HOA Help

Started by CarolH2 • 3 replies • 1422 views

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CarolH2 (Georgia)
Posts: 33

Posted:

As a board we decided to manage our HOA on our own this year due to lack of funds to pay for full management. Can anyone recommend a website that could help us find answers some issues? For example what is the process to file a lien in the state of GA.? If the board can take a resident to small claims court for past HOA dues.

I see a lot of people on this site seem to know the law in their state but I am having problems finding out the laws in Georgia.

GeorgerwilliamsW (Indiana)
Posts: 975

Posted:

Here are some suggestions to get you started. Unfortunately, none of these are specific to Georgia.

I hope others will have links of interest to share as well.

Association Times
http://www.associationtimes.com/articles2007/marketingthecommunity0907.htm

Realty Times
http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/homeownerassociationnews.htm

Regensis
http://www.regenesis.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi
(sign up for the free service only.)

For information on reserve studies
http://www.apra-usa.com/

You can download for free several best practices reports from Community Association Institute here:

http://www.cairf.org/publications/best_practices.aspx
* Community Harmony & Spirit (PDF)
* Community Security (PDF)
* Energy Efficiency (PDF)
* Financial Operations (PDF)
* Governance (PDF)
* Reserve Studies/Management (PDF)
* Strategic Planning (PDF)
* Transition (PDF)

Some useful stuff is here:
http://www.aboutmyhoa.com/index.htm

JohnO6 (Georgia)
Posts: 424

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By CarolH2 on 08/19/2008 9:21 AM
As a board we decided to manage our HOA on our own this year due to lack of funds to pay for full management. Can anyone recommend a website that could help us find answers some issues? For example what is the process to file a lien in the state of GA.? If the board can take a resident to small claims court for past HOA dues.

I see a lot of people on this site seem to know the law in their state but I am having problems finding out the laws in Georgia.

Carol - It will really help the members of this forum to get a better "perspective" on your HOA. Type of housing (single family, townhouse, fee simple vs. condo), size of the community, experience of the Board members, etc.

Having said that, then it sounds like your primary question regards legal support and issues surrounding delinquent dues and collection. Some of this info will be contained in your governing documents (CCRs). Beyond that I would suggest either (a) a one time consultation with an experience community association attorney, or (b) many law firms will enter into a deferred fee collection arrangement whereby they do all the pre-suit legwork and defer the fees for that until the debt is colllected. Most often those fees can be assigned to the debtor as well.

Back to the beginning - let's start with more info from you.

CarolH2 (Georgia)
Posts: 33

Posted:

I can do that John thank you for the advice.

My community is a 177 detached town home (legal description) development. Board members consist of 5 residents who just want to do right for the community. We have one board member who claimed when running for the board to she would be able to do all things but has produced no results in problem solving. All she wants to do is write grants to get free stuff. I am the president with no prior board experience. I have learned a TON in the last three years I have lived in the neighborhood and the last 1 1/2 years that I have been on the board.

We are so financially strapped that we chose to do in-house management. We do have a law firm on retainer but the very small amount of help they have given us has cost us more than $5000.00 and we can not continue to use them at those cost. Questions were free but to research an answer now that will cost you.

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