Behind the Scenes Preparation for a Covenant Violation Suit: The facts change from community to community, but the story is similar: after years of “cooperative” neighbors a new Owner moved in and modified their property without approval. Now the Board is dealing with complaints about the pink house, metal shed, 12-foot fountain, etc. The Board approaches association counsel and points

Knowing Your Limits: Volunteer directors these days must be superheroes. From mastering the art of negotiation to understanding the individual components that make up the exterior of a dwelling, the amount of skill and knowledge necessary to be a competent director cannot be understated. It is important to remember, however, that even superheroes have their limits.

Legal Considerations for the Use of Volunteers: One of the perks of living in an active community association is getting to know your neighbors. And what better way to foster a sense of camaraderie than by volunteering alongside others to better your neighborhood.

Planning for the Future of Technology: Elon Musk once said that the greatest existential threat to humankind is the development of an artificial intelligence that would supplant, enslave or otherwise terminate our frail, organic bodies. Until that day arrives, community associations will have to deal with the rapidly changing technological issues that have become a part of everyday life.

Mediating Success: Enforcement actions of any kind can cause stress not just for the Board and owner involved, but the community at large. It is not surprising: making an owner do something with their property that they do not want to do seems to bring out a level of stubbornness you rarely see outside of politics.

The Covenants Versus the Code: From enticing code enforcement officers to enforce violations in the community to ensuring that a community association satisfies all maintenance requirements, managing an association’s relationship with the county can be a difficult job.

How to Create a Championship Team for a Community Association: Football season might be over, but the work isn’t done. Whether your team had a great year or a terrible one, a good coach is always looking ahead to the next season. One of the biggest concerns in preparation for the next year is to draft players that will shore

Confusing Maintenance Responsibility with Insurance Requirements: I was once approached by the property manager of a condominium association with a simple question: “there is a leaky pipe between two units in the condominium and the Board wants to know who has to repair it.” A quick review of the covenants showed that the pipe was almost certainly the maintenance responsibility