HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - October 16, 2009
Published: Fri, 10/16/09
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Avoiding HOA Board Burnout:
Would These Techniques Improve the Lives of Your Board Members?
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This week's tip is a double-header: I'm sharing two tips on
avoiding board burnout.
First, limit the number of seats to fill.
The smaller your board, the more owners you have on deck that you
can ask jump in when current board members feel stretched to the
limit. "Don't ever go with a bigger board than you absolutely
need," says Bob Tankel, principal at Robert L. Tankel PA in
Dunedin, Fla., a law firm that advises associations.
He told us, "I got a call recently from a board member from a
community with 35 units and seven people on the board. I said,
'Are you crazy? In Florida, you can amend your documents down to
three board members by law.' Get by on the smallest board your
state allows."
Second, break positions into small pieces, wherever possible.
"What scares people away from being on the board is the fact
that it's too much of a commitment," Bob told us. "If you can
take apart various roles and give everybody a teaspoonful, it's
better than everybody having to swallow a gallon."
Bob explained, "You've often got people wearing two hats--a
policy-making hat and a policy-executing hat. You may be able to
get someone to say, 'I'll be the recording secretary. I'll come
to the meetings, take minutes, and leave. I don't want to be
tasked with making policy.' Or maybe you've got someone who's
willing to be in charge of security but who doesn't want to
attend board meetings. That person can just keep an eye out to
make sure people are following security rules and then let the
board know if there are problems. By taking apart the pieces of
what makes the association run and giving smaller pieces to
different people, you'll be a lot better off."
Get two more ways to fight HOA board member burnout--read our
new article (free access):
http://www.hoaleader.com/public/348.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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HOA Boards: Four Ways to Prevent and Ease Board Burnout
Let's face it. In many condo and homeowners associations, a
handful of people carry the load for the rest of the community.
Those heavy lifters can sometimes become burned out. What can you
do to prevent burnout? And what can you do to ease the burden
when HOA board members are feeling drained? Here are four
suggestions.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/public/348.cfm >
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HOA Governance: How to Negotiate--and Save Money
Looking for tips that will help you negotiate more effectively
and save money on association contracts in the process? One
expert recommends you focus on a process for effective
negotiation rather than a few tactics that might help you "beat"
your opponent. Here's what he means, and how it can help your
condo or homeowners association.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/345.cfm >
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HOA Facilities: Everything You Need to Know About Roofs
You can't properly maintain a vital component of your condo or
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your condo or homeowner association should maintain them.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/344.cfm >
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Could your homeowners association prohibit a resident from
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that the Marine Corps decals on Frank Larison's car are
advertisements that are prohibited by the association's governing
documents. Here's advice on how far your HOA can go in
restricting residents' free speech.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/343.cfm >
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HOA Rules and the FHA: Can Your Homeowners Association Restrict
the Number of Occupants in Units?
In today's recession, a growing number of families and even
unrelated people are living together to save money. But when is
enough occupants in one dwelling enough? Is four residents in a
two-bedroom, one-bath condo acceptable? What if that number rises
to six? Is it even any of the condo or homeowners association's
business? Here are answers.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/342.cfm >
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