Creating Community Rules: A Library of Choices

Any well run community should be publishing a list of community rules that enhance and detail the existing responsibilities found in the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CCR).  Below are just a few that the staff at myHomeSpot.com thought of and we invite your reply with rules you would like to see in your community.
 

One of my first priorities is to begin to develop a comprehensive set of rules.  I spent about 30 minutes and here is what I came up with – I ask that each of you reply back with 1-2 rules you would like to have considered for a community (not just your own).  My hope is that I will have a library of rules built for presentation to you all within the next month.

• General –>

• Meetings –>

• Fireworks –>

• Landscaping –>

 

Landscaping > Creating Community Rules: A Library of Choices

In order to maintain a neat, clean, orderly landscape the following conditions will be required.

• Grass will not exceed six inches in height and will not extend more than two inches over curb, sidewalk or driveway.
• A hard edge must be maintained between curb, driveway and any other hard surface. This means that grass in expansion joints of the curb, grass in cracks of the curb, grass at the end of drive, and grass in the area between curb and asphalt will be removed.
• Weeds that can be viewed from the street will be removed from landscaped areas including planting beds and gravel, river rock, pine barked or mulched areas.
• Grass clippings will be removed from the street and driveway after mowing and weeding.

Fireworks > Creating Community Rules: A Library of Choices

• The detonation of fireworks or any other such incendiary devices will not be used in the subdivision due to the close location of homes, wetlands and forest areas.

 

Meetings > Creating Community Rules: A Library of Choices

• Meetings shall be open only to lot owners which shall have a right to speak in accordance with Florida law for 3 minutes upon being recognized by a member of the Board or its manager.
• All cell phones, pagers or other noise generating device shall be silenced or turned off in any meeting.
• Meetings may be video-taped by placing a camera no farther than 5’ from the back wall and shall not cause a disturbance to other lot owners. The member must provide verbal and written notice prior to meeting opening that a recording device is being used allowing for members who do not consent to remove themselves from participation.

 

General > Creating Community Rules: A Library of Choices

• No abandon cars or cars upon blocks left in driveways
• Yards (grass) must be cut and maintained at all times
• No parking of vehicles on the grass in your front yard or on sidewalks
• Pets only allowed in the pet area not on sidewalks
• Loud parties shall end at 11:00pm be kind to your neighbor’s
• No signs of any kind at the entrance of your subdivision (only the name of subdivision)

• No temporary structures other than those expressly permitted by the Declaration during development and sale of the Lots or Dwelling Units by Declarant or a builder shall be allowed on any portion of the community unless approved by the Architectural Committee for construction or reconstruction.
• Hanging, drying or airing of clothes, towels, rugs, etc in windows or outside is prohibited. No clotheslines are permitted that can be viewed from other Lots or the Common Area.

Accounting Basics From the Pros

Learn about the basic accounting principles used by Homeowner Associations and non-profit corporations. Cash versus Accrual methods, Reserve funding, etc.
 

• Cash Method of Account -income and expenses are only recorded when cash changes hands. Financial reports only reflect cash transactions. This is a relatively simple system for simple situations. Because all obligations are not recorded until cash changes hands, this method does not provide an accurate portrayal of the financial condition of the association at any given time.
• Accrual Method of Accounting -keeps track of all financial activities, including revenue as it is earned (as opposed to when it is received) and expenses as the obligation is incurred (as opposed to when it is paid). This makes possible a more accurate determination of the financial condition of the association at any point in time. Also, this is a better method for multi-year tracking of capital reserves credits and deficiencies. The primary disadvantage is the greater complexity and technical knowledge that is needed to maintain the records, understand the reports, etc.

Natural Disasters: How Community Associations Protect Themselves

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The U.S. Citizen’s Corp, a FEMA program, has stated that, “Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for . . . emergency services they have come to expect at a moment’s notice through 911. People will have to rely on each other for help . . . .”

Association leaders and managers must develop disaster plans and put them in place before they’re needed so that they’re able to cope with any disaster. Failure to plan for disaster is failure to fulfill the fiduciary duty that association leaders share.

Natural disasters pose special threats to clustered, attached, and stacked homes in a community association. Find out how to initiate a preparedness project, work closely with residents to analyze the association’s needs, develop a workable plan, and familiarize all residents with its execution.
 
 

Minutes of an HOA Meeting

How should you take minutes for a meeting?  What is required?  Who is responsible?  What are the laws?
 

How can we find a common sense approach to Board Meeting minutes? Here are some helpful facts and information to guide you:

Fact 1 – Minutes are the official record of the actions taken by the Board at the meeting. They are not a transcript of the meeting. They are a reflection of what was done, not what was said. As their name implies, “minute” means “small” and “minutes” should be brief.

Fact 2 – Bad meetings produce bad minutes. The Board of Directors should follow parliamentary procedure or at least have an understanding of the fundamentals of running a meeting. Having an agenda and using it as a guideline to run the meeting will help the Secretary in taking the minutes. A well-run meeting is the first step to good minutes.

Pet Policies: How Community Associations Maintain Peace and Harmony

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Pets has been described by reviewers as “a blueprint for how to deal with one of the most troublesome issues.” It offers practical suggestions, helpful alternatives, and information on societal issues that impact your association’s approach to pets. Learn how to get the poop scooped and keep the EPA happy.

 

Payments and Collection Policy (sample resolution)

Your HOA should establish a payment policy to be fair to all members in when payments are due, what the charges are if you pay late, describe when an attorney will get involved and what happens next.
 

Collection Policy for Delinquent Accounts

WHEREAS the board of directors of the association is charged with the responsibility of collecting assessments for common expenses from homeowners pursuant to Article _______, Section ______of the declaration; and