Board won't listen to HO

Jane, I pray that your PIA board member or members hit possible foreclosure.. or a quick sale.. lol. I feel your pain and frustration.

The ONLY way to change the boards mind set is to change the board. I did alot of campaigning for the seat that I have on our HOA. Our current president was voted on for term #8.. yes that is right 8 but only got on by 1 vote, one of the other people who was the majority previously didn't make it this time and the king pin of our Board who just put his unit u.. what all this is trying to say is.. THE HOMEOWNERS ARE THE ONE'S WITH THE POWER NOT THE BOARD. If things are so corrupt.. make it public, knock on doors and get them ousted. Our docs require 51% of the homeowners to vote any board member out of thier position. Read your docs.. and get knocking.

It's been very difficult getting people to meetings. Any meeting, especially when CA CC 1363.05(f) regarding notice of meetings is being ignored. The annual members meeting and election had exactly two homeowners show. A small group of neighbors has been working to replace board members, one board member at a time, there have been associations that have had recalls and ended up far worse. The situation here is so bad, management so rude, that one of 'the good guys' couldn't take it anymore and resigned before he started beating his wife. The power is in the hands of the homeowners and they won’t take it. There is an attitude if they leave me alone, I don’t wanna git involved.

We’re a relatively small community and I doubt anyone would be disturbed 24/7, although I imagine it could happen in larger communities. Set ground rules, no calls after 9:00 PM, use email if you have it. I have to agree, it is a thankless job. The problems I had while on the board were from the other board members and their weird mind-set, not the homeowners.

I admit I’m tired of it. No one will come to a meeting or contact the board or management regarding these issues. Maybe I'll just wait for the lawsuit to get their attention, it's been threatened more than once. Wish I could just move like many others.

I’m spending more time now keeping up with CA legislation, the “wonderful” (said with plenty of sarcasm) California Law Revision Committee, and writing letters. So while we’re at it, write your CA reps and object to CA AB 1921, the useless rewrite of the flawed Davis-Stirling Act.

Thanks,
Jane

If you can visualize a pyramid: the Homeowners should be at the bottom, as the widest base, the next level is committees (with both Board and HO members comprising the committees); then the last level, the Board, makes up the last level.

The flow of ideas and input should come from the bottom level, the largest. These views and comments from the homeowners feed the next level: the committees. The committees then feed the Board and the Board makes the final decision about the issue.

It's too bad when homeowners feel that they have to talk directly to Board members to get any action. There should be "buffers and clarifiers" inbetween the board and the homeowners.

Encourage strong committee structures in your HOA. Getting more people involved at the committee levels will be the way to bring ideas to the Board for final approval, especially those decisions like what color to paint the clubhouse or if there should be speed bumps on the roads.

‘"buffers and clarifiers" inbetween the board and the homeowners.’

Susan, I have to disagree with you on that one. Remember in grade school, the teacher would whisper something to one student and that student whisper it to another and so on… remember how it ended? Once it’s filtered through management it is gobbledygook. But you are right about ideas and input coming from homeowners.

Form committees?!?!? Get them to a meeting?!?!? Surely you jest!

Anna, you are to be admired, but look out, it may get to you like it did our board member who resigned. They are not former, they are current board members, still using and abusing. One person cannot stop them.

As I said, I think I’ll just wait for the lawsuit.

Jane

This topic is quite interesting. I would suspect that every property has a different story. I am sure there are Boards that abuse there power, make deals not serving their properties and do not act in the best interest of the properties. I am also sure that some Board's do their best to maintain and improve their properties and even though there are always some small group that remains unhappy. Sometimes former Board members who lost their positions, some wanna-be Board members who can't seem to find the votes to win a Board position.

I would suspect some of the Boards acting badly are due to lack of knowledge, or an inability to handle the job of a Board while others are just dishonest self serving individuals. You can't understand the actual amount of effort required to do the work necessary to maintain a property useless you have a) held a Board position and b) actually become involved in working on the Board. Many Board members show up at the monthly meeting under the impression that this is all that is required. Hardly.

I myself have served on our Board for 20+ years. Secretary, Board member, Treasurer and now President for the last 5 years. In our case we have a collection of former Board members, and disgruntled unit owners who will never be satisified unless they can question and discredit the decisions and actions of the Board.

The former President was voted out of office when she missed more meetings then made. Seeking re-election she recieved 6 votes out of more then 130. But today she constantly questions each and every decision the Board makes regarding a budget which today exceeds $300,000 per year. This same woman was on the verge of filing for bankrupcy protection but now claims SHE can oversee the operation of our property.Funny how she can't handle her own finances but now suggests she can handle the property's.

Over the last 5 years property values have gone up 50%. The reserves have been increased by more then 5 times. We have spent more then $200,000 on projects to improve the property. And the unit values in this down market have reached all time highs. But some still can find problems.

One resident complained as to the cost of an electric repair done to restore service to one of our buildings. She thought all the unit owners should be asked if spending this money was ok before the work was done and while people were without electric! We have 130+ unit owners all over the country and she thought mailing out a request for approval was the way to go. How do you discuss serious issues when some people can't find their way to the simpliest of answers? Perhaps this might lead to Board members not being willing to waste more time discussing issues which clearly some people can't comprehend.

The vast majority of unit owners understand the function of the Board. In our case it is a small group that wishes to question the actions of the Board not in any attempt to protect or imrpove the property but rather to prove their point that perhaps something is being doen wrong or incorrectly.

I would issue one word of caution to those so willing to throw out or replace their Boards. If it is the case that you yourself have never held a position on the Board your knowledge and ability of the Board's duties and efforts just might be a shock to you. Be careful what you wish for perhaps you or those who profess to have all the answers just might fall way short of your percieved abilities. You might even fall short of the abilitie of your current Board.

In my case I understand that for some no matter what you do it will never be enough. Their goal is to find fault and to suggest that THEY could do it better. I don't see much reason in trying to convince them otherwise. They have no desire nor ability to do so. I can use that time in a more productive manner.

How sad this is but maybe it will take a lawsuit for everyone to get involved. I am in situation about parking that is clearly stated in black and white. The board just wants to enforce on me. I have fought tooth and nail to let everyone know this is wrong and the board, like many others, spent in excess of $8,000. on useless letters from their lawyers trying to make me move. We have had a ammendment vote to change the CCR to include my vehicle. The members did not pass it but the next month the board sent out a letter with proper notice and made the exact same docuement a rule because as the email states" We do not even need member approval" Since then I have $1,100.00 in fines. We have done IDR and just requested ADR but the boards attorney sent a letter stating that they will be the reps for the board. That defeats the purpose doesnt it? I also in the past week have an email from the prez and another from the sec. saying that this is all my fault that they spent all the money. All I have to do is park where they want me to and this will all go away. They only resolution I think is a legal battle. I know this will bring them into the situation but darn it they should have been involved when I asked them before. They did all write letters in my favor and I have copies for case. Some said please wait and we will just get a new board in Oct and we will wipe your slate clean but I am done and I will going to sign the paperwork with the my attorney this week to proceed with a harassment suit against all the board, which will include all members. My board refuses to stop because they say that they rule by majority rule not law. They are in for a rude awakening. Jane I hope you don't give up! You have taught me soooo much through your postings. Fight on!!! I will let keep updating as this battle continues.