Communicate with your community before it is too late

Almost every day, some sort of dispute between an association board and its community makes the news somewhere in the United States.

Just recently, at a 55+ community in South Florida, news reports said hundreds of residents protested at a board meeting because the association board needed to raise its dues to pay for increased insurance costs.

The increase was $100-$200, but it was enough to activate the community.

That story made international news as police were brought out to control the crowd. And, while that case is extreme, much smaller disputes are common in most neighborhoods.

It is how the cases are handled that makes the difference between a discussion at a board meeting to come to a solution versus a prolonged, nasty public fight that brings home values down.

The key to solving community disputes is to be proactive before they ever start.

Communication is key in association conflicts.

In the South Florida case where condo owners protested an increase in dues, the changes to the dues were probably necessary.

It is fairly widely known that homeowners’ insurance rates in Florida are increasing substantially. More than a dozen insurance companies have pulled out of the state, limiting the market. Plus, an increase in strong hurricanes hitting the state has created billions in claims.

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