Major Delays in the Assessor’s Office

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Written by Alexa Jackson

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

Published: 29 March 2022

In 2021, the Assessor replaced a decades-old mainframe computer that integrated with other government agencies to issue real estate tax bills. 

Unfortunately, the new system had a lot of issues. Data errors and missing data caused substantial delays in the completion of the Assessor’s 2021 appeal work.

Since the Assessor is the first step in the process, downstream government agencies are unable to complete their work on time, causing substantial delays in mailing 2021 second installment tax bills. 

Learn more about the delays and how they will affect property owners here. 

The Role of Social Media in Community Communication

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Written by Alexa Jackson

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

Published: 22 March 2022

Over the years, some communities have tried using social media as a means of community communication, but most have remained “old school.”

While using social media for communication can be convenient, there can be drawbacks including low levels of participation/community penetration, unmoderated conflict or negative commentary, etc. 

However, there are communications options between social media and notes thumbtacked to a cork board in the hallways. 

Check out this article to learn about more options for keeping your community in the loop. 

Reducing Conflict in Condo Associations

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Written by Alexa Jackson

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

Published: 15 March 2022

The best way to reduce conflict is consistency and uniformity in enforcement of the associations restrictions. 

Community Association Institute (CAI) recommends these nine ways to reduce conflict in associations:

1. Enforce the restrictions and rules and regulations;

2. Don’t play favorites

3. Avoid foolish decisions

4. Provide due process before imposing a fine

5. Stop unofficial enforcement

6. Exercise good governance

7. Ensure Owners feel heard

8. Take neighbor disputes seriously

9. Govern with empathy.

While seemingly simple, board members are human and often make mistakes in these areas. In this case, going back to the basics can help a board correct those mistakes. 

Conflicts of Interest

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Written by Alexa Jackson

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

Published: 08 March 2022

A conflict of interest is a situation in which the concerns or aims of two different parties are incompatible. 

Within a condo association, this would entail a situation where someone - like a board member or property manager - is in a position to benefit personally from action or decisions made in their official capacity. 

Board members can be sued for breaching their fiduciary duty and must disclose any potential conflict. 

Undisclosed conflicts of interest, when eventually discovered, can be one of the biggest points of contention between residents and their board management teams, since it goes hand in hand with both a building’s finances, and the trust that residents place in the people running the building.

A policy of full transparency and disclosure around potential conflicts of interest goes a long way toward maintaining an atmosphere or trust and accountability between boards and the residents they serve. 

Learn more here.