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Let’s face it: nobody puts “organizing paperwork” at the top of his or her favorite-things-to-do list. But maintaining good records is essential to the critical functions of your homeowner association (HOA), and following a system of organization can streamline your operations by increasing efficiency, providing transparency and preserving a history of communication.

As a board member, you can measure your success in a lot of different ways. The projects you’ve completed, the financials you’ve strengthened, the long-term plans you’ve put in place – all of these are clear indicators that you’ve done your job, and you’ve done it well.

Enhance your community by putting more play in your community - learn more about how to put a park or playground in your neighborhood.

No longer the products of science fiction fantasy, electric cars are now a reality of everyday life. While the reduced emissions of personal electric vehicles, or PEVs, are good news for the environment, their charging requirements may create challenges for condo associations trying to navigate their infrastructure requirements, legal implications, management concerns and even aesthetic considerations.

Aside from knowing to not park next to one, how deep is your knowledge of fire hydrants? Unless you’re a firefighter, it’s probably not that extensive. This may not be a problem... until the unthinkable happens and you need to be confident that your fire hydrants are in good working order. But like any equipment in your community, fire hydrants need to be maintained.

Millennials (also called “Generation Y”) are making a big impact on communities. Comprising the youngest adult population in America (think people born between about 1980 and 1995), these individuals now constitute 31% of all new home and condo sales, according to the National Association of Realtor’s Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends study 2014. Here’s a breakdown that puts it all into perspective:

Maybe you’re self-managing your community. And maybe things are going just fine. But maybe they could be better...and just maybe, that could happen through full-service property management.

The Baby Boomers have been a transformational generation, to say the least. Born between 1946 and 1964, Boomers are known as the healthiest and most educated of any American generation in history.

Community members join committees because they want to make a difference. That’s great, but sometimes, as they say, life gets in the way. Let’s not forget that committee members are all volunteers, which means it might take something a little extra to keep them motivated.

Learn how community members are making a difference in their communities with socially distant celebrations during COVID-19 spring holidays.

Neighborhood Watch programs can provide significant benefits to communities – after all, they boost community awareness, communication and involvement, while reducing opportunities for neighborhood crimes to occur. But if you’re interested in getting started, there are many important factors to consider. Here’s an overview.

The relationship between a community and its property management company is like most relationships in your life: its success hinges on communication.

All homeowner and community associations are different from one another, as they are comprised of a collaborative group of board members. Just as associations differ so do the special committees that fall under the association. You can have as many different types of experiences with committees as there are kinds of committees themselves.

What does the future hold? Unfortunately, not the jet packs and flying cars we all thought we’d have, but there are important changes in practice and perspective in store for community association governance. To get at the heart of these upcoming changes and trends, Common Ground , an official publication of Community Associations Institute (CAI), brought 50 experts, members and stakeholders together to paint a picture of the future. The results from this panel have been published in the March/April 2016 edition of this publication. We’ve summarized the high points for you in this article, and we’ve added some insight from FirstService Residential, too.

You've heard the terms reasonable accommodation and reasonable modification before. But do you know the specific definitions of the terms and how they apply to your association?

Owning a home within a homeowner's association (HOA) comes with the advantage of having a supportive association that takes care of maintaining common areas and promoting a sense of order within the community.

Community committees are a great way to involve more residents in the activities of their homeowner association, help ensure the rules and regulations of the association are followed, and help lighten the workload of volunteer board members. Some common committees include beautification, architectural, landscaping and grievance committee. At their best, committees are finely tuned engines for getting things done in your community. When there is a breakdown or discord, they’re agents of confusion, wreaking havoc on progress and operating as the figurative wrecking balls for a few overbearing committee members.

Unless you live in an area where it hardly ever rains (in which case you have a whole other set of problems), drainage will be an issue in your community. Proper drainage is, of course, the answer, but getting there means you have to meet stringent requirements throughout different areas of your community.

As our parents age, we are fortunate to enjoy an ever-evolving relationship with them. With time comes perspective, and with that perspective comes a new way for adults to relate with their parents.

The best property management companies agree that meticulously groomed landscaping is vital to enhance your property’s curb appeal. Industry research shows that investing in green spaces is among the top five property improvements that increase ROI return on investment for homeowners, communities and homeowner associations. It is clear that selecting the proper landscaping company is of the utmost importance, but how do you determine which company is right for your community?

Many multifamily properties and high-rises want to implement “green” living practices and create eco-friendly communities, but not everyone knows where nor how to get started. Here are some effective and easy tips to help you be proactive and successful in achieving your sustainability goals. Read on for a list of programs and services that can be put in place in your community at little to no cost.

The dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke are well known, and tobacco use is now the leading cause of disease and preventable death in the United States. But smoking doesn’t just impact our personal health – it also affects the buildings we live in, potentially increasing the risks of fire and property damage, raising insurance costs, increasing legal liability and more. In addition, property management companies, condominium associations and property owners often field complaints from homeowners about how smoking doesn’t just affect their health and safety, but also their lifestyle – issues like secondhand smoke drifting into their units, increased litter and fire hazards from discarded cigarette butts, smelly and unsightly ashtrays ruining the aesthetics of common areas, and more.

It’s that time of year again – there’s a noticeable nip in the air, trees are losing their leaves and stores are starting to display their holiday swag. That can only mean one thing – winter is right around the corner. If your HOA is located in an area affected by wintry weather, we probably don’t need to remind you about last year’s Arctic-level freeze. Some of the coldest-ever temperatures were recorded in many parts of the country – and if you heed the predictions in the Old Farmer’s Almanac , you know that this year promises to be even more frigid. Is your community prepared to handle the upcoming chill? Here are some tips to help your homeowners association winterize your community, no matter what surprises the season may bring.

Is your homeowners association considering starting a recycling program for your community? If so, bravo! Take a look at some of the benefits: conserving energy, saving water, preserving resources, reducing air pollution and saving landfill space. And did you know that in addition to helping the environment, recycling can also provide economic benefits as well? To get you started, here are some tips and considerations to help your association plan and implement a successful recycling program for your community.