Harassment complaint

Sounds like quite a thorny problem Kathy. I feel like I'm able to helpful if I know more about your HOA, OK? How many are on the board? How many homes? detached or condos?

Do you know what's motivating the group to constantly attack the Board? Do you know how many actually are involved?

What do the following quotes mean, Kathy? I don't quite get it. "Refusal of committee heads (2) to communicate respectfully to members. Refusal from this group to speak to Treasurer/assistant."

Our attorney refers to these folks as "vocational dissidents", most communities have them, and HOA boards are a favorite target.

Right now this group is in control, and the board needs to take back control of the interactions. Your job will be to discredit them, and fortunately they will discredit themselves if you play your cards right. Your main weapons are transparency and controlled communications.

* Make it obvious that the board and committees are doing everything by the book (and clean up your acts if you need to). A website and regularly published newsletter will be very helpful, since the rest of the community can see that the complainers are spreading wrong information. Toot your horns regularly about all of the good things that are happening. But avoid social media or interactive sites like the plague since it will give the bad actors a platform - if they want to spread their nonsense around, they can do it on their own dime and their own time. All HOA communications should be one way, informational only.

* You'll also need to change how you interact with this group. They're looking for conflict, controversy and drama - don't give it to them. Your communications with them need to be brief, factual, and the most boring communications in the history of the world. No back and forth arguing, no explaining. They want info, you provide it, done. Changing how you communicate can take some doing, but it's important. If you don't allow them to suck you into their drama nine times in a row but you slip on the tenth time, you've just shown them that they have to act up ten times to get what they want.

When we were dealing with our group, I created some short, bland and boring scripts for us to use as needed. We board members and PM often reviewed these to keep them fresh in our minds. The main trick was to never get pulled into unscripted interactions. Any association business was communicated through official channels only. If I'd bump into one of these folks in the community, it was "hey, how are you, oh is that the time, gotta run". It took us about a year and a half before the group finally gave up, but they did calm down.

Kathy,

The best way I can think of in handling these issues is to be transparent.

Newsletter articles - A group of residents brought a bylaw proposal to the board to abc. In reviewing the proposed amendment with legal counsel, it was determined that such an amendment would be unenforceable. Therefore, the board will not bring the issue to the membership.

All board meetings are open to members. Our current schedule is: dates/time/location

You may have heard about the following accusations: These are simply inaccurate and anyone can verify the inaccuracy by reviewing meeting minutes available on our website.

Note: if committee heads are not communicating respectfully - they need to be talked to and, if necessary, removed. Agree or disagree with a point of view - one needs to be respectful when they are in these positions.

Gosh, I wish it were unit owners doing that to me. But it's .. fellow Board members.