Welcome to Ungated

Community associations continue to grow and thrive across the U.S.  According to our latest estimates over 56 million Americans live in over 285,000 condominiums, homeowner associations, co-ops, and other community living arrangements nation-wide, with 8,000 to 10,000 new communities being built each year.

Community associations offer a wide variety of benefits that vary from community to community, including amenities such as golf; tennis courts; and aquatic facilities, along with reduced maintenance requirements, and more consistent property values.  In many areas of the country, community associations also represent some of the best lower income housing opportunities.

But regardless of where you live or what type of home you are considering - you need to be an educated consumer in order to make a purchase decision that is right for you and your family.  While some states have very comprehensive disclosure laws regarding the information a seller must disclose to a buyer regarding a home in a community association, other states have very limited or no such requirements.  That is why buyers must know what questions to ask of their Realtor and the seller before signing on the dotted line.

That is why CAI has put together "Community Matters - What You Should Know Before You Buy".  This free brochure highlights some of the unique aspects of living in a community association and identifies some of the key questions that prospective buyers should be asking, such as:

How much are assessments and when are they due?

What is the annual budget and how does it compare to similar communities?

Does the community have a viable reserve to fund major, long-term maintenance and repairs?

Download your free copy today and help make yourself a more informed consumer.

Yesterday, President Bush signed into law the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 (H.R. 42).  Introduced by Representative Roscoe Bartlett (Maryland), the bill is directly based on CAI's long-standing public policy regarding the American flag. 

Key elements of the bill include prohibiting associations from banning the display of the American flag, requiring flags to be displayed in compliance with the U.S. Flag Code, and permitting associations to put in place reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner in which flags are displayed. 

You can check out a more detailed summary on our web site. 

It is interesting to note that the bill applies only to the American flag and it reinforces the position that associations are businesses and subject to the business judgment rule, since it empowers associations to place restrictions on where, when, and how flags are displayed in their communities.

As many in the industry already know, flag issues crop up from time to time and are almost always related to how a flag is displayed and not to the actual display of the flag itself:  20 foot flagpoles in townhouse yards; 20 x 10 foot flags that snap like cannon fire; flags displayed disrespectfully and flags illuminated with mega-watts of light all night long are just some of the things that can cause controversy in communities.

As always, it is all about communicating what is acceptable and what is not, ensuring the rules reflect the nature of the entire community, and being a considerate neighbor.

As the community associations industry continues to grow, it has created tremendous career opportunities in a wide variety of fields.  Most notable is the profession of community management.  Every week I get calls from owners of community management companies asking if I know of anyone looking for work who would like to relocate to their city or town.  At our CEO-MC retreat last month, hiring and retaining skilled staff was the principle topic of conversation among the attendees.

The demand for professional community managers has never been stronger, and shows no signs of weakening.  Even as housing starts soften somewhat, all of the existing communities and those in development still need effective management and opportunities for growth and advancement are plentiful.

So what makes a good manager?  I think first and foremost, you must be an effective communicator.  You must be able to interact with a wide variety of individuals including board members, homeowners, and vendors.  In addition, some basic skills and knowledge in finance, project and contract management, human resources, and technology can help as well.  While a college degree is valuable, it is certainly not required.

To learn more about a career in professional community management you can check out our Career Center at:  http://www.caionline.org/career/index.cfm .  CAI offers a comprehensive education and professional designation program to help prepare you for a career in this growing field.

Working With Committees

In any organization, the active and effective participation of committees is vital to overall success.  Just look at the US Congress and the Enron Audit Committee if you don't believe me.  How can you get the most out of your committee activities and your volunteers valuable time.

51. Define the committee's purpose.

52. Support the committee members.

53. Keep in touch with them (that crazy communications thing again).

54. Seek their opinion.

55. Ensure that they follow the rules of parliamentary procedures.

56. Give them objectives (or they will surely come up with their own).

57. Give them deadlines.

58. Remember - the committee usually offers recommendations, not solutions.

59. Offer them love, praise, and acceptance.

60. Reward them.

Remember also that your committees are the development process for your next generation of leaders.  Giving new volunteers opportunities to participate in committees can help you identify and grow future board members.

We recently successfully completed our annual retreat for management company CEO's.  Held this year in Santa Monica, California, the retreat brought together over 170 senior leaders from community association management companies across the country.  This years program focused on conducting an internal audit of your organization with sessions on human resources, risk management, technology, and financial management among others.  The retreat is a great opportunity for management companies to share ideas and perspectives, learn new skills, and hear from experts on critical issues facing our industry.

One of the most interesting themes that emerged from this years event was the challenge many management companies are having in hiring and retaining skilled staff.  The continued growth in our industry has resulted in an ever increasing demand for skilled managers.  For individuals currently in the industry, the potential for growth, advancement, and relocation has never been great.  And for those looking for a career, community management provides a tremendous opportunity to get in on the ground floor and advance quickly.