A list of Do’s and Dont’s for Community Management:

Community Associations

• Customer service. Answer your calls and emails within 24 hours of receipt. Even if you don’t have an answer, let your client/homeowner know that you are working on it.
• Know your community. Set your goals to be proactive, not reactive.
• Be respectful. Treat that nasty, arrogant man or woman with respect; they may be your next Board President.
• Maintain your cool. If a homeowner is calling you names and yelling, don’t take it personally. Nine times out of ten, they are just having a bad day and you have been chosen to take it out on. Surprisingly, after they have vented, they will often call you back to apologize.
• Support staff. Acknowledge and appreciate those that are there to support you. It only takes a second to add a line to your email after they have gathered information for you to say, Hey, I appreciate all you do for me.
• Never, ever lie. If you have forgotten or not completed a task given you by the Board, tell them I am sorry. I overlooked that directive but I will follow up immediately. The Board will understand that sometimes unforeseen things happen. If you are straight forward and provided you don’t make a habit of overlooking your assignments, they will understand.
• Rumblings of dissatisfaction. Working for a management company means client retention. If you feel, hear or suspect any dissatisfaction, then you need to address this issue with your supervisors. What begins as a tempest in a teakettle ultimately could lead to a hurricane. Less clients for your company can mean cuts backs in the work force.
• Ask questions. No one has all the answers all of the time. Ignorance is not bliss if you have read the documents wrong or given your Board misinformation. Better to say, I don’t have an answer at this time, but I will research the issue and report back promptly.
• Stay focused. On the days that every call you get is from a cranky homeowner, every email seems full of hate, you feel sure that your supervisor appears to be looking at you with thoughts of terminating your employment, and you are ready to just give up. . . you might be surprised that the next call is from a homeowner or Board member telling you how much they appreciate you, the next email is one giving you a glowing reference on a job well done, or you are paged to come to the reception desk and find a floral delivery from a grateful Board/Homeowner, and you see your supervisor in the hallway and well, three out of four ain’t bad.

Riverside Property Management in Kennesaw works with homeowner and condo associations providing a variety of management, code enforcement, consulting and educational services, reserve studies, budgeting assistance and maintenance planning expertise.

Protect HOA Operating and Reserve Accounts

I know anyone that has any affiliation with an HOA or Homeowners Association has heard of someone stealing or trying to steal money from the Community. The scams are often as simple as writing a check to themselves, either as an administrator, treasurer or president. This is the one constant to which no one paid much attention. Now, with the vast majority of the Associations tax year ending, here’s your chance to make sure that does not, and is not going to happen. Whenever the economy takes a hit, and particulary when it both an extended and bad one, you need to pay special attention to the deep pockets, your association’s bank and reserve accounts.

First – GET AN AUDIT – not an opinion, not a compilation, but a real, honest-to-god audit. Only an audit of the CPA will unearth evidence which, in turn, could be fraud or embezzlement. Yes, an audit is more expensive, but considering the huge increase in financial crimes against associations, this is not the time to spare. Remember, every person trusted the people who were scamming from the Association funds. The fact that the treasurer is a good person, does not mean that they are not having personal financial problems.

Then make sure your insurance covers the Community Association if the money is lost. All too often association’s think that fidelity bonds that the management company has protects them – it doesn’t, it only protects the management company if an employee steals from them.  Whether its a bond or crime insurance, make sure the association is covered for ANY loss, no matter who is  lining their pockets.  This can be done with Directors & Officers Insurance or D & O.

Always make sure the bank or any financial institution that holds your money, sends a second statement, an original for someone other than the person who writes the checks or books. The crooks got away with their scams for long periods of time because they were the only one receiving the bank statement, and then delivering a retouched statement to the Board of Directors. Someone else must have an authentic, original – that can,  in fact be compared to the one presented in the financial report.

Periodically, hold a test of invoices. Ask one of your contractors to review their bills with you. A basic scam is a book of false invoices for work that was never completed, and then write a check for that amount to the scoundrel himself. Unless you’re reviewing canceled checks or verifying proof of the bill, it is quite easy for the thief get away with it. Each time you have a supplier or contractor that is going over budget or contract, this is likely to be the output.

Make sure nobody can get to the reserve accounts easily to withdraw or transfer funds. Talk to any institution that is holding the funds and ask them for the best way to ensure that nobody can reach them without going through a lot of checkpoints.

Basically, you should make sure you have all the necessary protections in place and they are, in fact, actually being followed. There are plenty of articles about how to do this, and that’s a good place to start. But remember, it is the entire process to be followed – not just a part will protect your Property Owners. For example, you can utilize the recommendation to require two signatures on checks, but in reality, banks no longer see or verify the signatures, so that alone will not protect you.

Why go through all this? I’m no lawyer, but if I were a Home Owner and someone was to abscond with a lot of money from my Association, I believe that the board would had failed in its fiduciary responsibilities and should be held accountable for that failure.

Protect the HOA Operating and Reserve Accounts

I know anyone that has any affiliation with an HOA or Homeowners Association has heard of someone stealing or trying to steal money from the Community. The scams are often as simple as writing a check to themselves, either as an administrator, treasurer or president. This is the one constant to which no one paid much attention. Now, with the vast majority of the Associations tax year ending, here’s your chance to make sure that does not, and is not going to happen. Whenever the economy takes a hit, and particulary when it both an extended and bad one, you need to pay special attention to the deep pockets, your association’s bank and reserve accounts.

First – GET AN AUDIT – not an opinion, not a compilation, but a real, honest-to-god audit. Only an audit of the CPA will unearth evidence which, in turn, could be fraud or embezzlement. Yes, an audit is more expensive, but considering the huge increase in financial crimes against associations, this is not the time to spare. Remember, every person trusted the people who were scamming from the Association funds. The fact that the treasurer is a good person, does not mean that they are not having personal financial problems.

Then make sure your insurance covers the Community Association if the money is lost. All too often association’s think that fidelity bonds that the management company has protects them – it doesn’t, it only protects the management company if an employee steals from them.  Whether its a bond or crime insurance, make sure the association is covered for ANY loss, no matter who is  lining their pockets.  This can be done with Directors & Officers Insurance or D & O.

Always make sure the bank or any financial institution that holds your money, sends a second statement, an original for someone other than the person who writes the checks or books. The crooks got away with their scams for long periods of time because they were the only one receiving the bank statement, and then delivering a retouched statement to the Board of Directors. Someone else must have an authentic, original – that can,  in fact be compared to the one presented in the financial report.

Periodically, hold a test of invoices. Ask one of your contractors to review their bills with you. A basic scam is a book of false invoices for work that was never completed, and then write a check for that amount to the scoundrel himself. Unless you’re reviewing canceled checks or verifying proof of the bill, it is quite easy for the thief get away with it. Each time you have a supplier or contractor that is going over budget or contract, this is likely to be the output.

Make sure nobody can get to the reserve accounts easily to withdraw or transfer funds. Talk to any institution that is holding the funds and ask them for the best way to ensure that nobody can reach them without going through a lot of checkpoints.

Basically, you should make sure you have all the necessary protections in place and they are, in fact, actually being followed. There are plenty of articles about how to do this, and that’s a good place to start. But remember, it is the entire process to be followed – not just a part will protect your Property Owners. For example, you can utilize the recommendation to require two signatures on checks, but in reality, banks no longer see or verify the signatures, so that alone will not protect you.

Why go through all this? I’m no lawyer, but if I were a Home Owner and someone was to abscond with a lot of money from my Association, I believe that the board would had failed in its fiduciary responsibilities and should be held accountable for that failure.

Adopt a Clear Policy on Dues Collection in the HOA or Condo Association

Assessments are the lifeblood of the HOA and Condominium Associations. However, only in very few condominium associations is the collection of dues a process of laissez faire. Most condo associations need to have a consistent process and procedure to thrive … Continue reading →

What You Should Know About Homeowners Associations

Questions to ask the HOA before buying.

Buying a condo or townhome is more than four walls and interior air space, it also means buying the homeowner association. Smart shoppers examine all the homeowner association documents, including its latest financial statements to determine whether one is buying a money pit or a gold mine. Here are the most important questions a buyer should ask:

How financially sound is the HOA?

To determine this, ask for and read (yes, they are long, at least 50 pages or more) copies of the following documents:

Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC & Rs)
Statutes and Regulations
Minutes of the meetings for the last year
Homeowners Association Financial Statements

These documents will tell you:

If special contributions are expected to address deferred maintenance
Planned capital improvements
Amount of cash reserves
If the association is or has been sued
The history and the likelihood of increased fees

What services are covered by your monthly payments? Does it include the payment of:

Water
Cable television
Ground maintenance / gardeners
Garbage Collection
Sewage
Insurance
Management fees
Pool, spa or fitness centers
Streets and sidewalks
Assigned parking / metro (and if so, how many spaces?)
Gateway

How do you compare the rates of assessments from other condominiums in the area? I sold an apartment in an older complex, where the monthly fees are $120. Renovated apartments around the corner had a maintenance fee of $ 190. The main difference between the two complexes had been remodeled units, stainless steel appliances and granite counter-tops in the kitchen. That’s why buyers ask, “Is it worth $ 70 a month to own stainless steel appliances?” For some buyers, the answer is “yes.”

Who manages the complex?

Larger complexes require professional management. That could cost more than hiring a professional company, but in the long run tend to save money. Exercise bargaining power in negotiating professional management services such as offers for gardeners or general maintenance, as they represent a greater number of complexes.

How many units are rented?

Nobody likes tenants. Not that renters are bad people, but there is some truth that the tenants do not take care of the goods in the same way that an owner occupier would take care of it. In addition, some lenders will not lend money to a buyer if more than 25% of the units in the complex are rented. Some homeowner associations refuse to let the owners rent their unit for more than 30 to 60 days, if at all.

How quiet are the units?

Ask neighbors to give potential buyers an idea of ​​the noise factor. But driving in the area late on Saturday night will also let you know. It is best to purchase a unit in the corner because there is less common (side) walls means less noise. However, the soundproofing does not help much if your next door neighbor enjoys blasting Pink Floyd, every Sunday at 2 PM.

A customer who bought a condo on the ground floor near the stairs leading to the second floor was worried about the sound of footsteps on the stairs, so I suggested he talk to the occupant above. It turns out that the resident was the president of the Homeowners Association and a stickler for keeping things quiet.

What are the recreational areas, parking and Pet Restrictions?

Find out the hours of use for pools, spas and recreation areas such as tennis or  game room and check that the working time schedule.
How do you manage parking for guests, and the number of parking spaces are deeded to each unit? Is it possible to rent an additional parking space if needed?
How much will be charged to replace a lost key to the security gate or club?
How many pets can I have? Are there size restrictions? Are you allowed to bring pets through the lobby on a leash?

Finally, talk to the people who live there. Drive through the parking lot or garage in the evening when the owners are coming home from work. If they hate the homeowners association, they will undoubtedly tell you what is wrong with it.  Discover the reasons behind it before before you buy. HOAs have the power to regulate and sanction violations that affect owners financially as never before, so make sure you fully understand what you are getting into before signing on the bottom line.

What do Board Members do anyway?

Some people might wonder what Board Members do. Hopefully, this will shed some light on their duties and responsibilities for your community.

Homeowners Association Board

Board Members have a set number of responsibilities when they volunteer for your community.  Remember, they volunteer! So make sure you thank them for what they do.

Board Members are challenged typically on a daily basis with different aspects from personalities and duties and responsibilities within the community.  They have a definite purpose and specific duties to fulfill for your community.

 

The role of the Board is to set policy, standards, budgets and procedures for the association.

Probably the most important duty is the fiduciary obligations to the association.  This can be characterized into two parts; the duty of loyalty and the duty of care.  The duty of loyalty is requires the Board Member to act in good faith always in the interest of the community.  Never acting in their own interest or in the interest of another person. The duty of care requires the Board Member to act in a reasonable, informed manner when participating on the Board and making decisions for the day to day community’s care.

Board Members are able to delegate the duties of the association, but not the responsibility of their positions. It is the Board that is ultimately responsible for the association even if the Board hires a management company.  They can direct actions on behalf of the association, but the Board is completely responsible to the community. 

The governing documents as well as state and federal statues outline the Board responsibility within the community.  Areas of responsibility typically include:

• ·         Care, maintenance and enhancement of common areas including facilities and physical property.
• ·         Management of community finances and any reserve funds.
• ·         Community harmony.
• ·         Any employment the association has and the human resources of the community.
• ·         Interpretation, creation, enforcement of the rules and regulations of the community.
• ·         Community insurance needs and making sure guidelines for such are followed in the declaration.

This is in no way a full compilation of everything your board members do, just an overview of some of their duties.

Source: http://www.hoamanagementdirectory.com/blog.html?action=more&id=79

CONDOMINIUM INSURANCE – WHO COVERS WHAT?

Most condominium association‘s “Declaration of the Condominium” (hereinafter referred to as declaration) follow the wording of Chapter 47C of the North Carolina Condominium Act with regard to the definitions of “common elements” and “units”.  The Declaration specifies what insurance is to be provided by the association and what insurance is to be provided by the unit owners.In the statute, 47C-2-102, Unit boundaries it says: “Except as provided by the declaration:

(1)   If walls, floors or ceilings are designated as boundaries of a unit, then all lath, furring, wallboard, plasterboard, plaster, paneling, tiles, wallpaper, paint, finishes flooring and any other materials constituting any part of the finished surfaces thereof are a part of the unit; and all other portions of such walls, floors, or ceilings are a part of the common elements.

(2)   If any chute, flue, duct, wire, conduit, bearing wall, bearing column, or any other fixture lies partially within and partially outside the designated boundaries of a unit, any portion thereof serving only that unit is a limited common element allocated exclusively to that unit, and any portion thereof serving more than one unit or any portion of the common elements in a part of the common elements.

(3)   Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2), all spaces, interior partitions, and other fixtures and improvements within the boundaries of a unit are a part of the unit.

(4)   Any shutters, awnings, window boxes, doorsteps, stoops, decks, porches, balconies, patios, and all exterior doors and windows or other fixtures designed to serve a single unit but located outside the unit’s boundaries are limited common elements allocated exclusively to that unit (1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c.877, s.1.)”

The Declaration of most associations specify that the association shall provide coverage for “common elements” and each unit owner must insure his “unit”.  This would suggest that a unit owner would need to include Coverage A Building under the standard condominium unit owners HO6 to cover the elements of the unit that are actually part of the building (contrasted to “contents” such as clothing, TV‘s, etc.).  The parts of the “unit” which cause concern are building type items such as floor covering, wall covering, built in cabinets and appliances, and interior non-load bearing walls and partitions.

Under 47C-3-113, Insurance (a), “Commencing not later than the time of the first conveyance of a unit to a person other than a declarant, the association shall maintain, to the extent available:

(1)   Property insurance on the common elements insuring against all risks of direct physical loss commonly insured against including fire and extended coverage perils.

47C-3-113 (b) “In the case of a building containing units having horizontal boundaries (multi-story buildings) described in the declaration, the insurance maintained under subdivision (a)(1), to the extent reasonably available, shall include the units, but need not include improvements and betterments installed by unit owners.  This seems to imply that the master policy should include all that comes with the unit at the time of purchase (with standard) allowances.  The unit owner would need to insure the value of any upgrades under the Coverage A Building part of his HO6.

An attorney who has much experience in preparing Declarations has responded to an inquiry as follows: “In response to your memo, please note that, per section 47C-1-104(a) of the Condominium Act “Except as specifically provided in specific section of this chapter, the provisions of this chapter may not be varied by the declaration or the by-laws.”  Section 47C-3-113 (the insurance provision to which your memo refers) states that it may be varied or waived “in the case of a condominium all of whose units are restricted to nonresidential use.”  Accordingly, regardless of what the declaration or by-laws say, unless the insurance is not “reasonably available”, if the condominium contains residential units with horizontal boundaries, the insurance must include the units (but need not include improvements or betterments installed by the unit owners.)

Therefore, we conclude that the Association master policy must cover these described items and the amount of insurance selected should reflect these values.

Another issue is the association policy deductible which can be as much as $10,000.  Perhaps the individual unit owner is uncomfortable with such a large deductible.  A solution would be to purchase an amount of Coverage A Building under the HO6 equal to the cost of his upgrades plus $10,000.  The association policy is primary but it does not cover “upgrades” nor anything under $10,000, so the solution suggested will work.  Also, the HO6 building coverage is not subject to a coinsurance clause.

In order for this solution to work, the association Declaration must follow 47-C-113 (b) of the statute.  The alternative method is to say in the Declaration that the associations will provide coverage on the “common elements” only and each unit owner will have to cover all parts of the unit (including walls, floor coverings, built-ins, etc.)  This method calls for the developer/builder to inform each unit owner as to what the replacement cost of such items is so that the proper amount of Coverage A Building coverage can be obtained by each owner.  Not only is this a cumbersome method, but it appears to be contrary to what is dictated by the statute.

Energy Efficient Lighting

Saving Money Without Sacrifice

By Angelina Esposito

Full Color Brochure

The agenda for your monthly board meeting is to find ways to save money, and in the long run, increase the

building’s reserve fund. Each board member has been asked to compile a list of ideas on areas of possible savings. One board member suggests eliminating the fresh flowers in the lobby. Another proposes turning off the air conditioning in the laundry room. And on everyone’s list is the dreaded maintenance increase. As usual, everyone begins to argue. Then a third board member mentions energy efficient lighting and explains how the building can save money and cut back on energy consumption at the same time by replacing the incandescent lights with fluorescents. The room becomes silent and everyone is listening.

According to George Nunez, vice president of sales at Energy Saving Technologies, Inc., a full-service energy company that provides energy analyses for buildings, Co-ops and condos never really consider energy efficient lighting, they just buy new fixtures. We, on the other hand, look at the long-term results.

Energy Efficient Products

There are many different forms of energy efficient lighting and all offer significant energy and financial savings. Although they emit a very good quality of light and are used most often, incandescents are the least efficient light bulbs available. Fluorescents produce four times as much light per watt, meaning that a 40-watt fluorescent bulb gives more light than a 150-watt incandescent bulb. They are a little more expensive but last up to ten times as long. According to the National Lighting Bureau in Washington D.C., a fluorescent bulb has a life span of up to 20,000 hours, whereas an incandescent bulb lasts a maximum of only 2,500 hours.

The quickest payback is switching from incandescents to fluorescents, says Tom Sahagian, senior associate at the EME Group, a consulting engineering firm. In a cooperative corridor where two 60-watt incandescent bulbs comprise a light fixture, a 75 percent reduction of power and a savings of about $100 per fixture per year can be experienced if you install two 15-watt fluorescent bulbs, says Peter Berger, owner of Energy Saving Technologies. You can expect to save a little more than one dollar per watt per year in New York City if the fixtures are on 24 hours, he says.

Fluorescent lighting is typically used in hallways, mail rooms, laundry rooms and other service areas, but there are other potential locations for energy efficient lighting sources throughout the building. Replacing the existing bulbs used for the EXIT signs with LED (light emitting diode) bulbs can reduce the wattage from a 40-watt incandescent to a one-watt LED. Although these lights are on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they do not need a lot of light. The LED bulbs burn out once every 25 years. According to Nunez, the LED bulb will result in a significant savings within only a year.

Exclusive to Energy Saving Technologies is the LESS System, a new technology installed in about ten Manhattan buildings. With this system, an occupancy sensor is installed in the fixtures in stairwells. When no one is in the stairwell the sensor will dim the lights to 20 percent illumination and when someone is in the line of sight, the sensor brightens to 100 percent illumination, reducing overall power consumption by 80 percent.

Outdoor lighting als ffb o accounts for a big expenditure of money and energy, especially if incandescents are used. HID (high intensity discharge) bulbs emit a very strong light and use a lower wattage consumption. The bulbs maximize efficiency and minimize operating costs and the number of fixtures needed. These lights cannot be used indoors because they emit a purplish hue, but are at least five times as efficient as incandescents.

Big Savings

Con Edison offers a rebate program for buildings that switch to more energy efficient lighting. According to a marketing representative for Con Edison’s enlightened energy services, buildings can experience a rebate of ten cents per watt of electricity saved when switching from either incandescents to fluorescents, from incandescents or fluorescents to HIDs or LEDs or from standard fluorescents to compact fluorescents. The rebate, which was offered at 25 cents, has been reduced to ten cents as of August.

Con Edison also offers a rebate of 60 cents per watt of electricity saved for outdoor security lighting. The cost for parts and labor for any rebate project is not covered by Con Edison. However, your bill will be reduced if the existing fixtures are replaced or converted. Eighty to 90 percent of existing fixtures can be converted to fluorescents, says Nunez. It’s a great time to upgrade and you can justify the costs by converting. As long as the building is a commercial customer and a customer of record it can qualify for the rebate. Contact Con Edison for an application.

Savings have been seen at The Pinnacle, a condominium in Forest Hills, since it replaced incandescent lighting fixtures with fluorescent lighting in the hallways about three years ago. The 926 fixtures each used two 40-watt bulbs, which were replaced with two ten-watt fluorescents that produce the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. The project reduced the daily energy consumption from 74,080 to 18,520 watts. It doesn’t make sense not to switch, says superintendent Angel Carregal. The savings can be seen within months, not just with Con Edison, but also because fewer bulbs are being purchased and less manpower is needed. The annual electrical costs for the 219-unit building dropped from about $159,000 to $129,000a savings of $30,00 per year.

In addition, The Pinnacle replaced the 75-watt incandescent lights in the lobby and banquet area with 15-watt screw-in fluorescents. The result was a daily energy savings of 4,620 watts.

At a small co-op on Central Park West, Nunez recently helped replace the 65 incandescent fixtures in the hallways with fluorescent lighting. What was once costing the building $75 per fixture per year, is now costing only $15 per fixture per year, for an annual savings of $3,900 per year.

Standard vs. Compact Fluorescents

While it is clear that significant savings result from switching to fluorescents, the switch from standard fluorescents to compact flourescents also results in savings. The standard fluorescent tubes, usually two or four feet long, use a magnetic or electronic ballast in or near the fixture which consumes a minimal amount of energy, usually two or three watts depending on the size of the ballast. The ballast is a device that provides the starting or stabilizing of the voltage needed in a circuit. If you still have the old fluoroscents, you can replace the larger bulbs that use a magnetic ballast with a smaller bulb that uses an electronic ballast. This will cut your electrical consumption in half, says Manuel Patino, director of project development at EUA Cogenex Inc., a nationwide company specializing in energy conservation projects.

The new compact fluorescent lighting is a smaller bulb, emits brighter light, comes with the ballast already built-in, uses screw-in bulbs and replaces incandescents. A seven-watt compact fluorescent can replace a 40-watt fluorescent.

An Interior Design Approach

George Stanton, vice president of Sygrove Associates, an interior design firm, recommends fluorescents in the hallways an c11 d service areas but not in the lobbies unless there is a ceiling cove. Lobbies should have a nicer quality of light, an intimate homey feeling you can’t achieve with fluorescents.

Over the years fluorescent lighting has become more attractive and it now comes in different temperature controls which offer different degrees of color and design. When Sygrove Associates designs a hallway, they use three fixtures with different fluorescent bulbs and hang up sample wall coverings and carpeting to see what light looks the best with the materials. There is a lot of flexibility and improved quality of light with the new fluorescents. The old ones are slowly being phased out, says Stanton.

Saving money is the driving factor for co-op and condo buildings, says Nunez. Some buildings have the same fixtures for years. But technology has come a long way. Switching will result in the same amount of light but a cheaper electric bill and less energy consumption, he says.

Source: http://cooperator.com/articles/199/1/Energy-Efficient-Lighting/Page1.html

Old Ben Was Right

One of the earliest advocates of preventive maintenance was Ben Franklin. He wisely wrote: “A little neglect may breed mischief…for want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost…” Old Ben nailed what happens when relatively small repairs. Little things have major impact on homeowner association assets. For example, a small lack of flashing can lead to major dryrot, structural problems and major expense. Ka-CHING!

Preventive maintenance is critical to managing an HOA’s assets. When executed properly, it extends the useful life of buildings, grounds and equipment. Stretching out useful lives means stretching member contributions and reducing downtime from component failures. Preventive maintenance involves fixing something before it breaks. Here are five objectives for a every preventive maintenance program:

1. To perform maintenance that keeps the property safe and functioning.
2. To promote the most effective and efficient use of resources.
3. To estimate the human resources needed for proper operation and maintenance.
4. To determine long range funding requirements and project scheduling.
5. To evaluate the effectiveness of the maintenance effort.

Preventive maintenance programs are common with elevators, HVAC and pool equipment, usually because there is a service contract. Other components, like paving, roofing, decks and paint require monitoring and planning.

Functional obsolescence is also a legitimate concern. Lack of parts, improvements in efficiency, computerization and changes in fire and building code can make equipment obsolete even though it’s working just as designed. This is particularly applicable to elevators, boilers, pumps and HVAC. Buying new equipment is often a great investment in reduced operating costs. For example, by replacing all common area lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs, the light level will be significantly increased, the energy consumption reduced by 70% and the useful life of each bulb extended by 10-15 times thereby saving an enormous amount of labor costs. Within 12-18 months, the cost will be recouped in energy savings and then, it’s money in the bank.

So, what is the best way to address major preventive maintenance? Two words: Reserve Study. A Reserve Study identifies all the significant components that the HOA is responsible to maintain, assesses current condition, cost of repair and replacement and charts a 30 year maintenance plan to keep the components in their best condition.

The Reserve Study can provide for cyclical preventive maintenance so components achieve their optimal lives. For example If cracks, minor repairs and sealcoating are performed at least every five years on asphalt paving, major repairs will not be required for 20-30 years. If this relatively inexpensive preventive maintenance is not done, significant and costly major repairs will be required much sooner. Pay a little to save a lot.

A Reserve Study will also guide the board how to systematically accumulate funds without special assessments. A full funding plan will have all owners contribute a fair share relating to the benefits received. A fair contribution plan means no one will get a better deal than anyone else and the money will be there when needed. The Reserve Study is absolutely the best way to prepare for a future which will certainly come to pass.

Remember Old Ben’s nail analogy. Little things have a way of causing great things to happen. But rather than fail in the little things, plan for them and hit this nail right on the head.

by Richard Thompson

On the Fence

Fences provide privacy, boost safety and security and can add just the right aesthetic touch to the landscape.  But they also require maintenance, repair and replacement.

Fencing can be an ongoing problem for all associations, especially as communities and their features begin to age. Associations must budget for the care of these integral structures. Deciding when and how to repair your fencing, replace worn down or rotting parts or hire someone to handle maintenance can mean the difference between meeting or exceeding your annual budget.

When faced with aging fencing and the high costs of replacement, community associations have to form a strategic plan of action to ensure a cost effective use of operating funds, while at the same time employing an effective use of reserve funds. The case study that follows demonstrates how investigation into a current maintenance process can result in better service for residents, cost savings, improved budget forecasting and an increase in reserve funding levels.

FINDING A FIX

A community of approximately 700 single-family homes located in North San Diego, Calif, was recently faced with the challenge of developing a long-term strategy for managing its fences. Like many communities, this association had been allocating resources for fencing only through reserve funds, and solely on the basis of major component replacement and repair.  The existing wrought iron fence was installed in 1990, and originally was painted with two-part epoxy paint that lasted about nine years. Subsequently, the fence was painted in 1999 with Frazee Am-Plate paint, which did not last as long and is currently deteriorating.

In reviewing its procedures, the association sought to find a long-term, sustainable process for managing its fence maintenance and repair budget. With the assistance of its management company, the association conducted a study and analysis to review the fencing asset and refurbishing project.

The association had been using a deferred maintenance-only approach for the community’s 28,000 linear feet of fencing, which comprises approximately 2,600 four-by-four wooden posts and nearly 3,200 iron panels. The fence was being repaired only when there was noticeable damage or paint erosion, which is often costly and inefficient.

Under the deferred maintenance and replacement approach, which was dictated by a previous reserve study, fencing was broken into four categories: phases one, two and three and pool fencing.  All fencing components had a remaining life of two to seven years with a total replacement cost of more than $1.6 million. All the wrought iron fencing was slated for painting costs of $180,000 every five years using reserve funds. Until recently, the association did not incorporate into the operating budget a proactive annual maintenance component to coincide with strategic designations of reserve capital.

There’s a better way to maintain fences. You wouldn’t repair your car only once every seven years; you perform ongoing maintenance. The same logic can be applied to repairing and maintaining the association’s fencing.

The other issue for the association had been response time. Previously, when a homeowner submitted a request for fence repairs near or around his or her home, the process from initial review of the request to completion usually took two months or more. To begin to resolve the inherent problems in that approach, the association needed to investigate the costs related to a broader scope offence overhaul and repairs.

The association collected three bids to bring the fence to like-new condition using reserve capital and then funds from the operating account for ongoing maintenance. The association’s reserve study analysts deemed the funding strategy acceptable upon the premise that the maintenance program would be reviewed on an annual basis.

PROBLEM SOLVED

Beginning this year, the association started using an immediate portion of reserve funding-approximately 25 percent of the $1.6 million estimated for complete replacement-to update its fences. The association allocated enough reserve funds to add a buffer to all of the contractor bids, which were substantially below the allotted amount. It wanted to allow enough room in case there were rising costs. In addition to the earmarked funds to replace the fencing, all of the bids included quotes to maintain the fencing in a like-new condition for an indefinite period of time. The maintenance includes 40 hours per month, allocating $1,600 in labor costs and $600 per month for materials. This monthly maintenance strategy allows the association to implement ongoing, proactive fence maintenance rather than the reactive, deferred maintenance-replacement approach that was so problematic.

In addition, the association allotted $100,000 every eight years in reserve funds as a strategic designation of capital that allows for catastrophic fence failure or other needs. In total, the association will designate approximately $1.6 million for fence repairs over the next 30 years. This new program shares the cost between reserve funds and the operating budget. It’s the most cost effective and desirable way to maintain the fence for the life of the homeowners association. The association will put out a secondary bidding process in the future to account for up-to-date considerations and cost changes.

The new fence maintenance program addresses several major issues that the association had been facing. First, the program allows for improved service to residents by greatly reducing the need for delayed emergency repairs. Next, the program will save the association more than $500,000 in maintenance costs over 30 years. Finally, by allocating fence repair and maintenance costs to both operating and reserve funds, rather than the previous reserve funded-only “major component and repair” line item, this approach has raised the association’s reserve funding level more than 30 percent.