Community Matters

Avoiding Association Liability

Welcome to this edition of Community Matters podcast, where we discuss issues important to managing and governing condos, cooperatives and homeowner associations.

In this episode of Community Matters we’ll be discussing the many areas where community associations can be exposed to liability, and how associations can avoid these claims. My guest today is Edward Hoffman, Jr., a Partner and Co-Founder of Barrow|Hoffman, a Community Association Law and Litigation firm with offices in Warminster and Allentown, PA. Mr. Hoffman regularly represents and counsels homeowners associations, condominiums and planned communities on full range of issues including litigation, governing document drafting, amendments and revisions, transition issues, covenant enforcement, assessment violations and collections. He is a member of CAI’s Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee. For more information on Barrow | Hoffman, please visit their website.

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Painless Payments are Possible!

Welcome to this edition of Community Matters podcast, where we discuss issues important to managing and governing condos, cooperatives and homeowner associations.

In this episode of Community Matters we’ll be discussing payment processing. Every community association receives payments – for monthly assessments, fees, or other payments. Modern technology has greatly expanded payment options available to community associations. My guest today is Nicole Skaro, Vice President and Association Financial Partner with Alliance Association Bank. Nicole covers the states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and has a strong understanding of the Community Association Industry and the specific needs of management companies, individual managers, and community associations. Nicole is also a member of the board of directors of the CAI Pennsylvania & Delaware Valley Chapter. For more information on Alliance Association Bank, visit their website.

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Planning & Budgeting for Deferred Maintenance

Welcome to this edition of Community Matters podcast, where we discuss issues important to managing and governing condos, cooperatives and homeowner associations.

In this episode of Community Matters we’ll be discussing why deferred maintenance is important to a community association and why it should be included in the association budget. My guest for this episode is Brandon Femia, RS, with Kipcon, Incorporated, an engineering consulting firm that specializes in community associations. Brandon performs reserve studies, transition studies, deferred maintenance schedules, cost estimates, operating manuals and physical and financial assessments for community associatoins. Brandon holds CAI's Reserve Specialist designation. For more information on Kipcon, please visit www.kipcon.com.

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What's New in CAI's National Reserve Study Standards?

Welcome to this edition of Community Matters podcast, where we discuss issues important to managing and governing condos, cooperatives and homeowner associations.

In this episode of Community Matters we’ll be discussing Reserve Studies – specifically, updates that were adopted in 2017 to CAI’s national Reserve Study Standards. My guest for this episode is Mitch Frumkin, president and founder of Kipcon, Incorporated, an engineering consulting firm that specializes in community associations. A Licensed Professional Engineer in eighteen states, Mitch holds CAI Reserve Specialist designation. He is also a past president of Community Associations Institute and the Pennsylvania & Delaware Valley Chapter. For more information on Kipcon, please vist www.kipcon.com.

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Legislative Report with State Rep. Rosemary Brown

On May 7, 2018, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed House Bill 595 into law. Now known as Act 17 of 2018, the legislation assigns the investigation and mediation of certain complaints regarding Pennsylvania planned communities, cooperatives, and condominiums to the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. The legislation also recognizes the importance of dispute resolution procedures within each community association. CAI worked closely with the Bill’s prime sponsor, State Representative Rosemary Brown, whose 189th legislative district in Monroe and Pike Counties in the Poconos region, includes a very high concentration of community associations. Representative Brown is my guest today in this podcast where we’ll discuss the reasons behind the Bill and what she hopes to accomplish with the legislation.

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Workplace Laws & Community Associations

Welcome to this edition of Community Matters podcast, where we discuss issues important to managing and governing condos, cooperatives and homeowner associations.

CAI members – including management companies and community associations that are employers - are subject to numerous state and federal laws that govern the workplace. Compliance with these employment laws is critical to avoiding litigation. We'll be reviwing these laws in this episode with Philip Voluck, owner of the national law firm Kaufman Dolowich and Voluck. For the last 40 years, Phil has represented employers, including community associations, who have been faced with claims of discrimination or wrongful termination by former employees, rejected applicants, and other parties. For more information on the firm, please visit their website.

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Bug Off: Pest Control for Condos & HOAs

In this episode of Community Matters Podcast for condos and homeowners associations, we’ll be talking about pest control, dealing with summer pests and how you can keep your condominium, home and common areas free of pests. Today's guest is John DiDomenico, with A. Amendt Pest Control, a 63 year old family owned business. A. Amendt Pest Control is a full service company handling termites, bed bugs, roaches ants, rodents and wildlife for commercial and residential customers throughout Delaware, Montgomery, Chester and Philadelphia Counties and Southern NJ.

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Sustainable Lake & Pond Management

Nearly every planned community has stormwater management ponds, and some have more elaborate lakes and other water ways. In this episode of Community Matters podcast, we'll be discussing how a community association can effectively manage lakes and ponds in a sustanable way without the use of chemicals. Today's guest is John Phelps, an Environmental Scientist with SOLitude Lake Management. John has over a decade of experience in water and land management throughout the Delaware, Pennsylvania and the rest of the Mid-Atlantic. John has worked on major land-development projects, conducted threatened and endangered species surveys, and played an integral role in efforts to reduce nutrient loading and sustainably manage harmful algal blooms in community lakes and ponds.

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Homeowner & Resident Privacy: It's More Complicated Than You Thought

The topic of privacy has been in the news recently for many different reasons, mostly related to social media, data breaches and other online privacy issues. But privacy takes on many different forms and many questions arise related to homeowner and resident privacy in a community association setting, where residents may gather in common spaces such as clubhouses, pools, lobbies, mail rooms or at association sponsored events. Issues of privacy in these situations can present themselves in many forms that many individuals may not think about. In this episode of Community Matters podcast, we’ll be exploring these issues and examining common scenarios in which you might not think the issue of privacy is a big deal. Our in this episode is Jamie Cooperstein, CEO of J. Cooperstein Hospitality Consulting, LLC. In her work, Jamie she uses the principles of AAA “Five Diamond” service, which shaped her career, to educate employees who work behind or supervise those that work at front desk counters, host stands, customer service windows, in lobbies or over the phone. Jamie uses a blend of interactive exercises, role playing and team building to coach clients on the necessary components of service excellence. For more information on her services, visit www.jcoopconsulting.com.

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Heat, Humidity & Mold: Summer Weather's Impact on Homes and Communities

Summer weather conditions - storms, heat and humidity - can have a serious impact on homes, buildings and community associations. In this episode of Community Matters Podcast, we’ll be discussing how stormy weather in the warm summer months, flooding, and high humidity can affect your property and lead to mold growth and what can be done to mitigate and prevent this type of damage to your property. Our guest today is Robert Tabasko, Business Development at Rolyn Companies, a commercial property restoration and remediation company that specializes in mold remediation. For more information on services offered by Rolyn, please visit their website at www.rolyncompanies.com. 

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