Policy Governance – Part V
Principles 4 – 7 By: Helsing Admin [NOTE: This article is Part V in a series where each article builds on the previous articles. We recommend you start with Part I first.] Principle 4 – Focus on Ends The board’s primary contribution is to clearly state desired outcomes Principle 2 states that the board must […]
Policy Governance – Part IV
Principles 1 – 3 By: Helsing Admin [NOTE: This article is Part IV in a series where each article builds on the previous articles. We recommend you start with Part I first.] Principle 1 – Ownership The board’s authority is derived from the “owners” of the association The association belongs to the homeowners, or “members”, […]
Policy Governance – Part III
Distinguishing Between Ends and Means By: Helsing Admin [NOTE: This article is Part III in a series where each article builds on the previous articles. We recommend you start with Part I first.] Earlier we stressed that the Board of Directors is accountable for how the organization works. However, unless we can define exactly what […]
Policy Governance – Part II
Governance Roles and Responsibilities By: Helsing Admin [NOTE: This article is Part II in a series where each article builds on the previous articles. We recommend you read Part I first.] The board of any non-profit is the voice of the owners (shareholders) of the corporation. In the case of Homeowners Associations (HOAs) that means […]
Policy Governance – Part 1
A Paradigm for HOA Governance: Strategies to Make Your Association More Functional By: Helsing Admin “Effective governance by a Board of Trustees is a relatively rare and unnatural act…trustees are often little more than high-powered, well-intentioned people engaged in low-level activities.”[ii] This very astute observation on governance applies just as well to The Board of Directors […]
HOA Assessment Fees: Penny Wise and Pound Foolish
How the Quest to Reduce HOA Assessment Fees can Harm Rather than Help By: Helsing Admin California Civil Code Section 1366 requires Boards to “…levy regular and special assessments sufficient to perform its obligations…under the governing documents and the law.” Meeting its obligations means proper maintenance and governance so as to protect the property values […]
HOA Swimming Pool Rules: New Swimming Pool Signage Requirements
By: Helsing Admin Among the almost 900 new laws the California legislature brought us last year, changes were made to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24 relating to public swimming pools. The term “public swimming pools” includes all such pools located within the common areas of community associations – so these requirements and HOA […]
HOA Responsibilities to Homeowners: Noise
By: Helsing Admin Question: I live in a condominium and the neighbor above is very noisy. He clomps around, I can hear his television, and he slams doors and drawers. My association is telling me this is a neighbor-to-neighbor issue and falls outside of HOA responsibilities to homeowners. I am really getting mad that they […]
HOA Common Area Rules and Satellite Dishes
By: Helsing Admin A homeowner writes: I live in a condominium and want to get satellite television reception. My Association is telling me that according to HOA common area rules, I cannot put an antenna up and if I do they will take it down and will come after me for that cost and the […]
