HOA Homefront is a syndicated weekly column that educates the public on issues pertaining to California residents living in common interest developments, their boards of directors, and community association managers. HOA Homefront is published in over a dozen Southern California newspapers.
Recent Articles
Nine Tips To Reduce HOA Conflict
Handling conflict is a regular part of governing, managing, or advising HOAs, which are corporations but also neighborhoods. Unlike clubs or churches, when things get unpleasant, a member cannot simply resign, because it is one’s home.
Reader Questions – Pandemic Questions Continue
I am on the board and we are having our first HOA virtual meeting next week because of Covid-19. Do we need to have a quorum for that meeting?
Reader Questions – Are HOA Board Term Limits Allowed?
According to our election rules and bylaws, no director shall serve more than two consecutive terms. The president now claims that SB323 has done away with term limits and she can run again and continue to serve on the Board for a third consecutive term.
Harassment and Handicapped Parking Questions
A homeowner in our HOA (he might have a form of mental illness) is said to have harassed a new homeowner couple based on his objection to their interracial marriage.
Some homeowners are asking the board to take action against the harassment, they claim cases like this have been ruled to be a HOA responsibility. I am looking at it as a dispute between two homeowners, a case for the police to settle or by dispute resolution.
Reader Questions – Board Contacts, Discussions, and Elections
Reader Questions: Is the HOA required to supply the state a current list of the board members? Is the list available for public view? I am not a member of the HOA.
Why Not Hire Our Neighbor?
A very common temptation in the HOA is to hire one of the members or a tenant to work for the association. The arguments often are that the resident or member is known to all, offering a discount, and knows the property well. Some HOAs even hire a resident to manage the association.