The collapse of Champlain Towers South in Florida wasn’t just a tragic event, it was a wake-up call for community association and maintenance plans and programs. Since then, insurers have gotten stricter, lenders more cautious, and lawmakers busier than ever. With a little discipline and a plan, you can lead your community safely to the summit. Get started with a six-step preventive maintenance plan.
Four years ago, the tragic partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Fla., took 98 lives. The devastating event highlighted the critical need for proactive building maintenance, structural inspections, and financial preparedness to ensure condo safety. Over the past few years, CAI has educated community association residents, board members, community managers, business partners, legislators, and regulators about structurally sound and fiscally responsible communities.
Engaging with homeowners positively and proactively about community standards encourages collaboration and cultivates a sense of shared responsibility. By getting ahead of compliance issues before they become significant problems, we enhance the aesthetic appeal of our neighborhood and can also protect and increase property values. Consider three strategies for communicating about community standards and design guidelines.
Generating adequate reserve funding in your community can seem like a daunting task, but doing so is a necessary step in providing for ongoing preventative maintenance and structural inspections and repairs, and safeguarding your community’s future. An Iowa community association was forced to tackle their reserve funding head on when faced with severe maintenance challenges they couldn’t afford.
A carefully written investment policy should keep community associations on a straight and narrow path, say professionals who advise them. At Ford’s Colony Homeowners Association, a 2,600-home community in Williamsburg, Va., a finance committee of volunteers uses an investment policy to advise the board.
