The Task Force Again

I have continued to watch the HOA Task Force meetings but see so much talk and so little understanding. My impression in that the group cannot even agree on the most obvious facts.

First, those who are billed as "homeowner advocates" should be titled "advocates for homeowners who don't pay their dues".

Second, the advocates pretend there is some other source of revenue for the many ideas they tout. Simply put, HOAs have one and only one source of money, the assessments paid by homeowners. And the State of Colorado has one main source of income, the taxes paid by residents of the State. There is no magic pot of money that will pay for any burden placed on the HOAs or on the State.

Finally, the budgeting process is not a mystery. In my time on a Board we convene in the fall to look at the expenditures in that year. We estimate what we will spend in each category during the remaining months. We then look at our various contracts to see if there will be an increase in the next year. Will the cost for utilities and insurance raise? Is our Reserve account healthy, or do we need to up the amount we save each month. All this is placed in a spreadsheet and the bottom line is divided by the number of units in our association. The only way that we can finance that budget is by the faithful, monthly payment of the HOA assessment by each unit. Should the Colorado Legislature continue to make it more difficult to convince those who are not paying to pay, there are then only two options---continue the same level of service (snow removal, trash hauling, landscaping, building repairs) and place the amount not paid on those who do pay or cut back on all or some of the services. Period.

If the Task Force cannot agree to these basic facts, how can what they produce be of any value?