The Business Office

I asked before concerning the rules/regs for the pool, etc. and received valuable input from you all. Now, this question pertains to a business office... It is possible that many and maybe no other HOA has a business office within their clubhouse. We have one. It is not much... but it is a small room and has some desks in it. Owners are allowed to use it.. Unfortunately, there has not been any established rules that owners are to follow if they go into that room and do studying, or whatever. Thus, if any HOA out there has one, what type of rules do you have for its use?

It is a single room...has two desks in it and 2 chairs. It is accessible from the pool ..... from the workout room... it has a door that one opens and enters that one small room. It has nothing to do with state statutes....The CC&Rs do not mention this room.

Alex

Designate it as BOD Office and give BOD Members a key.

John: Brilliant idea.. I will present that to the Board tomorrow.

PLUS:

Get an 'Association Computer'.

NO MORE WORK FROM HOME

'Old' BOD are NOT allowed (key change annually) access.

My HOA actually HAS an office inside the clubhouse.

As usual, Alex won't tell us why he needs this room locked to keep out most owners. Or why he needs rules.

If directors need to use it as an office, I'd put a sign on a bracket on the outside of it that can be reversed to show when the room is available and when it's not. How many directors are there?

As a director, I would not use it because of some binders that I might want to refer to and other hard files that are in my condo desk.

and again... This needs rules? I can see if the HOA pays for the internet in the room. The HOA doesn't want any porn viewing. Otherwise, has there been a problem? If there was, why can't the police be called and person charged with Vandalism?

We did not have rules persae in the past and when it was used, it was for a short time. We did not anticipate anyone taking over the place. This one owner did take it over and says he has every right to do so.. He is running a business out of that room and for that reason, we put it in the hands of our attorney but as of yet, the attorney has not gotten back to us.

Well that is an isolated case. Plus you can report the use as a business to the IRS. They can't claim that space on their taxes. It's not leased to them.

As far as them having a right to use it, I agree with them. They are paying for that room along with ALL the other members. So I don't see where it is right to close it off to other. Just maybe should "rent" time out in it if anything. Otherwise, I don't see where it matters except in these isolated cases of exclusive use for a business. Which should already be in your HOA documents that one can't use their home as a business. (I.E. the type of business one puts a "Shingle" out like Doctor. etc...)

Say, Alex, by "running a business," do you mean customers or clients are visiting him? Or do you mean he's taken over a desk or both desks and uses them all day every day? Does he store his office items in the room? Or is there some other behavior that keeps other out?

If he uses one desk, does he keep other residents out? Or could they use the other desk? I'm trying to understand why you need to pay an attorney. Your board can make rules about this room, say, use is limited to xx hours a day, or ???. The thing is how to enforce? You could have a reservations system, but that seems extreme for such a small room. Just how small is it?

Our common areas may only be used for "the meeting and entertainment of others." So, for instance, my spouse & I signed the closing escrow docs in our Conference Room; HOA committees meet in it; residents do seem to occasionally meet with say 6-8 work colleagues for a few hour. Our Lounges, kinda like small clubhouses, I guess, must be rented for any groups who want to guarantee they have it for themselves.

A resident once tried to meet with clients in one of our lounges and that was quickly halted after our security guys noticed she was there so often for long periods.