HOA board member tales Audio file for listening instead of reading.

There are many articles about homeowner Assocation’s actions that have reached the news media attention. Most are not very complimentary about HOA’s. Many involve boards abusing their power and overstepping their authority. We have lived in our community for seven years and the community has a HOA board with three volunteer members. Every year there is a homeowner meeting in the month of November. The purpose of the meeting is to elect new a new board member to replace the member whose term has expired. Also, next year’s budget is presented, and the past year’s events are covered.  

We moved in 2016 and for the next three years we experienced the difficulty the HOA has getting homeowners to step up and volunteer to become a board member. It is supposed to be an election but most years only one homeowner steps up and is appointed to the board by default. The complex was started in 1998 and is primarily filled by retired seniors or ones close to retirement. The favorite excuse is, “I have already served on the board, and I have fulfilled my duty.”  The 2020 meeting was the same and I finally volunteered because it appeared that no one was going to step up. I have over twenty years of management experience and I knew I could do the job. By default, I became a board member.     

My three-year term began in January 2021 as vice president since that was the position where the term was ending. In the three years I have copies of over 1,420 emails involving board business. I could write a very boring book covering everything that took place, but I am just going to cover some highlights.  

The first thing that happens is the property management company that the HOA has contracted announced on January twelfth we will be getting a new manager. Over the last years we have had many managers. The board has four board meetings throughout the year.  

The first board meeting of the year is January thirteenth, and we meet the new manager. I will call her manager A. There is an agenda for the meetings and additional items are discussed. I suggested that a “no outlet” sign be put in the entrance exit since the complex is an oval street and there is only one entrance exit. Since I suggested it I got the job of calling the city and requesting it. A month later the sign was installed by the city.  

A month later Manager A sends an email and asks how things are going. I reply, “everything appears to be ok with me. 

There is an observation that I have had for a few years, and that is, it appears that the manager position changes quite often after a short period of time. Any thoughts on this?” 

The owner of the property management company responds. “Thank you for the reply and I certainly understand your concerns.  Human resources are our biggest challenge with property management and unfortunately your community has been the most affected. For historical sake, Ben was promoted to a dedicated manager position, which was a great promotion for him.  Bev, Brenda and Jordan were all terminated for not meeting our company or client standards.  During the reassignment period we have always tried to support the board and transition manager with myself or Jackie.  I know this causes much undo stress on the board and I truly appreciated the presidents help and working with me.  Manager A is a long-standing employee and a great manager which is why we assigned her to your account.  I think her longevity will prove to be much help for all of us.” 

The following nine months there was nothing significant happening. Financial approvals, repairs, maintenance, and homeowner issues were about all that happened. Then in October we will get a new manager. Apparently, Manager A was in an auto accident and unable to continue. We now have manager B.  

During that time, I put out feelers to find a new board member since I knew from past years that finding a homeowner to volunteer is a challenge. In October a homeowner steps up as the vice president only and I must become the president. At the November seventeenth homeowner meeting he is appointed.  

So, I am the president for the year 2022. The 2022 budget has been approved with a 10% increase in insurance and on December 30^st I am informed that our insurance will go up 45%! That destroys the 2022 budget, and I am told by the agent if we do not renew the forty-four homes will be without insurance come January first. What choice did I have? I had to approve and sign the insurance increase. What a way to start the presidency. To make things worse, Manager B was out of the office for the week between Christmas and New Years. 

2022 was quite a year. As the year progressed it was discovered that Manager B is not up to doing the job. It is taking longer to have normal tasks completed. Homeowners are complaining that Manager B is not returning phone calls. Manager B is sending emails to me that should be sent to other communities. The treasurer of the board said it was frustrating working with Manager B because of the slow or no response.  

I do not tell a company that they need to fire a person. That is a decision they need to make. All I do is give them reasons to make a change. I invite the president of the property management company to the homeowner yearly meeting so he can have some insight to what we are dealing with.  

Because of the large increase in insurance, we are required to dig into our reserve fund to pay current bills. Our2023 budget was increased to offset the 2022 shortfall. We did find a homeowner that was willing to replace the treasurer whose term ended in 2022 though.  

Here it is 2023, the final year of my three-year term. On January eleven I heard that Manager B has been removed from the property manager company. No surprise at all about that information. A new manager will start January sixteen. She will be called Manager C. The first board meeting for the year is the same day and Manager C is to be met that day. In the following weeks we are finding out about many of the issues Manager B failed to deal with.  

On February seven I experienced a life-threatening blood clot between my lungs and was out of service for the entire month of February and the vice president took over in my absence.  

The board is attempting to clean up the problems Manager B left. Now around the first of April I am noticing that the responses from Manager C are taking longer than is acceptable. Waiting ten days for a response is not acceptable. Spring gutter cleaning is not scheduled, and the fall gutter cleaning was never accomplished. Just getting excuses for not having a contract for the annual home painting project. We receive notice that Manager C has resigned for personal reasons. Manager C was a big disappointment.  

On July fifth we received the announcement that we have a new manager. She will be called Manager D. The next board meeting is July eighteen, and we meet manager D. We have another board meeting October tenth, and everything appeared to be fine. She was responsive and appeared to be on top of current issues. I even commended her for doing a good job. So, on October thirtieth we are informed that she resigned and returned to her former employer. This came as a total surprise for me, and I am dumbfounded.  

At the annual homeowners meeting on November seventh Manager E was introduced to the homeowners. The owner of the property management company was at the meeting and said Manager E was an old-time friend and will be with us for a long time. Only time will tell. My term was over when a replacement was installed to fill the third position on the board. 

In conclusion, having so many different managers during our time in the community is the most discouraging part of the HOA. I have lost track of how many managers have passed through the doors in the last seven years. Something is always lost when a personnel change is made. All in all, it was an interesting experience and I do not regret volunteering. There were awkward and uncomfortable moments. There is always a small percentage of people who forget that board members are unpaid volunteer positions, and that small percentage can be rude and crude. If I was younger, I would not be afraid to volunteer again.