09 Dec Coupons and Proxies and Policies: Year-end Association Mailings (Part 3)
Each year homeowners receive a packet of information from their association and immediately scramble to locate the one thing they’re truly interested in –
How much is the assessment going up next year?
This single bit of data is accompanied by other documents that are just as important but don’t always get the attention they deserve. At least, that is, until there’s
a violation,
a late payment or
a desire to remodel the front yard
and suddenly you’re digging for a phone number in order to gather the relevant information from the association.
Policies
Federal and state laws change each year, which means that each year, associations need to update their policies. For example, active military personnel have certain collection protections as do employees of the government during a government shutdown. Sending a copy of the current collection policy ensures all homeowners have access to sometimes complicated safeguards.
The annual mailing is also a good opportunity to update owners on how best to avoid violations. Management companies frequently include reminders about the HOA pet policy, parking guidelines and the amenity key processes with the budget packet.
A routine complaint from some homeowners is the expense related to sending so much material through the U.S. Post Office each year. The answer is two-part:
1 – not everyone is online
2 – CCRs or state law may stipulate that certain documents are mailed through the USPS a minimum of once a year
The board of directors and management company put a great deal of effort into compiling the association year-end mailing. Taking the time to read and review the information is a simple way to make yourself aware of important changes to the community.