Thankless Job

I know it's a cliche but I never believed it until now. Our condo community was poorly run for about a decade (both financially and with regard to maintenance). We were nearly in bankruptcy a couple of years ago with our property falling apart but voted out the Board who had done all of this and started trying to turn things around. The issue is that we have always had a very small, but VERY vocal group of residents who harass every Board and property manager. Because of this, we have very little Board continuity. Our current Board was elected at the beginning of 2019 and we have attempted to turn things around. We put together a complete, accurate budget for the first time in the recent history of our community and we try to do everything the right way. We keep an eye on the budget, we fix anything the HOA is responsible for properly instead of doing multiple band-aid repairs and send out a newsletter monthly, which has also never been done. We also started enforcing the by-laws as to alterations to common areas, which people were not used to. They had been doing whatever they wanted for years without permission. Everything we have done is allowed within our governing documents and all violation letters are accompanied by photos and the relevant violation for reference. We also don't fine initially and give residents the opportunity to complete an ACC form retroactively. We've done this because these outdoor additions aren't being properly cared for and our finances don't allow for the HOA to bear the burden of taking over their maintenance.

One of the individuals who received a violation was, unbeknownst to us, the son of one of the perpetually disgruntled residents that I referenced above. The violation was not in dispute and it has been corrected. This resident has now riled up the rest of his group, leading to months of harassing emails (I won't get into the details here but we had to involve our attorney to get them to stop because it was so over the top) and now they are sending out emails to residents claiming that they are collecting information for an attorney for a possible class action suit against the Board. This is being done anonymously but given other information that has made it's way back to me, we're fairly certain it's this group of people. My neighbors are begging me to remain on the Board but this is just too much. Our Board struggles to maintain the minimum required number and if I quit, the board will dissolve. It's just so frustrating and upsetting to try to do the right thing and be attacked. I've had to call the police on the resident in question and install cameras. I used to walk around the neighborhood but I no longer feel safe. I'm not a delicate flower by any stretch but this has just been relentless.

Serving on a board in an historically badly run community is such a tough thing to do to begin with and then to be expected to, as a volunteer, deal with this is too big of an ask. I know there people on this message board who have served for years and years and my hat is off to you. Sorry to ramble but I needed to vent. In conclusion, your board members are also your neighbors and are usually doing their best in a difficult situation. Unless you're willing to serve yourself, please be nice!

Stacy,
I think I can speak for many other Board members when I say that we have all had the same thoughts as you have written. Your subject line is exactly right. I have been on Boards for 10 years now and it has been the longest Rollercoaster of a ride. When things get done and the Community see it they normally say nothing. When something gets missed or when they get a violation letter for them not following the rules they argue that the World is on Fire. This was bad 10 years ago and only gets worse with Social Media giving them a place to vent and others to hop on the wagon.

I would not blame anyone for not wanting to continue. It is exactly what you said Thankless. The only thing that keeps me going is I know I can make a difference if I am on the Board. It is almost impossible if you are not on the Board to make things happen on a daily basis.

I hope you make the decision that makes your life complete. My last thought for you is if it is not You then Who? Things can always get worse.

All of your comments/points are well taken. Social media is definitely a problem. We had to close down our community Facebook page because these people were so disruptive (and our governing docs, which we're updating are too old to address the internet). Then they set up their own to breed their negativity. I've absorbed everything that's come at us for over a year & a half but this anonymous, lawsuit fishing just sent me over the edge. It's baseless but it still has to be dealt with and it is so frustrating. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Here's what I've learned.

The bullies and chronic complainers want two things: drama and an audience. We don't give them either one.

* We only respond to civil discourse. Everything else is ignored.

* No social media or interactive websites for the community. If the bad actors want to play to the masses, they'll have to work for it.

* We only communicate with this group in writing, briefly, factually, with no room for back and forth arguing. You're going for the most bland, boring communications you can come up with.

* No unscripted, off the cuff responses. This is how you can get sucked into emotional exchanges. "Thank you for your comments" is a complete response. Have a repertoire of similar bland comments.

* The board (and property manager if you have one) should present a united front. The bullies and complainers sometimes like to create divisions in the community or play one board member off against another. Keep alert for this kind of behavior. If you see it, discuss with the other board members and PM to reinforce your common response.

* In my experience, these folks tend to alienate a large part of the community. They're such a tight group because nobody else will deal with them. You want to direct your energies to the 95% of the community that isn't them. (It's not unusual for other homeowners to shut down the bad actors when they try to disrupt board meetings and the like).

* The board should be informed and competent so that they have confidence in their decisions. That way, if someone threatens to sue, you can say "bring it on" without worrying. But do make sure the association has adequate D&O insurance and that you personally have enough liability insurance to protect your personal assets. (Not everyone agrees with my position on personal liability insurance. You have to do what's best for you.)

* It's a matter of degrees, with some situations worse than others. For the "worse" end of the spectrum, there are laws against harassing behavior, defamation, and the like. If necessary and appropriate, take legal action against the bullies.
https://ohiocondolaw.com/article/verbal-abuse-of-a-board-member-should-not-be-tolerated/

I do agree that serving on a community association board can be a thankless task, even without bullies hammering on you. A thick skin will serve you well.