If your condo association has Rules & Regulations in place, fines may also exist for violations of those Rules & Regulations.

The IL Condo Act requires that the owner be granted the right to a hearing before any fines can be charged. Here are the basic steps for properly applying a Fine for a violation:

• The board receives written notice of a violation of the association's Rules & Regulations.
• The board informs the owner that they have received notice of a violation and if there is a possible fine, provides the owner with the opportunity to request a hearing.
• The board conducts the hearing to gather information about the alleged violation in a closed meeting. This meeting cannot be recorded by the board or the owner.
• After the meeting, the board votes on the fine at an open board meeting.
• If the owner does not request a hearing or if a hearing is held and the owner does not appear, the board may apply a fine if they decide it is appropriate.
• The board sends notice to the owner of the fine determination.

Each occurence that is reported to the board requires a separate opportunity for a hearing. In the case of a violation that is ongoing (such as failing to remove personal belongings from a common area), then a hearing is not required for each day the violation occurs. The board should ensure, however, that any notice of a fine determination clearly states that additonal fines will accrue until the problem is remedied.

Learn how to create Rules & Regulations and the process for enforcing them with our Educational Videos. (Become a member to access this resource).

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought grief and hardship to many people around the world. To help ease the financial stress caused by the pandemic, FEMA is offering financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses. 

You may qualify for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance benefits if you meet these requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified non-citizen
• The death occurred in the United States, including U.S. territories and the District of Columbia
• You incurred funeral expenses on or after January 20, 2020, for a person whose death was caused by COVID-19

Learn more, here.

You can now view your 2022 First Installment Cook County Tax Bill and make an early payment online.

Watch for your bill in the mail late February/early March. Your next tax bill will be due April 3^rd, 2023 and will be 55% of the previous year's total amount.

The second installment tax bills will likely be slightly delayed, but will probably not be as delayed as they were in 2022. 

An owner forum is a period of time during an open board meeting that is set aside for the sole purpose of providing unit owners and homeowners with the opportunity to ask questions and make comments about how the community is being run.  

Community association boards that are governed by the Common Interest Community Association Act (CICAA) have a legal obligation to reserve a portion of their open board meeting for comments by members. Condominiums associations organized under the IL Condominium Act are not required to provide an owner forum, but they may want to do so.

Owner forums are known to strike fear in the hearts of board members. Owners can—and often do—say whatever they want when given the opportunity, and their comments are not always positive. 

Learn how to best prepare for an owner forum, here.