"Changing Scenes of Communities"

Trying to pinpoint the boundaries of the concept of "diversity" is about as easy as teaching a cat the alphabet. This is especially true in the context of community associations. An association's membership is as varied in background and demographics as the society around it. With respect to condominiums, for instance, this means that retirees and families . . . to read more of this article from Allison Peryea, Leahy McLean Fjelstad, click here.

"And You are Now on the Board"

It is the end of the Association's annual meeting and you have just been elected to the Board.  Do you know your duties and responsibilities?  Do you know the needs of the multi-million dollar corporation you've been put in charge of?  How do you ensure consistency in application and effectiveness of the existing policies, maintenance plans, long term . . . to read more of this article from Sergey Petrov, PCAM, Yalnes Inc., click here.

"Man's Best Friend, your Neighbor's Worst Enemy? Pets and Enforcement in Community Associations"

Pets continue to be a hot button issue for our community association clients, pitting pet lovers against those who find pet noise or allergens intolerable.  We are often asked how community associations can regulate pets, and more importantly, what limitations exist on how pets can be regulated in communities. The obligation to allow service animals has created questions about what kinds of pets are service animals and . . . to read more of this article from Jennifer Hill, Condominium Law Group, click here.

"The Greening of Mount Si Cottages - The Story of Meeting a Condominium's Landscaping Challenge at No Cost"

The Mt. Si Cottages Condominium, built in 2007, is a group of 44 freestanding cottages located in Snoqualmie Ridge, WA. The units are part of the City of Snoqualmie's ordinance that for every 800 or so regularly priced homes constructed in the city about 50 affordable housing units must be built. The streets of the community form a "T"; the top of the "T" is a street which is bisected by a dead-end cul-de-sac. Four units on each side of the top of the "T" are on the main street and face a group of upscale town homes constructed by . . . to read more of this article from Sue Swanson, Mount Si Cottages, click here.

"Landscape Health and Pest Control "The Green Way"

One would think that landscaping is naturally green and friendly to the environment and in many cases that is true as landscaping replaces, enhances and maintains areas that have been disrupted by development and growth. Landscaping replenishes and refurbishes the environment in most cases. If landscaping is not installed and maintained correctly from the beginning many problems can arise that will call for the use of more harmful chemicals to combat diseases and . . . to read more of this article from Jim Malone, Malone's Landscape Management click here.

"Modern Hippies, Community Leaders"

As a Community Association Manager, I've recently had the pleasure of working with several boards who are becoming, now more than ever, concerned about being educated and responsible leaders setting an example for their communities of how to be good stewards of the planet, as well as the particular corner of it in which they choose to live. The first things that come to mind are the obvious: greener landscaping practices and outdoor conservation of water and energy, but how can . . . to read more of this article from Angelique Ashton, CMCA, AMS, The CWD Group, Inc., AAMC, click here.