Author Archives: Joanna

Easier Enforcement of Your HOA’s Rules: Steps to Create Enforceable Rules, Effective Fines, and a Fair Violation Process

Upcoming Event: An Exclusive HOAleader.com Webinar With Practical Tips for HOA and Condo Boards

Easier Enforcement of Your HOA’s Rules:
Steps to Create Enforceable Rules, Effective Fines, and a Fair Violation Process

Thursday, July 31, 2014
2-3 p.m. Eastern

HOAleader.com Members save $30!
Not a member yet? Sign up for a trial membership now.


Enforcing rules doesn’t have to be a pitched, tense, and unpleasant battle between your homeowner association board and your homeowners. With some smart planning, you can make enforcing your HOA’s rules fairer, quicker, easier, and less stressful.

Join us for an in-depth webinar on July 31 led by two community association experts: a lawyer with more than a decade of hands-on experience in advising associations on how to create and enforce rules, along with a veteran association manager with insights on the day-to-day operations of rules enforcement. You’ll get practical ideas, systems, and processes you and your condo or HOA board can begin to take advantage of the minute the webinar ends.

You’ll learn:

  • The role of the lowly rule in HOAs, being less powerful than a CC&R or a bylaw, but easier to implement than provisions in those weightier documents
  • How to determine the steps you must follow to create enforceable rules
  • Tips for identifying what you can handle with a rule and what you should never try to accomplish through a rule
  • How fines fit into rulemaking, including how to set an effective fine amount and how to know when a fine is too much
  • The structure of an effective violation system—from notice of a violation to a meaningful process for owners to state their defense and get a fair hearing
  • Insights into rules you’ll never be able to enforce and fines that’ll fall short of their goal to curb repeated violations
  • Suggestions to help you avoid the most common mistakes boards make creating and enforcing their rules
  • And much more!

In just 60 minutes, you’ll gain practical, valuable tools you can implement now to begin building a better approach to special assessments. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.


About Your Speakers
Matthew Drewes Matthew Drewes is a partner at the law firm of Thomsen Nybeck PA in Bloomington, Minn., where he heads the firm’s community association representation group and co-heads its construction defect litigation group. Drewes practices primarily in commercial litigation, community association law, construction litigation, creditors’ remedies and debtor/creditor law, real estate litigation, and insurance litigation. Drewes has been recognized by Minnesota Law and Politics, which has several times included him on its list of Rising Stars, a distinction given to only 2.5 percent of Minnesota attorneys each year.
Bill Worrall Bill Worrall is vice president of the Miami-Dade region of FirstService Residential, a property management company in Florida serving more than 1,500 associations and 310,000 homes. Worrall’s expertise lies in the luxury high-rise condominium market with an emphasis on financial consulting; new development consulting, startup, and opening; and existing luxury high-rise management. This includes physical plant, lifestyle delivery, and community association business-plan development. Worrall received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Maryland and is a licensed REALTOR.

How Do Webinars Work?

A webinar is remarkably cost-effective and convenient. You participate from your home or office, using a regular telephone and a computer with an Internet connection. You have no travel costs, hassle, or commute time.

Plus, for one low price, you can get as many people on your condo or HOA board to participate as you can fit around a speakerphone and a computer screen. And now, with our special group membership offer, your entire board can attend—even from different locations. This offer requires an HOAleader.com Group Membership. When any group member orders, we will set up access for the entire group. Up to 10 users can attend for one low price. It’s another incredible deal as part of HOAleader.com Group Membership.

Because the conference is live, you can ask the speakers questions via the webinar interface. Many attendees tell us this is the most valuable part of the webinar.

You will receive access instructions via e-mail several days before the event. You don’t need any additional materials before the webinar starts. Your conference materials will be available for you to view, print, and download when you log in to participate in the event.


100% Satisfaction Guarantee

If you are not completely satisfied after attending an HOAleader.com event, let us know within 30 days, and we will refund 100% of your registration fee — no questions asked.


About HOAleader.com

HOAleader.com’s attorney editors and experienced journalists constantly research the latest developments in HOA law affecting homeowner and condominium associations across the U.S. Then we publish plain-English analyses of what those developments mean to you as an HOA leader, and what you need to do now to comply with HOA laws, steer clear of legal trouble, avoid or resolve conflicts within your homeowners association, make HOA management easier, and safeguard your community association’s property values and quality of life.

Not a member yet? Sign up for a free trial membership here.

New Webinar on Special Assessments; How to Avoid Them When Possible, and Pass Them When Needed

Upcoming Event: An Exclusive HOAleader.com Webinar With Practical Tips for HOA and Condo Boards

Special Assessments:
How to Avoid Them When Possible, and Pass Them When Needed

Thursday, June 26, 2014
2-3 p.m. Eastern

HOAleader.com Members save $30!
Not a member yet? Sign up for a trial membership now.


“Special assessment.” They may be the two most dreaded words in the minds of HOA owners. Just the mention of “a special” can infuriate homeowners and give HOA board members heartburn.

The term doesn’t have to provoke such negative reactions. When used sparingly, wisely, and successfully, special assessments can strengthen a community and build respect for a condo or HOA board that honors its fiduciary duty.

Join us for an in-depth webinar on June 26 led by two community association attorneys with extensive experience advising associations on the benefits and pitfalls of special assessments. You’ll walk away with concrete information to help you avoid unnecessary special assessments and, when special assessments can’t be avoided, to get them passed with the minimum of rancor.

You’ll learn:

  • The factors you should always consider when determining if it’s appropriate to propose a special assessment
  • The types of projects that should never be funded by a special assessment and the types of projects that are a good fit
  • The alternatives to special assessments—including securing an association loan and contractor financing; when you should pursue them and when you should avoid them
  • How to avoid the trap of chronically under-assessing owners and relying on specials for every major expense
  • How to create a plan to get your special assessment passed
  • The most common causes for special assessment vote failures, even when owners know the project is necessary—and how you can avoid them
  • Steps to take if your special assessment vote fails, including a post-vote debriefing of where the process went wrong and how to decide whether and how to try again
  • Tips to plan better overall so your HOA relies less on special assessments
  • And much more!

In just 60 minutes, you’ll gain practical, valuable tools you can implement now to begin building a better approach to special assessments. Register now for this informative event for community association board members.


Can’t attend on June 26? Order the recording. You and the rest of your board can listen to the on-demand webinar at your convenience.


About Your Speakers
Kevin L. Britt, Esq. Kevin L. Britt grew up in Houston and received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. He has focused his Seattle-based legal practice on condominium and homeowners associations in Washington state since 2005. His business mission is to help association clients solve their problems and improve their communities.
Elizabeth White Elizabeth White is a shareholder at the law firm of LeClairRyan in Williamsburg, Va., where she leads the firm’s national community association industry team. Widely regarded as a thought leader in this industry, White is a frequent speaker at CAI events on topics relating to community association law and is a regular contributor to such publications as HOAleader.com. She teaches a class on community association law at William and Mary Law School, which is the only one of its kind in Virginia and one of only a handful nationwide. White has been named one of the best lawyers in America.

How Do Webinars Work?

A webinar is remarkably cost-effective and convenient. You participate from your home or office, using a regular telephone and a computer with an Internet connection. You have no travel costs, hassle, or commute time.

Plus, for one low price, you can get as many people on your condo or HOA board to participate as you can fit around a speakerphone and a computer screen.

Because the conference is live, you can ask the speakers questions – either on the phone or via the webinar interface.

You will receive access instructions via e-mail several days before the event. You don’t need any additional materials before the webinar starts. Your conference materials will be available for you to view, print, and download when you log in to participate in the event.


100% Satisfaction Guarantee

If you are not completely satisfied after attending an HOAleader.com event, let us know within 30 days, and we will refund 100% of your registration fee — no questions asked.


About HOAleader.com

HOAleader.com’s attorney editors and experienced journalists constantly research the latest developments in HOA law affecting homeowner and condominium associations across the U.S. Then we publish plain-English analyses of what those developments mean to you as an HOA leader, and what you need to do now to comply with HOA laws, steer clear of legal trouble, avoid or resolve conflicts within your homeowners association, make HOA management easier, and safeguard your community association’s property values and quality of life.

Not a member yet? Sign up for a free trial membership here.