Explaining Community Association Fundamentals
As a Board member you may have been surprised to learn that some homeowners in your community don't really understand the fundamental nature of what it means to live in a common-interest community or the community association (or condominium) concept. This is not uncommon and can be challenging to Board members trying to effectively serve in their roles to their community.
Community Associations Institute (CAI) is a national membership organization that represents the best interests of common-interest communities. CAI sought to provide a clear, easy-to-understand set of principals to help homeowners understand and appreciate the core principles at the heart of the community association concept by developing a set of common community association fundamental principles. CAI developed 10 core principles that define the nature of common-interest communities and answer the following three (3) questions:
What is the basic function of a community association?
What are the essential obligations and expectations of homeowners?
What are the core principles that should guide association leaders?
We wanted to share this information with you as a resource to help better explain community association fundamentals to homeowners and your role as a board governing community matters.
The 10 basic principles are:
1. Associations ensure that the collective rights and interests of homeowners are respected and preserved.
2. Associations are the most local form of representative democracy, with leaders elected by their neighbors to govern in the best interest of all residents.
3. Associations provide services and amenities to residents, protect property values and meet the established expectations of homeowners.
4. Associations succeed when they cultivate a true sense of community, active homeowner involvement and a culture of building consensus.
5. Association homeowners have the right to elect their community leaders and to use the democratic process to determine the policies that will protect their investments.
6. Association homeowners choose where to live and accept a contractual responsibility to abide by established policies and meet their financial obligations to the association.
7. Association leaders protect the community's financial health by using established management practices and sound business principles.
8. Association leaders have a legal and ethical obligation to adhere to the association's governing documents and abide by all applicable laws.
9. Association leaders seek an effective balance between the preferences of individual residents and the collective rights of homeowners.
10. Association leaders and residents should be reasonable, flexible and open to the possibilities and benefits of compromise.
Thank you for reading the Imagineers Board Newsletter. If you have any question or need any additional information on any articles provided in this newsletter, please contact us at 1-800-560-7268.
Imagineers LLCEmail: Gpassacantando@imagineersllc.com
Phone: 1-800-560-7268
Fax: 860-236-3951
Web: http://www.imagineersllc.com
