HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - March 18, 2016
Published: Fri, 03/18/16
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Have HOA-Installed Cameras? You Should Also Have an HOA Camera Policy
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In this week’s tip, we offer advice on what to tell your residents about
HOA-installed cameras.
The topic is in response to a reader’s question about whether it’s wise to
develop a policy surrounding such equipment. The short answer: Yes, please
do.
David Firmin is in the middle of researching this issue for a client with a
similar question. “In my client’s case, the board installed a bunch of
onsite cameras,” explains the partner at Hindman Sanchez, a law firm in
Arvada, Colo., with about 1,600 association clients. “They’re there, and
now the board is asking: ‘What do we have to tell people? What kind of signage
do we need?’ The board is right to ask because if they’re going to have
cameras, they should have a policy to let everybody know what they’re there
for.
“I don’t necessarily like the use of cameras,” Firmin says as an aside. “By
their very nature, they’re reactionary. They don’t prevent things from
happening. It’s usually that something has happened, and you’re using the
cameras to determine who did it and to have documentary evidence of it.
“In addition, it causes some consternation in the community,” adds Firmin.
“There can be an expectation that the association is monitoring things so if
something happens, the association can tell owners who did the damage.”
Matt D. Ober, senior partner at Richardson Harman Ober, a Pasadena, Calif.,
law firm with a significant community association practice, agrees that
cameras are a hot issue now and that owners presume they should have access to
the video. “Many members want access to the tape,” he states. “Someone’s car
gets broken into, and the resident says, ‘Aha! There are cameras, I want the
tapes.’”
At a minimum, there are three things you should include in your video-use
policy. Read more in our new article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/members/1339.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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3 Things to Include in Your HOA's Onsite-Camera Policy
An HOAleader.com reader asks: "Is our board pursuing a prudent course by
adopting an acceptable-use policy to govern the use and viewing of a
recently installed four-camera security system?
"It's understood that resident management are the only ones authorized to
operate the system and view any necessary video, and that will be codified in
the proposed acceptable-use policy. Can anyone foresee any reason NOT to
adopt an AUP?
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/members/3-Things-Include-in-Your-HOAs-Onsite-Camera-Policy.cfm
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Recent Trends in HOA State Laws
Here we continue our occasional series in which we highlight HOA/condo
legislative trends--both proposed and actually passed--with an eye
toward educating board members nationwide about changes they may
encounter in their state soon.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/members/Recent-Trends-in-HOA-State-Laws.cfm
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How to Get a Meddlesome HOA Board Member to Butt Out
In this week's tip, we answer a call for help from a community manager. The
problem? Board members who go rogue and deal directly with vendors. That
mucks up lines of communication, can send vendors mixed messages, and can
cost your association money or the loss of a trusted vendor.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/public/How-Get-Meddlesome-HOA-Board-Member-Butt-Out.cfm
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We Love Active HOA Board Members. But Not This Active
An HOAleader.com reader asks: "Can you do an article on board members who
think they're management, please? Every month I leave the meeting with a
task list and start calling the maintenance guy or vendors only to find out
that a board member has beat me to it. The vendors don't like answering to
multiple contacts, and the board member who says she's trying to help is only
creating mass confusion. The same board member approaches vendors onsite,
mostly the landscapers, and tells them things she wants done, but doesn't
tell the board or management. But when it doesn't get done, it's a huge deal
and time to fire the landscapers and why wasn't the management following up
on something we knew nothing about. I hear about this happening on other
properties, so obviously it's a common problem."
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/members/We-Love-Active-HOA-Board-Members-But-Not-This-Active.cfm
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HOA Reserve Planning: Is It Time for an Onsite Inspection?
How long has it been since your HOA had an onsite inspection of your
facilities and all their components so that you could update your reserve
study? Be honest: It's probably been a while, right?
In this week's tip, we talk about why and when to schedule one.
Click here to read full article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/public/HOA-Reserve-Planning-It-Time-for-Onsite-Inspection.cfm
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