Condo Living Made Easy

Living in a condominium or homeowner association offers numerous benefits, including shared amenities and a sense of community. However, close proximity can sometimes lead to nuisances that disrupt harmony. Addressing these issues effectively is crucial for maintaining a pleasant living environment.

A great place to start is by reviewing your governing documents (declaration, bylaws, and rules) to ensure that they explicitly define what constitutes a nuisance. Common nuisances include:

• Excessive noise (e.g., loud music, construction)
• Odors (e.g., cigarette or marijuana smoke, strong cooking smells)
• Pet-related issues (e.g., barking, waste)
• Improper use of common areas
• Parking violations

Get more detailed guidance on handling specific nuisances in this article by KSN Law.

Once a nuisance is identified, it can often be resolved through respectful, direct communication between neighbors. Encouraging residents to address issues amicably before involving the board can prevent escalation and foster community spirit. When direct communication doesn't resolve the issue, a formal complaint process should be in place:

• Provide a standard complaint form
• Require detailed information (date, time, nature of nuisance)
• Ensure confidentiality where appropriate

This process helps the board assess and address issues systematically. For ongoing or complex disputes, mediation with a neutral third party can facilitate resolution without legal action, preserving neighborly relationships.

Effectively managing nuisances requires clear policies, open communication, and consistent enforcement. By fostering a respectful and informed community, associations can ensure a harmonious living environment for all residents.

Haus Financial Services provides consulting services to its clients in conjunction with complete financial and administrative processing. This supplementary service helps your board to properly navigate many of the challenges and conflicts inherent in condo living. Learn more about all the ways HausFS can support your association and ease the burden for your board here.

Annual meetings are a cornerstone of successful condominium management. They offer a unique opportunity to build community, clarify financial standing, elect leadership, and address resident concerns. And yet, too often, these meetings fall short—marred by low turnout, confusion, or conflict. The good news? With the right preparation, your association’s annual meeting can be more than just a requirement—it can be a meaningful event that strengthens trust and transparency across your condo community.

The foundation of a productive annual meeting begins well before anyone takes a seat. It starts with thoughtful planning, especially around the agenda. While Illinois law doesn’t mandate including an agenda in the meeting notice, doing so can help set expectations and even boost attendance. In fact, as highlighted in The Cooperator News Chicago, including key issues in advance—especially items requiring formal action like board member removals—is not only best practice, it’s often required to ensure procedural validity (“Better Meetings, Better Communities,” Cooperator News Chicago, 2024).

Communication plays a central role. Boards should ensure that notices go out early, with enough time for residents to prepare—especially if voting or proxy forms are involved. Sharing materials in advance, whether it’s financial reports or proposed rules, gives homeowners a chance to show up informed and ready to participate. 

When the meeting arrives, structure and moderation are key. Having a clear timeline and someone designated to guide the conversation—such as the property manager or board president—helps avoid confusion and ensures every agenda item gets the attention it deserves. While formal parliamentary procedure isn’t always necessary, having basic rules around speaking time and voting protocols goes a long way in maintaining order. Boards might consider moving owner comment periods to the end of the meeting to prevent discussions from veering off-course during essential business.

Finances are often the most anticipated—and sometimes contentious—portion of an annual meeting. Transparency here is essential. By working with financial professionals like Haus Financial Services, boards can ensure their financial statements are clear, comprehensive, and understandable. Haus Financial Services specializes in small condo association financials, and their team can help present the association's financial picture in ways that build trust and facilitate smart decision-making.

Technology also has a growing role in the annual meeting process. With the availability of online voting systems, hybrid meetings, and secure document storage, there are now more ways than ever to increase access and accountability. Recording the meeting for future reference or for absent owners can also be a helpful tool—particularly for communities with busy residents or those who travel frequently.

Finally, a successful annual meeting doesn’t just happen in the boardroom—it reflects the broader health of the community. Building a sense of connection throughout the year, recognizing the contributions of volunteers, and creating open channels for feedback all contribute to a more engaged and respectful meeting environment. Some associations even choose to pair their annual meetings with informal social gatherings, turning a governance task into a chance for neighbors to connect and collaborate.

With preparation, transparency, and the right tools and partners in place, your annual meetings can be an opportunity to celebrate progress, solve problems, and lay the groundwork for a stronger condo community.

When you buy a condominium, you're not just buying a home—you’re also becoming part of a community governed by a board of directors. These board members have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the association, manage its finances responsibly, and treat all owners fairly. But what happens when they don’t?

Breaches of fiduciary duty are serious and can jeopardize the health of the entire condo community. Here's what you need to know.

What Is Fiduciary Duty?

Board members are legally obligated to act in good faith, with loyalty, and in the best interest of the association. This means avoiding conflicts of interest, maintaining transparency, and making decisions that benefit the community—not themselves. In Illinois, the Condominium Property Act reinforces these principles by requiring board members to discharge their duties "in good faith" and with "the care an ordinarily prudent person would exercise."

Signs of a Breach

According to Cooperator News, some common red flags of fiduciary breaches include:

• Self-dealing: When a board member profits personally from a board decision (e.g., awarding contracts to companies they own or are connected to).
• Misuse of funds: Spending association money without proper approval or documentation.
• Lack of transparency: Refusing to share financial records or meeting minutes with unit owners.
• Discrimination or favoritism: Treating some owners differently based on personal bias or relationships.

What Can Owners Do?

If you suspect misconduct, there are several steps you can take:

1. Request Information: Illinois law gives owners the right to review certain association documents. Start by requesting access to financials, contracts, or board meeting minutes.
2. Mobilize Your Neighbors: You're more likely to get answers and results if you're not alone. Talk to other owners and attend board meetings together.
3. Vote Them Out: If the board refuses to act in good faith, use your voice at the ballot box. Most condo bylaws allow for the removal and replacement of board members through a community vote.
4. Consult an Attorney: If the breach involves significant financial harm or legal wrongdoing, consult an attorney who specializes in condominium law. Legal action should always be a last resort, but it's sometimes necessary to protect your investment.

Prevention Is the Best Policy

Condo communities thrive when there's trust between the board and the owners. Electing qualified, ethical board members, encouraging transparency, and fostering owner engagement are essential to preventing issues before they arise.

If your association is facing challenges related to board governance, financial oversight, or fiduciary responsibility, Haus Financial Services can help. Our team provides expert financial management and advisory services tailored specifically for condominium associations. We work with boards and unit owners to ensure transparency, accountability, and long-term financial health.