What if no one will become a Board Member?

I've been the president of our 10 unit condo association (in Washington state)for 6 of the 8.5 years I've lived here and want to resign. I stayed on the last 2 years because there wasn't even 1 person that was interested in being a Board member. I'm 62 and got laid off from work last year and still looking for a job. I need to focus on MY problems for awhile. I've tried delegating, but it doesn't work. We had a small recycling bin by our mail box to put circulars, etc. in but no one would empty it so I just finally took it away. No response. Now we are having major problems with a homeowner who "thinks" her deck isn't repaired properly and demands we redo it a different way. I won't go into all the details unless you need them (would take 2 pages), but it sounds like she's trying to make me and the vice president responsible. I'm just done with all this. It's constant and I'm tired of handling all these problems with no help. I had a mandatory meeting to talk about this and get feedback from the other homeowners, but of course no one had any advice. Sorry to make this so long, but I wanted to give you a little history so you don't think I'm just a deadbeat. I want to resign next month (would like to do it right now, but...) and I'm afraid no one will step up. What then? What does an association do when no one will be the Board member? The VP is quitting with me. She's been a Board member on and off for 25 years. If I quit, do I still have to be involved with past problems like this? There's a new problem pretty much every week. The person (regarding the deck) has mental problems so she blows everything out of proportion and then demands that we handle it her way. Her deck was fixed the way all of our other ones that needed repair was fixed. It took 2 months for us to work around her to fix her deck. I need to look for a job and not spend any more time fixing already repaired decks, etc. So, my question is the above. What happens if I quit and no one becomes a Board member? Thanks for your help.

Judie

Thanks, Tim. I'll look at those sites right now. The $50 grand a year won't work because we just don't have that kind of money. We're only 10 units. I can go ahead and scare them a little but none of us can afford that kind of money. We really can't even afford a property management, which still requires us to have a Board. Good luck with your problems! Wish I would have bought a cute little cottage in the country.

Judie, look at this from the opposite side...

you have 10 units. From what you have said, 10% of those units are problem children. 20% of those units are tired of being the punching bag for the problem 10%. And 70% of the units don't care what happens, as long as they don't have to listen, act, pay or get involved.

My suggestion, keep the job as President. Tell the 10% owner to go take a long walk off a short pier, and run the HOA as you want (just don't do anything completely illegal). It's pretty much a given that 70% of the owners don't care about what happens, so.. why bother getting headaches to please the 10%? Pretend you are the last little piggie, safe and secure in your brick house, and let that stupid blowhard blow and blow and blow outside.

Either your blood pressure will decrease, or, the other owners will get all up at arms and involved, and you can then tell them "Here, now that you are interested, the job is yours". But until then, have fun! Ignore the troublemaker. Make paper airplanes out of his complaints, and fly them to your VP at a board meeting. Remind the troublemaker that she has two minutes to speak, and while she does, hum a song to yourself. Put on headphones. Watch a clip on Youtube. Bring a crayon, and color in a coloring book (one of my favorites, it really hacks off people). Practice saying this "Thank you for your comments. The board has no input at this time, but we will consider the words you used and the situation you described for potential further action."

And if you are feeling particularly devilish, Add "Oh wait, I AM the board. No I won't. And you can't make me."

I know nothing about the property, but if the HOA is responsible for repairs to common elements, then I would press the HOA to repair common elements. If an HOA contractor messed up something that damaged my property, I would want that contractor to pay for the repairs. If i did the damage, or if the element was mine, then I should be responsible.

I am a big believer in both sides holding up their end of the contract.

And you are indeed right... if, through whatever set of reasons, the association must spend an extra $XXX not budgeted for, then all the members get to ante up. You don't get a bye just because the flood hit your house too, or the smoke damaged your roof. Sorry, that's communal living.