HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - April 14, 2012
Published: Sat, 04/14/12
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Take HOA Fire Safety Seriously
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In this week's tip, we hope to shake you out of complacency when
it comes to fire safety at your association.
While fires are a constant concern at condos, home owners
associations also have to ensure they're following fire-safety
mandates. Here are two fire-safety tips for both condos and home
owners associations.
1. Know how often your buildings need to be inspected.
"The short answer is that ideally, you should get an inspection
of your building by your local fire department or fire marshal on
an annual basis," says Robert Solomon, division manager for
building and life safety codes at the National Fire Protection
Association in Quincy, Mass. "The reality is that codes on the
frequency of inspections vary. In Illinois, for example, the codes
the state follows might require a certain frequency for
inspections, but the city of Chicago might require a different
frequency. An annual inspection is ideal, but the rules are going
to vary from state to state."
They'll also depend on the features of your building. "Under
Massachusetts law, buildings with fire escapes have to have them
inspected every five years," says Robert Galvin, a partner at
Davis, Malm & D'Agostine PC in Boston who specializes in
representing condos and co-ops.
2. Conduct fire drills.
"A condo association should schedule a fire drill on an annual
basis," suggests Solomon. "The ideal time to do that is during
fire prevention week in October because there are a lot of public
service announcements and materials the NFPA makes available."
Make sure to distribute to your owners the NFPA's high-rise
apartment and condominium safety tip sheet.
And if you're thinking, "But fire drills make people feel so
silly." Shake that feeling off. They're lifesavers. "There are
several purposes for a drill. It reminds people who've lived in
the building what the fire alarm signal sounds like. It also
allows people who've moved in recently to find out what the
signal sounds like. A drill also allows everybody to do a
walkthrough.
For more info on these tips, and to read all 5 Fire-Safety
Tips Every HOA Should Follow, see our new article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/snip/144.htm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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Five Fire-Safety Tips Every HOA Should Follow
With smoking, candles, fireplaces, and grills, fires are a
constant concern at condos. But home owners associations also
have to ensure they're following fire-safety mandates. Here, we
offer five fire-safety tips for both condos and home owners
associations.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/snip/144.htm
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New Fannie Mae Condo Insurance Rules Explained
On December 28, 2011, Fannie Mae issued new insurance
requirements on the condos securing the mortgages it will
purchase. Here we give you a feel for the rules and discuss
whether it's smart for your HOA to speak to an insurance broker
to determine if your master insurance policy meets Fannie Mae's
requirements.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/snip/145.htm
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HOA Board Communications: Three Things You Shouldn't Do Via Email
You've surely heard that it's important to be careful about which
HOA business you handle through email. But California has taken
restrictions on HOA business conducted via email to a new level.
Here, an expert explains California's new anti-email law and
provides three examples of never-handle-this-by-email issues.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/snip/146.htm
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3 Ways to Reduce Your HOA's Utility Bills
Who doesn't want to cut expenses today? Here, three HOA insiders
talk about how they've reduced their utility bills.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/snip/147.htm
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Are To-Do Dates in Your HOA Governing Documents All Over the
Calendar?
This week's tip will help you understand how the timing of
events at your homeowners association can become complex--and
problematic.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/snip/148.htm
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