Community Matters

Critical Steps in Community Association Transition to Homeowner Control

In this episode of Community Matters podcast, we'll be discussing transition – the transition of a newly built community from developer to homeowner control. This is a critical time for all communities under construction and the success, or not, of the transition period will set the tone for the first homeowners that take up residence in the new community association. Our guest today is David Dahan, Esq., a Partner with the law firm of Hyland Levin LLP, located in Marlton, NJ. David is also a member of our chapter board of directors and speaks frequently at educational programs on issues important to community associations.

 

The Basics of Community Association Insurance

In this episode of Community Associations Institute’s podcast we'll be discussing the basics of community associations insurance, a basic but critical topic for those who govern, manage and live in condominium, cooperative and homeowner associations. Topics we'll cover inclue the type of insurance coverages an association should have and what a unit owner should have in terms of insurance on his or her home. We’ll also answer one of the most frequently asked questions about community association insurance – who insures what?

Our guest for this podcast is Chuck Peterson, Vice President of Peterson Insurance Services, located in Havertown, Pennsylvania.

Community Matters is now available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. Subscribe there or download the podbean app and be the first to receive notifications when new episodes are posted.

Alternative Dispute Resolution: How It Works

Community Associations Institute is pleased to offer the third in a three part Community Matters podcast series on Alternative Dispute Resolution. 

In the first episode, we answered the questions "What is ADR?" The second episode covered the five terms that are key to success in alternative dispute resolution, including agreements, confidentiality and defining the dispute. In this third and final episode in the series, we will address how ADR actually works and how it differs from a trial in court.

Our guest for this podcast series is Tobey Oxholm, Secretary of the Lakeview Estates Homeowners Association and member of CAI through his business, Just Resolutions, a provider of Alternative Dispute Resolution Services. For more information on Tobey and his services, please visit his website.

Community Matters is now available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. Subscribe there or download the podbean app and be the first to receive notifications when new episodes are posted.

Five Terms that are Key to Successful ADR

Community Associations Institute is pleased to offer the second in a three part Community Matters podcast series on Alternative Dispute Resolution. 

In the first episode, we answered the questions "What is ADR?" This episode covers the five terms that are key to success in alternative dispute resolution, including agreements, confidentiality and defining the dispute. The third and final episode in the series will address how ADR actually works and how it differs from a trial in court.

Our guest for this podcast series is Tobey Oxholm, Secretary of the Lakeview Estates Homeowners Association and member of CAI through his business, Just Resolutions, a provider of Alternative Dispute Resolution Services. For more information on Tobey and his services, please visit his website.

Community Matters is now available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. Subscribe there or download the podbean app and be the first to receive notifications when new episodes are posted.

Community Associations and Alternative Dispute Resolution: The Basics of ADR

Community Associations Institute is pleased to offer the first in a three part Community Matters podcast series on Alternative Dispute Resolution. 

In this first episode, we will addres several basic questions - what is ADR, and what are the differences between mediation and arbitration. The second episode in the series will cover the five terms that are key to success in alternative dispute resolution, including agreements, confidentiality and defining the dispute. The third and final episode in the series will address how ADR actually works and how it differs from a trial in court.

Our guest for this podcast series is Tobey Oxholm, Secretary of the Lakeview Estates Homeowners Association and member of CAI through his business, Just Resolutions, a provider of Alternative Dispute Resolution Services. For more information on Tobey and his services, please visit his website.

Community Matters is now available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. Subscribe there or download the podbean app and be the first to receive notifications when new episodes are posted.

Governing Documents in Community Associations

In this episode of Community Matters podcast, we discuss the documents that every community association in Pennsylvania is governed by, including the Declaration of Covenants, the bylaws of the association and rules and regulations. We discuss the hierarchy of these documents, what each document consists of and how they can be amended and enforced. Our guest is Sara Austin, Esq., with the Austin Law Firm in York, PA. Sara is a graduate of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law, College of William & Mary. In addition to being a member of CAI, Austin is the 2016-17 President of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and is a Past-President of the York County (PA) Bar Association and Leadership York. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and a past board member of Community First Fund. Contact Sara via the Austin Law Firm website.

Community Matters is now available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. Subscribe there or download the podbean app and be the first to receive notifications when new episodes are posted.

 

The Top 5 Directors & Officers Liability Issues and How to Avoid Claims

In this episode of Community Matters podcast, Angela Costigan, Esq., with the Law Firm of Costigan & Costigan will address the most frequently litigated Directors and Officers Liability issues, and how to avoid claims on these issues, including:

1. The careful calculation of resale certificates.
2. Assessing fines and penalties.
3. Suspending voting rights.
4. The establishment of architectural review boards.
5. Financial disclosures.

Our presenter for this episode is Angela Costigan, a partner at the law firm of Costigan & Costigan, LLC, with offices in Philadelphia, PA, Moorestown, NJ and Hammonton, NJ. Angela received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in Italian, Spanish and French and her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She is licensed to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and focuses her practice on the defense of condominium and homeowner associations. Contact Angela via the firm website.

Community Matters is now available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. Subscribe there or download the podbean app and be the first to receive notifications when new episodes are posted.

Medical Marijuana's Impact on Community Associations

In this episode of Community Matters, we're talking pot – that is, the legal kind. Medical Marijuana is becoming legal in more and more states and in some, so is recreational marijuana. Community associations have long dealt with the issue of cigarette and other types of smoking, but does medical marijuana require new ways of thinking for community association managers and elected leaders?

We’ll find out in this podcast, where our guest is Scott Reidenbach, Esquire. Scott is the founding principal of Reidenbach & Associates, a law firm based in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Scott and his firm concentrate in the areas of Condominium and Community Association Law, Construction Litigation, Real Estate and related areas. Contact Scott through his website at www.reidenbachlaw.com.

Community Matters is now available in the iTunes store and on Google Play. Subscribe there or download the podbean app and be the first to receive notifications when new episodes are posted.

Records Retention: What to keep and for how long?

One of the questions we often get from condominium and homeowner association volunteer leaders and property managers has to do with records retention. That will be the focus for this episode of CAI’s podcast – we’ll be talking about documents such as financial records, tax returns, audits, meeting minutes, board resolutions, among others. How long should these documents be kept and stored, and where? We’ll find out in this podcast, where our guest is Marshal Granor, Esquire, with Granor & Granor, PC in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Marshal’s practice is limited to drafting and editing community association governing documents, non-litigation dispute resolution, creative problem solving and providing guidance to association boards. He is one of the principal authors of the Pennsylvania Uniform Planned Community Act and is a Fellow of CAI’s College of Community Association Lawyers. Marshal is also a member of CAI’s Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee.  Contact Marshal via email or visit his website.

 

Efficient & Effective Association Meetings

Community association board and committee meetings can be dreadful for all those involved. Meetings typically run long, homeowners tend to vent on issues not on the agenda, and sometimes little is accomplished. But this does not need to be the case. By establishing some simple rules, your community association meetings can become more effective and more efficient.

Our guest in this podcast is Jeff Evans, LSM, PCAM, principal with Management Matters, a community association management consulting and expert witness firm in Mountainhome, Pennsylvania. Jeff served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Lake Naomi Club in Pocono Pines, PA for 30 years. Contact Jeff via email or visit his website.