Webinar 5/27: Why Enforcing Violations is Good for Condo/HOA Communities

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 25 May 2021

 If you’re feeling bogged down by violations and are looking to implement a more effective, streamlined process for violation enforcement in your community, this is the webinar for you!

Join Miryam Scanga, licensed Association Manager, and Brian Bosscher, CEO and current Board President, as they discuss the benefits of effective violation enforcement and strategies for executing fair and systematic enforcement. 

Topics include:

• Why violations need to be enforced
• Who is responsible for enforcing violations
• Common enforcement issues
• Effective vs. ineffective enforcement processes
• And more!

Register here.

How to Effectively Communicate Within Your Community Association

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 18 May 2021

 Whether you are communicating with other board members or reaching out to community residents, your communication strategy should be consistent and should incorporate a variety of mediums.

Here are six ways to communicate within your community association.

1. Bulletin boards/display screens can be placed in the lobby to advertise upcoming events. 
2. Email updates are a great way to ensure every association member is receiving all of the information they need. 
3. Social media accounts can keep your association engaged. However, it is imperative to proactively work with legal counsel to draft a social media policy to avoid repercussions involving liability or litigation.
4. Community apps may appeal to residents who would like to discuss association events and issues with neighbors but don’t use social media. 
5. A community website can be used to keep and update association documents, collect assessments, submit maintenance requests, amenity management, etc. 
6. Community meetings, whether in-person or virtual, are a great space to discuss association matters. 

Learn more here. 

New Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 11 May 2021

The State of Illinois, Cook County, and City of Chicago are developing new emergency COVID-19 rental assistance programs.  

Two statewide programs and a program serving the City of Chicago will open in May.

All programs will offer assistance with up to 12 months of unpaid or past due rent and up to 3 months of future rent. 

To qualify, applicants need to:

• Have experienced a COVID-related financial hardship
• Be at risk of homelessness or housing instability
• Have a total household income below 80% of Area Median Income.

View information about the IL Rental Payment Program offered by Illinois Housing Department Authority here. Applications open May 17th.

Learn about additional state and City of Chicago programs here and view a webinar on the programs here. 

Condo owners who rent out their units may want to pass along this information to their tenants, if they are experiencing financial hardships due to COVID-19.

How to Build Trust In Condo Communities

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 05 May 2021

In communities where trust exists, people are satisfied with their boards and know that they are well informed and the property is well managed. These condo boards are active, directors debate vigorously amongst themselves, owners question the board often, and meetings are well-attended and lively. 

Here’s how you can build trust in your community:

1. Speak with one voice. Directors may disagree and debate at board meetings, but once a decision is made, the directors end their disagreements and support the decisions made.
2. Keep owners up-to-date. Anytime the board has news, it is essential for the board to update owners and send it to everyone simultaneously. 
3. Make documents available. Corporate records should be available to all owners, minus any documents with personal information. Digitizing the condo’s records makes it easier to provide documents quickly and at no charge.
4. Give more notice than required. The Condominium Act provides guidelines for the number of days notice that must be given to owners for events such as meetings or special assessments. This should be interpreted as the minimum notice.
5. Ask owners for input. Ask owners for their thoughts and input on things that will affect them via surveys. 
6. Be nice. Nothing destroys trust faster than nastiness in emails, meetings, and chats. 
7. Stop negative talk. Provide regular updates of accurate information to hold negative gossip in check. 

Learn more here.