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Is your HOA striving for perfection? Maybe that’s too much… Learn why it’s okay to make mistakes, as long as your HOA board fulfills its fiduciary duties!
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/

This week Kevin and Robert discuss why it’s impossible to have a perfect HOA. Just know this: making mistakes is okay, as long as you act in the best interest of the association and fulfill your fiduciary duties. They also cover the impact of inefficiencies on community anxiety, the role of clear communication in managing expectations, and the importance of directors and officers liability insurance to protect the board from lawsuits. Small administrative errors shouldn't cause panic!

Chapters From This Week's Episode:

00:00 It’s Okay to Make Mistakes When Running an HOA
01:09 Volunteers Aren’t Perfect!
03:11 When Does Being Casual Become a Liability in a HOA?
00:00 Does Your HOA Need to Be Perfect?
05:11 How Anxiety Affects Community Associations
08:25 Legal Requirements and Mistakes in HOA Management
11:30 Impact of Agitation and Distractions in the Community
13:22 Fiduciary Responsibility and Avoiding Liability
15:57 Ad Break - Our FiPhO
16:62 How an HOA Story From Seinfeld is Rooted in Truth
17:46 Raising Assessments and Avoiding Suspicions
19:54 Importance of Clear Communication and Transparency
22:11 Why HOA Board Members Shouldn't Panic Over Mistakes
26:02 What Happens When You Don't Comply with State Laws
29:00 Final Thoughts: It's Okay to Make Mistakes as Long as You Act in the Best Interest of the HOA

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Julie Adamen
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Are you an HOA board member looking for strategies to manage a large community effectively? Jim Hopkins shares his experiences and tips for managing a 12,000+ unit HOA board!
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/


In this episode of HOA Insights, Jim Hopkins, a board member at Laguna Woods Village, shares his journey of managing a large HOA board. Discover the unique challenges of serving on a board for a community of over 12,000 units and the importance of patience, professionalism, and strategic planning. Learn how Jim's board transitioned to self-managed property services, the importance of proactive reserve planning, and effective communication strategies to engage 18,000 residents. Whether you're a seasoned board member or new to HOA governance, this episode provides valuable insights into managing a large HOA successfully.

Chapters From This Week's Episode:

00:00 Patience is Critical For a HOA Board Member
00:55 A Thankless Job - HOA Board Heroes
02:09 Ad Break - Kevin Davis Insurance Services
02:37 Intro to Jim Hopkins HOA Board Hero
04:04 What Motived Jim to Join a Massive HOA
05:11 The Community Structure of Laguna Woods
07:27 The Relative Ease of Getting Elected to Jim’s HOA Board
09:27 How Many Hours Per Week Jim Works for His HOA & the Personality He Brings to the Board
11:01 Jim’s Favorite & Least Favorite Parts About Being on a HOA Board
11:58 How a Post-Covid World Effected Virtual Meetings & Topics for Jim
15:09 Jim Talks About the Culture of His HOA Board
17:22 How Jim’s Association Bought Their Own Property Management Company
19:27 Jim Talks About How Well Funded His Associate is
26:02 What Jim and His HOA Board Are Focused on For Next Year
28:52 Jim’s Words of Advice for Other HOA Boards and Their Members

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Julie Adamen
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Kevin Davis, CIRMS
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Is your HOA board showing signs of dysfunction? Learn how to identify and address common issues that affect community associations!
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/

Julie Adamen and Robert Nordlund share from their past years of HOA experience the telltale signs of a dysfunctional HOA board. Learn about the importance of board members fulfilling their duties, such as maintaining community assets and finances, and the impact of internal political factions, stagnant dues, high board member turnover, and poor communication. See how you can turn your dysfunctional HOA community around with the benefits of strategic planning, forming committees, and maintaining good relationships with service providers!

Chapters From This Week's Episode:

00:00 Does Your HOA Community Have This Sign of Dysfunction?
03:25 What Does a Dysfunctional HOA Board Look Like?
05:18 Major Board Dysfunction #1 - Having Silos in Your Community
08:42 Major Board Dysfunction #2 - HOA Dues That Haven’t Changed in Years
11:42 Major Board Dysfunction #3 - High HOA Board Turnover (And Also the Opposite)
17:46 Major Board Dysfunction #4 - If There’s Little to No Communication From the Board to the Community
19:44 Ad Break - Community Financials
20:14 What Happens When You Don’t Have Open Board-to-Community Communication?
27:46 Maintaining Good Relationships With Business Partners and Vendors
29:28 The One Thing You Can Do to Start Eliminating Dysfunction in Your HOA

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HOA insights now has its very own merch store! Our team has whipped up some hats, mugs, T-Shirts, & more that we think Volunteer HOA Boardmembers are gonna love. We also offer dozens of FREE zoom backgrounds. Available in our Boardmember Merch Store!

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Julie Adamen
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Kevin Davis, CIRMS
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This week we look at the rising trends in HOA Insurance Claims for discrimination, harassment, and bullying (and how to avoid them!)
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/

HOA claims are on the rise! Are you facing neighbor disputes, harassment, or discrimination in your community? In this episode, Kevin Davis and Sherry Branson go into the legal aspects of HOA claims, how protect yourself from costly legal battles, and tips for maintaining a harmonious neighborhood and resolving conflicts peacefully.

Chapters From This Week's Episode:

00:00 The one red line you don’t cross at an HOA
02:57 The increases in HOA neighbor-to-neighbor disputes
06:01 How disputes become really expensive HOA claims
08:38 How bullying disputes grow
11:43 How disappointment can turn into a defamation claim
18:42 Ad Break - Association Reserves
19:16 Having a policy for harassment, discrimination, and bullying in your HOA

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HOA insights now has its very own merch store! Our team has whipped up some hats, mugs, T-Shirts, & more that we think Volunteer HOA Boardmembers are gonna love. We also offer dozens of FREE zoom backgrounds. Available in our Boardmember Merch Store!

Connect with Hosts on LinkedIn

Julie Adamen
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Kevin Davis, CIRMS
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Wanting to avoid costly HOA lawsuits? Today we’re giving some expert tips on financial planning, governance, and effective communication to help your community associations!
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/

So you’ve heard of these costly HOA Lawsuits… Maybe your community has already gone through one. Well, today we hope we can help (and prevent) these scenarios from happening! Kevin Davis and Sherry Branson break down the critical steps homeowners associations must take to avoid costly lawsuits. From understanding fiduciary duties to dealing with deferred maintenance, this conversation highlights the importance of financial planning, clear communication, and strong governance. Learn how selective enforcement can lead to legal issues and why maintaining transparency with homeowners is key. If you're a board member or involved in HOA management, these insights could save your community from financial headaches and help build a more harmonious environment!

Chapters From This Episode:

00:00 Things that get an HOA in trouble…
02:36 Pressing trends & issues facing HOAs for larger lawsuits
03:53 Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims
07:58 Problems come into play for HOAs when it comes to deferred maintenance
13:51 Selective Enforcement - You’re gonna have a bad time
19:13 Ad Break - FiPhO Score
19:45 Tips to deal with financial issues and reducing a claim size
26:18 Communication Tips for HOAs (Stop these issues before they happen!)

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HOA insights now has its very own merch store! Our team has whipped up some hats, mugs, T-Shirts, & more that we think Volunteer HOA Boardmembers are gonna love. We also offer dozens of FREE zoom backgrounds. Available in our Boardmember Merch Store!

Connect with Hosts on LinkedIn

Julie Adamen
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieadamen/

Kevin Davis, CIRMS
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-davis-98105a12/

Robert Nordlund, PE
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Are you still thinking like a homeowner while you're on the board? Watch as we show you how to manage your HOA like a business!
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/

Your HOA is a community with real people, real finances, and real problems that need solutions. So what can you do as a board member to get ahead? It starts with changing your management mindset to fit a multi-million dollar business. Your are managing HUGE, EXPENSIVE assets. It's time to start treating your role as such and revamp your board. Learn the importance of full communication with all who are involved and affected by board decisions, assessments, and ignored deterioration. Take these tips with you to start managing your HOA like a business.

Chapters
00:00 Intro to How to Manage HOA Like a Business
02:52 Meet Kay & Her HOA
03:47 Why Be a Board Member
05:30 Best & Worst Parts of Being a Board Member
06:05 HOA Meeting Problems
07:07 California’s New HOA Water Use Law
08:17 Past Board Failures (Assessments & Reserves)
09:04 HOA Board Wins
11:35 Is Our HOA Funded Enough?
15:26 Restating 20yr Old Governing Documents
16:47 Communicate with Owners AND Tenants
18:21 The Best HOA Management Mindset

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HOA insights now has its very own merch store! Our team has whipped up some hats, mugs, T-Shirts, & more that we think Volunteer HOA Boardmembers are gonna love. We also offer dozens of FREE zoom backgrounds. Available in our Boardmember Merch Store!

Connect with Hosts on LinkedIn

Julie Adamen
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieadamen/

Kevin Davis, CIRMS
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-davis-98105a12/

Robert Nordlund, PE
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This week we equip you with insights on the top leadership qualities essential for HOA board members to effectively serve their communities
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/

Robert sits down and talks with special guest Kelly Zibell about the crucial leadership qualities for HOA board members. Learn about the four C's of HOA leadership: competence, character, courage, and collaboration. See how confidence, commitment, courage, and connection also play vital roles in effective board leadership. Additionally, Kelly explains the importance of strategic planning, prioritizing community needs, and making tough decisions.

Chapters
00:00 Being on a HOA Board is a Privilege
03:50 The Essential Traits of Great Board Members (The Four Cs)
05:40 Being Confident in Stressful Moments for Board Members
06:20 Commitment and Strategic Planning
12:18 Consistency and Continuity for Your HOA
14:04 Courage in Decision Making in Tough Times
17:47 Connection with Community and Other HOA Leaders
18:00 Ad Break - Community Financials
18:35 Developing Leadership Traits
22:57 Curiosity and Continuous Learning
27:47 Certificates vs. Essential Traits
30:49 Closing Thoughts

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HOA insights now has its very own merch store! Our team has whipped up some hats, mugs, T-Shirts, & more that we think Volunteer HOA Boardmembers are gonna love. We also offer dozens of FREE zoom backgrounds. Available in our Boardmember Merch Store!

Connect with Hosts on LinkedIn

Julie Adamen
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieadamen/

Kevin Davis, CIRMS
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-davis-98105a12/

Robert Nordlund, PE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-nordlund-pe-rs-5119636/

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Are you fearing how to pass a HOA special assessment? Today Robert and Julie discuss strategies to pass any special assessment with ease and transparency.
✅ Is a Reserve Study right for you? 👉 https://www.reservestudy.com/
✅ Get your resource for special assessment success hints 👉 Adamen, Inc. - NewsLine Vol. 27 No. 06

If you’re stuck on passing an HOA special assessment, this is an episode for you! Julie Adamen and Robert Nordlund share their expert insights on how to manage these challenging situations with transparency, clear communication, and strategic planning. Learn the importance of building alliances within your community, engaging in regular and proactive communication, and having a well-prepared plan to address potential crises. Understand how to create standardized talking points, hold informative town hall meetings, and respond effectively to homeowner concerns. We hope we can equipment you to become adept at guiding your board through the complexities of special assessments and securing your community's financial future!

Could your Board use expert help in getting a special assessment passed? Consultant Julie Adamen is available to assist your Board with this, or myriad other issues. Contact her at julie@adamen-inc.com

Chapters From This Week’s Episode:

00:00 – Your Board Must be United for a Special Assessment
01:10 – How do You Pass a Special Assessment?
05:02 – Communicating Urgency
07:18 – Recruiting Allies
09:45 – Belief and Fiduciary Duty
12:27 – Engaging Community Volunteers
15:16 – Ad Break - Association Reserves
15:47 - Getting Different Points of View From Your Association
22:20 – Handling Questions and Objections about Special Assessments
26:17 – Robert’s story on a failed assessment turned success
29:32 – Closing Thoughts

Podcast Links:
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HOA insights now has its very own merch store! Our team has whipped up some hats, mugs, T-Shirts, & more that we think Volunteer HOA Boardmembers are gonna love. We also offer dozens of FREE zoom backgrounds. Available in our Boardmember Merch Store!

Connect with Hosts on LinkedIn

Julie Adamen
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieadamen/

Kevin Davis, CIRMS
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-davis-98105a12/

Robert Nordlund, PE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-nordlund-pe-rs-5119636/

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