Community association board members are responsible for governance, compliance, and protecting property values. Few homeowners joining their board for the first time have all the tools to succeed, and the consequences of uninformed decisions can be severe. The question of whether board member education and training should be mandated for volunteers is nearly as old as common interest communities.
Governance in community associations is complex, with many potential blind spots that can lead to serious financial, legal, and operational challenges. Some of the most common yet often overlooked governance pitfalls include understanding roles, respecting the hierarchy of the documents, and failing to adhere to communication and meeting protocols.
Many community association leaders are unaware that most music and movies are protected by copyright. Use of copyrighted work without a license constitutes infringement regardless of intent. If a community association publicly plays music or a movie, it must first obtain a license.
