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Halloween is right around the corner and before it arrives there are many precautions we must take to ensure our kids and community are safe. As we prepare to celebrate let’s go over a checklist of safety measures we can take to make sure the little ghosts and goblins throughout our community are safe.

As a board member for your condominium corporation, you know that your community depends on volunteers to operate successfully. However, finding residents who are willing to be on your board of directors, join a committee or help at an event can be challenging.

Managing association covenant enforcement can be difficult in any community. Restrictions for every community can be different, and it can be a challenge to keep the rules fair, reasonable and equally applied to all homeowners. Read on for some basic guidelines that will make navigating through these issues a little easier.

How do you determine which property management company will provide you with the best service? Here are 10 questions that you should ask when consulting with property or homeowner association (HOA) management companies to help you make the important decision.

It’s often said that you should never judge a book by its cover. However, the front-line curb appeal of a community can make a difference in the value of every property in a neighborhood. This is one reason current and potential homeowners consider landscaping and common-area maintenance so important.

John Friedrichsen, Senior Vice President & CFO of FirstService Residential parent company FirstService Corporation, is quoted in USA Today about how HOAs benefit from the value-added services provided by leading professional management companies.

National Night Out is an annual event that promotes partnerships between communities, residents and local law enforcement. Celebrations can range from individual block parties to a large community festival. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to create connections between neighbors and focus on working together to make your community a safer, better place to live. This national celebration has become an annual tradition in many communities far and wide and we want to help you put together the best National Night Out event your association has seen yet.

Handling day-to-day maintenance and making necessary improvements are critical responsibilities for any homeowners association (HOA). And when your serve on your association’s board of directors, they can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t have a good system in place to manage them. So how do you make sure that your maintenance staff is able to handle that long list of tasks that need to get done so that your community runs smoothly and retains its appeal?

At one time or another, every condominium corporation has to spend money on replacing equipment or making major repairs. Whether that means replacing a roof, installing a new ventilation system or any other big-ticket project, they are a necessity. But how should your condo corporation pay for them?

Self-managing your condominium property may seem like it saves money, but does it really? Why the cheapest property management option may not be the best.

It seems innocent, but a surprising number of balcony and backyard fires are unintentionally started by disposal of smoking material in a potted plant or planter box. In a condominium environment this can have, and has had, disastrous consequences. And it's not just a summertime problem.

We can all agree there are many important elements to a housing structure, but your roof is probably the most important. Changing temperatures, snow accumulation, large amounts of rain, ice dams and high winds can all cause major damage to condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes. These harsh weather conditions can create all sorts of problems, from minor leaks to major cave-ins that can cost a condominium corporation thousands to repair.

When renting your condominium, both owner and tenant have responsibilities under the Condominium Property Act of Alberta (CPA). These are in addition to rights and responsibilities for landlords and tenants covered in the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA).

The Canadian Senate passed Bill C-45 , known as the ‘Cannabis Act’, in June 2018 which legalized the recreational use of cannabis across Canada. The first G-7 country to do so! When Bill C-45 goes into effect on October 17 th , Canadians will be able to purchase, consume and grow up to four cannabis plants, as well as make cannabis-containing products at home.

HOA rental restrictions can bring several benefits to a community association if done properly. Here are five steps to follow when adopting HOA rental restrictions successfully.

There are valid reasons to raise assessments, but in some cases, you may be able to go a different route. Here are four strategies to save your HOA money and keep assessments stable.

An effective Utah homeowners association will not only recruit great volunteers and committee members, but will empower them to help improve the community. The question is – how do you get there?

Healthy board communication is the key to enhancing your Arizona HOA’s reputation and property values. Use these 9 tips on how to improve communication to strengthen your HOA board.

A capable management company will enforce procedures and invest in technologies that help limit legal liability for the condo or co-op, and also mitigate board member personal exposure.

Policy exclusions introduce increased risk to the board and often render a contractor’s policy meaningless. Properly vetting a contractor’s insurance is critical.

Does your homeowners association have adequate staff for the services that you provide? Learn how to staff your community effectively.

Is your HOA reserving enough funds for the future? Go beyond the basics of reserve funds and learn how to maximize your investments.

So, you want to be an Arizona HOA board member. Read our article to learn five lesser-known tips for brand-new or seasoned board members.