Author Archives: Joanna Rojas

How Bad HOA and Condo Boards Hurt Themselves: Expert Community Managers Offer “Tough Love” Your Board Can’t Afford to Ignore [HOAleader.com Webinar]

How Bad HOA and Condo Boards Hurt Themselves: Expert Community Managers Offer “Tough Love” Your Board Can’t Afford to Ignore

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, April 18, 2024
2-3 p.m. Eastern

Free Member Webinar
Members can register for this event at no cost by clicking register now.
Not a member yet?
Just sign up for a free 7-day trial, and then register here.

Community managers Katie Anderson and Brad van Rooyen have nearly 40 years of expertise in the industry and own their own firms. And they recently told HOAleader.com that they have fired more condo and HOA boards in the past year than they ever have.

“We have condos in our area that can’t find a manager who’ll work with them,” says van Rooyen. “They’re self-managing because they have no other choice.”

“I have a feeling these associations are going to crush the industry,” he adds. “Nobody’s going to want to go into the association management industry. That will make property values go down. And it will cause legislation governing condos and HOAs to become more draconian and regulatory than it already is.”

Don’t get Anderson and van Rooyen wrong—they love their work, and they love their clients—the ones they keep. They say there are many, many good board members out there. But a few bad apples on a board can ruin things for the whole community, and if that happens, your condo or HOA could be forced to manage itself or forced to pay a fortune to get a manager who’ll tolerate the damage those few leaders heap on the manager.

The good news is that these pros have offer tough love that will help you operate your community smarter and with less conflict, get the best work out of your manager without paying a fortune, and deal effectively with those board members who could do lasting damage to your community.

Join us for this webinar and you’ll learn:

  • The types of lawsuits they’re seeing more frequently among their clients, and the board actions that trigger those lawsuits
  • How the spike in lawsuits costs condo and HOA board members more stress and their communities more money
  • The growth in recall votes and contested elections they’re both experiencing among their clients and the lessons for board members nationwide
  • Why you should work hard to avoid these problems (spoiler alert: They damage property values for everyone in the condo or HOA)
  • What you can reasonably expect from your managers, the services that will cost more—and the types of requests that are so unreasonable that managers will decline to renew your contract or even fire your community as a client
  • The concrete steps your board can take today to reduce your risk of lawsuits, recalls, and ugly, contested elections
  • Tips for effectively curbing the damage done by board members with an agenda that’s not in the best interest of the community

In just one hour, you’ll understand the changes your community could face in the future and hear actionable information you can use to best position your community for a smooth and successful future. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.

Condo/HOA Leader Do’s and Don’ts: The Roles and Duties of the HOA President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director [HOAleader.com webinar]

Condo/HOA Leader Do’s and Don’ts: The Roles and Duties of the HOA President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, March 14, 2024
2-3 p.m. Eastern

Free Member Webinar
Members can register for this event at no cost by clicking register now.
Not a member yet?
Just sign up for a free 7-day trial, and then register here.

Let’s first say thank you for volunteering to lead your condo or HOA, whether you’re president, a board member, or serving in another role. It’s a hard job, and you’re making your community a better place to live with your efforts.

But do you know exactly what you’re supposed to be doing—and not doing—in your leadership role? Have you read the job description (have you seen one?)? Do you know what the law requires of you? Do you know what actions would be considered overstepping your role?

We’ve got you covered. Join us for a March 14 webinar to hear two experienced community association lawyers walk you through:

  • The difference between a condo/HOA director and an officer
  • The role and authority of a condo/HOA president
  • What a condo/HOA treasurer is responsible for, particularly if your management company handles your community’s financials
  • The duties of a condo/HOA secretary
  • What’s expected of a condo/HOA director at large
  • Where vice presidents fit into condos/HOAs
  • What to know if you’re a committee chair or member
  • Your board’s authority to create additional officer positions
  • Why some officers may have special voting or veto rights
  • Can—and should—your members hold multiple offices at the same time?
  • The election and removal of officers, when members refuse an office, and resignation of an officer position
  • Where condo/HOA leaders overstep their authority and where they don’t step up but should
  • What can happen to you if you don’t do your job or you go rogue?

In just 60 minutes, you’ll get job descriptions and tips for effectively carrying out your obligations as a leader in your community. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.

HOAleader.com Webinar: How to Protect Yourself and HOA from the Neighborhood Sociopath

How to Protect Yourself and HOA from the Neighborhood Sociopath

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, February 15, 2024
2-3 p.m. Eastern

Free Member Webinar
Members can register for this event at no cost by clicking register now.
Not a member yet?
Just sign up for a free 7-day trial, and then register here.

There seems to be no easing of the tension and aggression at condos and HOAs, and some of it has even tragically resulted in violence. And even if they’re not outwardly violent, the owners and residents who show contempt for and consistently disregard your HOA’s rules can make your life miserable.

One in 25 people is a sociopath, or a person who regularly exhibits asocial or antisocial behavior. Sociopaths look like your everyday neighbors, but they can be scary and intimidating—and they can turn your HOA into a battleground.

Join us for an insightful webinar on February 15 on how to wisely and safely handle the most difficult owners and residents you’ll ever face, led by two community association experts with decades of hands-on experience in advising associations.

You’ll learn:

  • The basics about sociopaths and persons with antisocial personality disorder and why their behavior is particularly destructive in a community association
  • Common types of sociopaths, along with what motivates them
  • The sociopaths you may encounter as a board member based on real-life examples, such as an owner who’s a member a sovereign citizens movement and doesn’t recognize any authority, including your HOA
  • Tips to help you tackle the difficult task of identifying sociopaths, whether they’re owners or fellow board members
  • Practical information to help you respond constructively to the actions of sociopaths you can’t ignore, including things you should be especially concerned about in dealing with sociopaths
  • Information you can use to protect yourself and your HOA
  • And much more!

In just 60 minutes, you’ll hear valuable information you can use now to be smarter when it comes to lessening the damage caused by the most difficult owners, residents, and board members. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.

HOAleader.com Offers New Webinar on How to Read and Understand Condo/HOA Financial Statements

How to Read Your Association’s Financial Reports (and Fulfill Your Fiduciary Duty)

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, January 18, 2024
2-3 p.m. Eastern

Free Member Webinar
Members can register for this event at no cost by clicking register now.
Not a member yet?
Just sign up for a free 7-day trial, and then register here.

Nobody expects you, as a board member, to be a CPA or a super-high-level financial whiz. But to fulfill your fiduciary duties, you do need to be able to understand your association’s financial statements, ask good questions about its financial status, and spot potential problems.

And in the past four years, these skills have become all the more complicated by the financial stressors COVID-19 placed on you, combined with the hyper-focus on deferred maintenance that has emerged in the wake of the Surfside, Fla., condo collapse—along with today’s stubborn inflation.

This webinar, led by two community association management experts, will help get you there. These two veteran industry leaders will cover:

  • The major financial reports for community associations and what each shows you, from balance sheet and cash flow to bank statements, check stubs, and credit card statements
  • Common issues that arise throughout the year, such as what to do when your budget varies from its original figures
  • The difference between cash and accrual accounting and why it matters
  • How condo/HOA finances have changed for communities in times of COVID, including new budget line items you should consider
  • How to spot potential fraud (Hint: You need to look not just at bank statements but also financial reports, for instance)
  • The role of your advisors:
    • Bookkeeper and CPA (is every bookkeeper a CPA? Is every CPA a bookkeeper? Does it matter?)
    • Banker
    • Manager
    • Attorney
    • Tax advisor
  • Other financial professionals you might want to consider adding to your team, along with where to draw lines between the advisors’ roles)
  • What you need to know to understand investment reports and reserve reports
  • The differences when it comes to financials for self-managed HOAs
  • Recordkeeping: What’s public, what gets shared with members, what just gets summarized, and what doesn’t get shared at all?

In just one hour, you’ll get the information you need to begin confidently reviewing financial reports for your association and identifying when something doesn’t seem right. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.

HOAleader.com Webinar: The 9 Most Pressing Issues for Condo/HOA Boards In the New Year

The 9 Most Pressing Issues for Condo/HOA Boards In the New Year

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, December 14, 2023
2:00-3:30 p.m. Eastern

Free Member Webinar
Members can register for this event at no cost by clicking register now.
Not a member yet?
Just sign up for a free 7-day trial, and then register here.

You never, ever know with certainty the challenges that will suddenly upend your carefully prepared plans. Even so, the best-run boards will prepare their condo/HOA for the issues their community is most likely to face in the coming year.

We can help you identify and prepare for the challenges of 2024. Join us for a must-attend webinar on December 14. You’ll hear three community association experts with decades of experience discuss the trends they expect to be front and center in 2024, along with what you need to know to ensure you’re ahead of the curve instead of constantly putting out fires.

Here are just six of the hot topics our experts are tracking for their clients:

  • The surprise burden of the Corporate Transparency Act—Odds are lawmakers had no idea this law would have the sweeping effects on condos/HOAs that it does, but its scope is so broad
  • Setting boundaries with the growing group of agitated and angry owners—what you can and should do to protect you and your fellow board members, along with what probably won’t work or won’t fly
  • How you can shift risk—more and more condos and HOAs are focusing on insurance and indemnity clauses in contracts as a means to lessen their potential legal liability
  • Consumer bankruptcies on the rise—What should you expect for your community when it comes to regular assessments and special assessments when a growing number of your owners file for bankruptcy
  • Decision 2024: To allow or to not allow political signs—The latest in disputes we’re seeing over political signs and how you can act now to tamper down tension in your community
  • The feds are still focused on your reserves and structural soundness—Federal agencies haven’t let up in terms of the requirements imposed in the wake of the condo collapse in Surfside, Fla.

In 90 information-packed minutes, you’ll get the information you need to ensure that 2024 is your association’s best and most positive year ever. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.

Modifying Your Condo/HOA Governing Documents: When It’s Necessary and How to Accomplish it With Less Stress (HOAleader.com Webinar)

Modifying Your Condo/HOA Governing Documents: When It’s Necessary and How to Accomplish It With Less Stress

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, November 16, 2023
2-3 p.m. Eastern

If you’re like most condo/HOA board members, when you’ve read your declaration, your bylaws, or some other governing document, you’ve thought: “Wait, that can’t be right.”

Perhaps your documents are so out of date they mention things you legally can’t do these days, such as prohibit ownership based on race or ban all signs or flags or satellite dishes.

Or perhaps your community has morphed, and you’d like to modify some of the documents to permit owners more latitude or to restrict owners’ rights. Parking, rentals, and pets are all hot-button issues today, and your documents may need to be updated to reflect that.

Or maybe you need to change your documents to remove provisions you don’t enforce and that you and your owners would prefer you not enforce anymore.

Whatever the challenge with your documents, it’s important to ensure that any changes you make are done purposefully and properly.

Join us for a foundational webinar on November 16 for an A-to-Z guide on what to know if you’re considering modifying your governing documents. You’ll hear from two community association lawyers with extensive hands-on experience advising associations.

You’ll learn:

  • How to identify what should be changed in your governing documents and what’s probably not ideal but perhaps not critical to change
  • Specific examples of red light, yellow light, and green light provisions that you must change, that you probably should change, and that you can probably live with
  • General requirements for changing each of the documents in the hierarchy in governing documents, from your declaration to your bylaws down to your rules
  • A step-by-step overview of the process to follow in modifying governing documents, including timelines (spoiler alert: the timeline can be long!)
  • Tips for educating your owners on why changes are necessary and getting their buy-in when their approval is required
  • Best practices for passing amendments to your governing documents
  • Tips to make the entire effort less daunting, less time-consuming, and less contentious
  • And much more!

In just 60 minutes, you’ll hear the most important information you need to assess and update your governing documents to make your job and your owners’ lives better. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.


HOAleader.com Offers New Webinar on Condo/HOA Rules Enforcement

Enforcement of Your HOA’s Rules: How to Create Enforceable Rules, Effective Fines, and a Fair Violation Process

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, October 12, 2023
2-3 p.m. Eastern

Enforcing your condo or HOA’s rules doesn’t have to be a pitched, tense, and unpleasant battle between your board and your homeowners. With some smart planning, you can make enforcing your HOA’s rules quicker, easier, and less stressful.

Join us for an in-depth webinar on October 12 led by two community association experts who have decades of hands-on experience in advising associations on how to create and enforce rules and insights on the day-to-day operations of rules enforcement. You’ll get up-to-date practical ideas, systems, and processes you can begin to take advantage of at your association the minute the webinar ends.

You’ll learn:

  • The role of the lowly rule in HOAs, being less powerful than a CC&R or a bylaw, but easier to implement than provisions in those weightier documents
  • How to determine the steps you need to follow to create enforceable rules
  • Tips for identifying what you can handle with a rule and what you should never try to accomplish through a rule
  • How fines fit into rulemaking, including how to set an effective fine amount and how to know when you’ve gone too far with a fine
  • The steps you need to take to create an effective violation system — from notice of a violation to providing a meaningful right for owners to state their defense at a fair hearing
  • Insights into rules you’ll never be able to enforce and fines that’ll fall short of their goal to curb repeated violations
  • Suggestions to help you avoid the most common mistakes boards make creating and enforcing their rules
  • And much more!

In just 60 minutes, you’ll gain practical, valuable tools you can use right away to make your rules more enforceable and your violation process more fair. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.


HOA Reserves and Other Funding Options: Tips for Everyday Smart Money Management [HOAleader.com Webinar]

HOA Reserves and Other Funding Options: Tips for Everyday Smart Money Management

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023
2-3 p.m. Eastern

Money is one of the most contentious issues you’ll manage at your HOA. There’s always an owner—or many—who’ll challenge your financial decisions. Whether it’s how much money to collect from owners in assessments, how much money to spend on maintenance and repairs, or how much money to set aside in your reserves for those inevitable projects, your actions will be put under a microscope.

Keep calm and join our webinar for vital information on how you can effectively fund your association’s reserves in one-hour webinar on September 14 led by three community association experts—one a manager, one a lawyer, and one a reserves analyst.

They’ll explain what you need to know about HOA reserves and other funding mechanisms. They’ll also reveal the smartest moves you can make to ensure your HOA can pay for needed maintenance and repair projects and everyday HOA operations.

You’ll learn:

  • The role of reserves at an HOA, including the new three-part test defining what’s appropriate to fund through reserves
  • How state laws differ in requirements for reserves, ranging from states that don’t have any laws specifically governing HOA reserves to those that require reserve studies or certain reserve levels—and states in between that permit HOAs to not fund reserves if owners approve such a move
  • What you should know about reserve and money management to ensure you meet your fiduciary duties and responsibilities
  • When and how to conduct a reserve study
  • The consequences of underfunding reserves
  • How to help your owners take their focus off the goal of “low monthly assessments”
  • Pros and cons of various funding mechanisms: budgeted contributions, one-time special assessments, and loans
  • The most common mistakes boards make when funding HOA repair projects, whether through reserves or another funding method
  • And much more!

After just one hour, you’ll know the HOA industry’s best practices when it comes to money matters at your HOA. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.


How to Crack the Code on Media Strategy and Channel Mix [Strategic Health Care Marketing Webinar]

Strategic Health Care Marketing Logo

A new Strategic Health Care Marketing webinar for healthcare marketers and strategists

How to Crack the Code on Media Strategy and Channel Mix

WellSpan Health’s omnichannel media approach had a dramatic impact in a highly competitive marketplace. Learn how you can use intent-based planning to guide your media strategy and drive results.

Thursday    |   September 7, 2023    |   2 p.m. Eastern

Your Presenters:


First Threads. Then X. Media channels are multiplying and shape shifting every day, and consumers have ever-expanding options when it comes to where they spend their valuable time.

In such a fragmented media world, how do you decide where to invest, to ensure that your marketing campaigns connect with and engage your key target audience?

Intent-based planning and tools get to the root of consumers’ media choices. Which channels do they use? When is the best time to reach them? How do they make health care decisions?

WellSpan teamed up with SPM Marketing & Communications media experts to consolidate and coordinate its media strategy. Using data analytics, strategic audience-focused media plans, consistent optimization, and a robust measurement framework, WellSpan took on large academic medical centers in its local market and rose to the top.

Join us September 7 when our presenters will share how they embraced a fully integrated team approach to media strategy that enabled WellSpan to break through the noise — and how a strategic approach to media planning can help you achieve great results for your organization.

You’ll learn:

  • Which media channels are best for health care.
  • How to leverage consumer insights in your media planning.
  • How to balance digital and traditional media.
  • How to measure and report results.
  • Why an integrated approach is essential.

And much more! 


Webinar at a Glance

Date:   Thursday, September 7, 2023
Time:   2:00 P.M. Eastern, 1:00 P.M. Central, 12:00 P.M. Mountain, 11:00 A.M. Pacific
Duration:   60 Minutes
Cost:   This event is free to attend, thanks to our event sponsor.


Can’t attend on September 7?
Register now and get the webinar recording to view at your convenience.
Everyone who registers will be sent a link to the webinar recording after the event.


What Condo/HOA Boards Need to Know About Regulating Rentals [HOAleader.com Webinar]

Rentals in Your HOA or Condo Getting You Down? What Condo/HOA Boards Need to Know About Regulating Rentals

An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards

Thursday, August 17, 2023
2-3 p.m. Eastern

Travel is back! And guess where many travelers in the United States are staying? You’ve got it: In a short-term rental—perhaps one in your community, even.

But when you approach owners about the possibility, you’re told that nice lady who just moved into Owner Ollie’s unit is his cousin—wink, wink. And that family that rolled their luggage in Owner Ophelia’s unit last Thursday and rolled it back out Sunday night? They’re just friends! Nothing to see here!

Rentals are one of the toughest issues to control at HOAs, and they’ve become even more difficult to oversee with Americans traveling the country. What’s a responsible board to do?

Join us for a don’t-miss webinar on August 17 on how to create a smart—and enforceable—rental policy at your HOA. You’ll hear two community association lawyers with decades of hands-on experience in advising associations share their best advice on:

  • What to know about rentals in HOAs: Is it true they can lower property values? Or is that just an urban myth perpetuated by stuffy, get-off-my-lawn-type owners?
  • The pros and cons of creating rental restrictions in your community, including the biggie: How do we enforce it?
  • Factors to consider when you evaluate whether your HOA needs a change in policy—whether it’s going from a no-rental plan to permitting rentals or the other way around
  • What you need to know about the booming business of short-term rentals by homeowners
  • Provisions to include in a rental policy to ensure it’s reasonable and enforceable
  • Best practices for educating your community on your proposed rental policy so you can actually get it passed
  • How to monitor your owners’ activities to ensure they’re not violating your policy
  • Tips to make enforcement less daunting, time-consuming, and contentious, including smart ideas for fines that will deter and punish abusers
  • Suggestions for dealing with those violating your rules, whether they’re doing regular, annual leases or listing their property on Airbnb, VRBO, and other websites in violation of your rules
  • And much more!

In just 60 minutes, you’ll hear the most important information you need to assess and tweak your rental policy. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.