HOA Communications - The Management Filter

Our BOD Concept -

-All issues and communications are to be run through management company.
-BOD and ARB members are to have no "issues" contact with member homeowners.
-Member homeowners do not even have BOD phone numbers or addresses.

The Reasoning -

-They want to minimize any neighbor to neighbor conflict.

The problem -

-The association manager is droping the ball and the only time we have contact with the board is at the annual meeting.
-1/2 the BOD are non resident owners of rental properties.
-Board Elections are difficult because you don't know who is doing what.
-There is no publishing of the BOD or ARB minutes or finances on a monthly basis.
-The last online information is from FYE 2007
-Complaints about the management company would likely be filtered or spun to the BOD
-We brought up issues at our recent annual meeting and the BOD glazed over.

What is appropriate communications?

We are talking about the level of filter or insulation provide by the MC between the homeowners, and the BOD. I am really looking for some guiding philosophy. Obviously the BOD cannot be bothered with every little complaint of the homeowners but they should be able to be reached on designated issues.

Homeowners should know who is on the board, and their phone numbers or emails or such to be able to communicate.

Management should take care of...

- Recieve the dues and related questions
- Coordinated the contracted services and related questions
- Pay the bills and those related questions.
- Enforce Rules and CCR decisions and be ready to and answer some questions
- Here and communicate general questions regarding HOA affairs

However BOD communication need to include:

- Welcome new members to the community and answer any questions
- Communicate HOA issues, solicit, obtain and evaluate homeowner opinions.
- Inform community of open or needed position on committees or BOD.
- Answer questions regarding comminity issues not answered sufficiently.
- Attempt to settle conflicts when possible between neighbors.
- Hear appeals to board or committee decisions as needed.
- Hear complaints or issues related to the management company.

Communication issues should be addressed in the BOD job descriptions being set by BOD and President.
These issues should be communciated to the homeowners so they new who to contact regarding issues such as
architectural issues, lawn and yard issues, maintenance, payments, other CCR questions.

Any thoughts

What is appropriate communications?

It is courteous and nice for Board Members to discuss issues with Homeowners one-on-one without making any promises or agreements. But some Board Members are busy or lazy so it is appropriate for them to redirect a Homeowner to the MC. Board Members aren't under any obligation to listen to Homeowners outside a meeting ... although it is a nice thing to do. The Board's power to limit the behavior of individual Board Members is limited, too; a Board can forbid the Board Member from making promises and agreements but probably cannot forbid them from meeting and listening to Homeowners.

Board Members are responsible for overseeing the MC and it is allowed for Boards to require all communication to go through the MC. As you say, the danger is that the MC will spin or fail to transmit the information. But that's the Board's choice, not the Homeowner's. Some Boards (and their individual Board Members) are too sloppy or lazy to care if the MC is withholding or spinning information. You can try to approach them outside the meeting but, if you're rebuffed, you can't make them listen to you.

Some (maybe even many) MCs are so corrupt and unethical that they'll spin or quash complaints about management. If the Board doesn't care, you really have no recourse except to elect a Board that will care. If the Board does care, the Board can take steps to allow direct communications with Board Members.

If your Board is totally whipped by your MC, the Board might be afraid to do anything. You can try to convince them that the MC works for the Board, not the other way around. If they don't believe you, maybe circulating a petition to fire the MC or replace the Board will get you some decent management.

William,

You (meaning every concerned member) need to "somehow" let the board know that you have some concerns you would like to have the board address but the MC does not respond to messages. Is there some other way we can communicate with the board or can the board require the MC to answer our messages? As a last resort, if you know where one of the board members lives perhaps you can pay him/her a visit and let them know of the MC's actions, or I should say "inactions".