Business mismanagement

I'll admit I'm fairly new to the HOA management business. Prior to 2021, I was a published author of sweet romance, retiring my paralegal education. When my award-winning dystopian series was banned on social media, I was forced to look for an outside job, which led me to Source HOA. My experience with that company was bitter-sweet, as I was thrown into the world of HOA management (the sweet) and saw first-hand what greed can do to a company and its employees (the bitter).

I'm now going into my second year of owning my own management company. I run my business as I handle everything else: upfront, insistent on following the laws that dictate how the HOA business should run and transparency. I have my paralegal education in criminal law, business law and real estate law, so I know how to stay on top of the ever-changing House Bills that go into effect.

As my business grows, I'm amazed at how many boards treat their HOA like a high-school popularity contest, or use their position to lord over homeowners. What's even more amazing are the management companies who allow this to happen and don't step in to correct the situation. Management companies are hired on to provide guidance and education for the board, so that their business stays compliant with Federal and State law. I'm dealing with another HOA management corporation who has egregiously taken advantage of several HOAs and has not even performed their management duties required by state law, yet have charged the HOAs for their services. It is so frustrating. 

I'm also dealing with a board who thinks that they are above following the laws that govern an HOA business and let's be clear; an HOA IS a business. I'm trying to guide them to follow the code of ethics outlined in their policies, to put aside their personal preferences and be completely transparent with their homeowners, but they are struggling with that issue. CCIOA states that the best practices are to promote transparency and good governance, boards should strive to respond to all reasonable and legitimate owner inquiries, even if they disagree with the owner’s perspective. A prompt and respectful response can help maintain positive relationships with owners and demonstrate accountability.

If a homeowner questions a vote that a board decided on through emails, that homeowner is entitled to those emails and the string that led to the decision the board made without homeowners' input. Nothing is sacred, other than delinquencies and matters of legal concern.

I will continue to try and guide this HOA in the right direction and hope that they learn to follow the laws and governing documents that were put in place for their business for a successful and productive future. 

If you are a self-managed HOA, or a member of the board and want to keep up with bills and laws, there are excellent educational resources provided by DORA and CCIOA to help you navigate your HOA business.