we spoke to Robert Galvin, a partner at
Davis, Malm & D'Agostine PC in Boston who specializes in
representing condos and co-ops.
What should your board do if you are dealing with angry
homeowners whom you think cross the line into defamatory
comments? Can you p
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/public/330.cfm >
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