Nationwide homeowners’ associations have a poor reputation with the public. Due to the actions of a few individuals I am sure that there have been abuses, mismanagement and waste. In Florida, I believe that owners may be happier with their HOA, as we have better statutes and oversight, an engaged membership and a longer history of this form of living than in most states.
Over the years, the statutes have slowly closed gaps in regulations or made it very difficult for Board of Directors of homeowners’ associations to abuse their powers, as it may have been done in the past. In an HOA, elections can still be manipulated due to the election process and the use of general proxies. Further, if there is a nominating committee allowed, the greatest abuses will occur there.
Below are the 15 most common complaints (not in any specific order) about homeowners’ associations:
Wasting association funds
Selective enforcement of rules
Unable to access records
Assessments too high
Communications are spotty or poor
Hostile environment
Management misuse of assessments
Fair Debt Collection practices not being followed
Elections being manipulated
Association attorney favoring Board
Withholding use of facilities or services
Poorly written documents
Meetings being held in secret
Maintenance of common grounds is poor
ACC Policies are not consistent
I am sure that all of us could add additional complaints to this list. Overall, from my point of view, homeowners’ associations are run pretty well by a very few volunteer individuals who put their time and efforts into an entity that benefits many.
If the recipients of this hard work would get more involved in the operations of their association, be more aware of and conversant in the documents and state statutes, then maybe this complaint list would be smaller.
As one of the oldest property management company specializing in community association management in Palm Beach County, Florida since 1988. Currently, APM provides management, maintenance, supervision, bookkeeping and administrative services for more than 130 community associations. Our Website www.assocpropmgt.com Our weekly newsletter www.apmnews.org
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