Task Force Observations

I took the opportunity to sit in on the first Task Force Meeting via YouTube. I was disappointed to realize what I consider the typical homeowner who pays their assessments on time and follows the rules was once again, not represented. While the suggestion that disputes be resolved by alternative methods rather than in the courts, might be an improvement, my question is who will pay for that service? Certainly, any mediation service or arbitrator would need to be compensated. Please make certain that the HOA is not solely responsible for paying those fees. The homeowner and HOA ought to share the costs equally, otherwise the forgotten homeowners who don't need mediation will pay via their assessments.

The suggestion that there needs to be more transparency in budgeting struck me as infantilizing adult homeowners. To assume that adults who have managed to purchase their own homes and obtained a mortgage to do so cannot manage to pick up their mail and read the yearly letter that includes a copy of the proposed budget and annual meeting agenda is ludicrous in my estimation. The notices for the HOA Annual meeting in my condo complex are posted in two bulletin boards on the complex, are mailed to each homeowner as well as emailed to them. Sending them via certified mail as suggested by some on the Task Force would once again be a fee that the homeowners who can manage to read their mail would pay for those who can't. My bet is that moving meetings to weekends would result in less attendance, not more.

Finally, licensing of Community Association Managers does not sound unreasonable, but when one Task Force member suggested that self-managed communities should require their volunteers to be licensed, I had to laugh. Our association is lucky to have three volunteers currently serving, for the past six years only two homeowners were willing to serve. Who will volunteer to serve on a small, self-managed Board when they required to take classes to be licensed--no one!

My final observation is that the trend I see is that the Colorado legislature is slowly killing HOAs. I would prefer they just do it all at once rather than piece by piece. I hope they will let those of us who live in condos know who they will bring in to manage the buildings and grounds once the HOA and its volunteers are driven out.