If you’ve confused homeowners associations (HOA) with property managers or vice-versa, you are not alone. A lot of people think that HOAs and property managers are the same, or at least, their functions are which is why having an HOA and a property manager at the same time is sometimes frowned upon, thinking it’s a waste of time and resources. But there are key differences between the two, and really, what a property manager does is to enable the HOA to properly function and fully serve its community.

To help you better understand the differences between an HOA and a property manager, take a look at each one’s specific functions:

1. The HOA governs the community

In general, an HOA hires the services of a property manager or a property management company. Their function is to assist the HOA in its day-to-day obligations as well as in emergencies. The scope of the work or responsibility that the property manager will handle depends on what both parties have agreed upon. In other words, being the employer, the HOA has full power over the community and its rules of governance as well as the rules and regulations that every member of the HOA must adhere to are all under the jurisdiction of the HOA.

2. The property manager works behind the scenes

A homeowners association is responsible for several things, most notably, maintaining the common areas, ensuring that all members are following rules, collecting dues and taking care of the HOA’s finances, insurance coverage, emergency response, hiring contractors, and vetting tenants where applicable.

The HOA, as a governing entity, does not physically handle all these things especially since its Board of Directors comprises volunteer homeowners who also have demanding day jobs. So who functions behind these functions? The property manager.

3. The property manager may be the HOA’s “first responder” in certain situations

There are certain situations that could be easily handled by the property manager, but again, this depends on what has been agreed upon by both parties. It could be a homeowner’s concern about a job that the contractor the HOA provided, a tenant that has been remiss in payments, etc. In these kinds of situations, the property manager may function as the “face of the HOA,” in that they are first in line for contacting the HOA for concerns. In other words, the “first responder” in certain situations.

For bigger or more serious concerns, the HOA will be notified, and a meeting between the Board of the Directors and the concerned parties may ensue.

In a nutshell, the HOA has the final say in all matters concerning the community it governs.

Whether you’re considering becoming a member of your HOA’s board of directors or you’re simply wondering about eligibility for a seat on the board, it would help to know the qualifications of an HOA Board member. Specific qualifications may vary from one homeowners association to the next, but in general, these are some of the most common basic qualifications:

1. Educational background

Some homeowners associations require board members to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and there are others that require at an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. It all depends on the HOA’s bylaws and the state’s requirements (if applicable).

Board members and officers are also required to take continuing education courses related or relevant to HOAs. These courses are generally free. There might be online courses available as well, so HOA board members can comply with the requirement despite their busy schedule.

2. Knowledge in accounting and finance

HOAs collect fees from homeowners, create a budget, and basically ensure that the collected fees are being used according to HOA regulations. As such, it’s important that each member of the board has at least a basic knowledge of accounting and finance to ensure that the HOA’s financial obligations are well-taken care of and that the money is not being squandered.

3. Good communication skills

As a member or officer of the board, it is your responsibility to ensure that your homeowners are aware of everything that goes on within the HOA and the community and that they know they can always turn to you for issues regarding the community. To make you effective in both, you need excellent communication skills. Your communication skills will also serve the HOA well as you effectively negotiate with contractors and suppliers, vet tenants, address complaints or even mediate between neighbors in disagreement over an issue.

Apart from these three, basic knowledge of computers and office applications is also required. You need computer skills to help you with documents and written communications, bookkeeping and accounting, and virtual communication applications. You also need to know how to manage the HOA’s website.

If you wish to learn more about homeowners’ associations or for professional HOA management services, we invite you to give us a call at 951-270-3700 for questions or inquiries. If you would like to request for an HOA management proposal, please click here. We look forward to helping your HOA achieve its goals.

If you’ve recently moved into an HOA-managed community and you’ve never had the experience of living in such a community before this, you probably have a lot of questions regarding the HOA and its board of directors. To help you stay informed, here are a few things you need to know about your HOA board:

1. Members of the board of directors are elected by the homeowners

When a seat becomes vacant, any member of the HOA may express their desire to fill the vacancy, and if they qualify, the homeowners will decide who gets the seat by popular vote. There may also be times when a board member taps a homeowner for the vacancy. But an election is still required, even if the Board recruited them.

2. Members of the board can be removed

If a board member can be removed if he or she is suspected of neglecting their fiduciary duties or have been abusing power (or found ‘guilty’ of anomalous/deceitful activities), but it will be a tedious process. First off, you need to know your HOA’s bylaws regarding the removal of board officers. Secondly, you will need enough evidence to support your request for automatic removal.

Usually, the actions taken by the board and homeowners regarding problematic officers is to let them finish their term and elect someone else for the vacancy. Sometimes, the board might elect to remove the officer from their position (president, treasurer, etc.) but not of the board. This significantly reduces their authority over HOA matters.

3. Board of Directors salary

Homeowners associations are not-for-profit organizations, and as such, working for it as a member or officer of the board of directors is voluntary. This means the board of directors shouldn’t receive a salary. There are, however, some HOAs that give their board of directors an allowance or compensation for their “volunteer work,” which completely negates the “volunteer” part of the job. Check your HOA’s bylaws about salaries or compensation (or other ‘financial assistance’) credited to the board of directors regularly.

If you wish to learn more about homeowners’ associations or for professional HOA management services, we invite you to give us a call at 951-270-3700 for questions or inquiries. If your HOA is in or around Southern California and you would like to request for an HOA management proposal, please click here. We look forward to hearing from you.

Talk to the complainant and the party in question separately; and remember to be neutral, setting aside your personal feelings or opinions. In other words, be as objective as possible. Your goal is to get to the bottom of the issue/s and not to blame one or the other.

3. Mediate

Schedule a meeting between the complainant and the other party, and make sure that only the concerned entities will be involved in the meeting. No family members, relatives or witnesses are necessary at this time. The point of mediation is to help both parties to resolve the dispute as amicably as possible, without involving others.

4. Discuss the issue with the HOA’s Board of Directors

If the mediation didn’t work, it’s best to take up the issue with the Board. In some disputes, the Board’s intervention or action is needed to prevent the issue/s from escalating or affecting the entire community. With this step, you may need to go over your HOA’s rules and regulations to see if any were violated. You can also check the stipulation on how disputes are resolved. The point of this is to act within the legal bounds of the HOA’s jurisdiction.

5. Take legal steps

If one or both parties start harassing each other, or harassing the HOA’s Board members and staff, don’t hesitate to seek the help of your HOA’s attorney. A restraining order from the court may be necessary to maintain peace within the community and prevent acts of violence.

In all these steps, a property manager or HOA management team can ensure that everything is taken cared of according to the stipulations of the HOA rules and regulations, as well as the state’s related laws.

To learn more about So Cal Property Enterprises HOA and property management services, please feel free to call 951-270-3700 at your convenience.

A Look at California’s First Smart Community

Are you out looking for a new home for your, shall way say, tech-savvy family? If so, California’s first smart community may interest you. Westpark Maintenance District in Irvine has the distinction of becoming California’s first smart community, using a new smart technology called COMMON SENSE™ that has been specifically developed for HOA use. San Marino Park in Irvine is the first smart community park in the state.

California’s First Smart Community

From smart homes to smart cities now come smart communities. In California alone there are more than 52,000 HOAs, and they may be the first to adopt the smart technology to create the first smart state in the country. Without getting ahead of where it can lead to, smart technology essentially opens more doors for improving homeowners’ living experiences in their communities, while improving service efficiencies among HOAs. For instance, smart technology can help community managers with the maintenance and support of common areas such as parks and swimming pools. With sensors and the system securely connected to the internet, many functions such as community lighting, irrigation, surveillance, and the like can now be monitored, automated, and controlled remotely. Aside from efficiency, the use of smart technology may also lead to greater improvements in terms of sustainability. It can result to better homes, better communities, and overall better environments for families.

For homeowners, they are also afforded convenience by the smart technology. In Westpark Maintenance District for example, residents can easily look up on their mobile phones the status of their community swimming pool, whether it’s currently occupied for swim team practice or not. They can also check the temperature of the swimming pool or report an issue to management. All this information is available on a dashboard which is updated in real-time. The San Marino Park swimming pool’s water quality is also tested every 15 minutes. The information is sent securely through the cloud and the smart system adjusts accordingly, helping it meet critical California Title 22 code regulations. The law requires commercial pools to be tested and for that information to be logged daily.

What’s Next for California’s First Smart Community?

Westpark Maintenance District is the pilot community for the smart technology and given its success, there’s no reason why other communities in California will not follow suit. As homeowners become more discerning about the modern amenities made available to them by the community and HOA, smart technology will play a bigger role in making life-enhancing living innovations a reality.