Clarifying the Manager’s Role

Article by Community Associations Institute

Our association employs a highly-qualified professional community manager, and we think residents should know what the manager has—and has not—been hired to do. The manager has two primary responsibilities: to carry out policies set by the board and to manage the association's daily operations.

Some residents expect the manager to perform certain tasks that just aren’t part of the job. When the manager doesn’t meet those expectations, residents naturally are unhappy. Since we want you to be happy, we’re offering a few clarifications to help you understand what the manager does.

• The manager is trained to deal with conflict, but he or she will not get involved in quarrels you might be having with your neighbor. However, if association rules are being violated, the manager is the right person to call.

• While the manager works closely with the board, he or she is an advisor—not a member of the board. Also, the manager is not your advocate with or conduit to the board. If you have a concern, send a letter or e-mail directly to the board.

• Although the manager works for the board, he or she is available to residents. That doesn’t mean the manager will drop everything to take your call. If you need to see the manager, call and arrange a meeting. If a matter is so urgent that you need an immediate response, call the association emergency number or 911.

• The manager is always happy to answer questions, but he or she is not the information officer. For routine inquiries, like the date of the next meeting, please read the newsletter or check the association website.

• The manager is responsible for monitoring contractors’ performance, but not supervising them. Contractors are responsible for supervising their own personnel. If you have a problem with a contractor, notify the manager, who will forward your concerns to the board. The board will decide how to proceed under the terms of the contract.

• The manager inspects the community regularly, but even an experienced manager won’t catch everything. Your help is essential. If you know about a potential maintenance issue, report it to the manager.

• The manager does not set policy. If you disagree with a policy or rule, you’ll get better results sending a letter or e-mail to the board than arguing with the manager.

• The manager has a broad range of expertise, but he or she is not a consultant to the residents. Neither is he or she an engineer, architect, attorney or accountant. The manager may offer opinions, but don’t expect technical advice in areas where he or she is not qualified.

• Although the manager is a great resource to the association, he or she is not available 24 hours a day—except for emergencies. Getting locked out of your home may be an emergency to you, but it isn’t an association emergency. An association emergency is defined as a threat to life or property.

A Helping Hand

Article by Community Associations Institute

Community associations are not immune in this recession. Sadly, some homes have been abandoned. The homes were foreclosed and the owners moved away. When banks take over these properties, they usually don’t realize they need to pay the regular assessment. With the depth of the foreclosure crisis and their own financial problems, banks are struggling to keep up.

It’s hard not to complain about a nearby property looking downtrodden. We all want to come home to a community we can be proud of. If the house next door is abandoned or not maintained, offer to help. Be sure to check with the association first if you want to clean up an abandoned property. The property may belong to the bank, the association or the financially-strapped owner. If no one is given notice that volunteers are coming to maintain a property, trespassing charges can be filed—not exactly a nice return on generosity.

If given approval to access a property, there are simple things volunteers can do to improve the look. When the trash is cleaned up, the yard is watered and mowed and the newspapers, door hangers and phone books are picked up off the porch, the home is less inviting to thieves and looks better.

Having unity in the community has never been more important than in times like these. Thankfully, as neighbors, we have one another. Don’t get angry, get helpful.